Vonage Contracts Verizon for E9-1-1 Service

Verizon is the first ILEC to work closely with any nomadic VoIP service to ensure emergency calling keeps pace with VoIP technology.

“Verizon is a responsible steward of the E9-1-1 public trust, through their foresight Vonage is able to implement an E9-1-1 solution that will serve all customers,” said Jeffrey A. Citron, Vonage’s CEO. “Unlike other ILECs, Verizon has not recommended Vonage use a CLEC for call delivery, as they recognize the significant limitations of this solution, as it does not accommodate for mobile customers or VoIP users on non-local phone numbers.  It is important that all Vonage customers can use this solution, those with native phone numbers and those who chose phone numbers from other areas.”

How It Works

When Vonage customers dial 9-1-1, the call is routed to Vonage‘s 9-1-1 server using industry standard SIP protocol.  The Vonage server then queries Intrado for routing instructions.  The call is then directed to the media gateway connection to the Verizon network, over a dedicated physical circuit connected directly to Verizon’s selective router that serves the Public Safety Answering Point (“PSAP”).  Simultaneously, Intrado places the customer’s address and telephone number into the Automatic Location Information (ALI) database.  The supplementary special key unique to the call is included in

signaling, and allows the PSAP 9-1-1 operator to pull the customer’s address and phone number from the ALI database.  Vonage, Verizon and Intrado intend to implement this first-of-its-kind E9-1-1 solution throughout Verizon territory within 6 months. To implement this novel solution, Verizon will perform all necessary modifications and translations to the network elements in each PSAP service area that bundle the ALI and selective routing infrastructure. The proposed solution is compliant with NENA’s proposed I2 technical standard.