Burnin' Down the House
Internet phones are all fun and profit until someone's house goes up in smoke.
Whether it was Vonage dragging their feet, the FCC not staying on top of it, or even some mutual bugaboo of a technical problem, it doesn't really matter. The technology is clearly not ready for prime time if it can't interface properly with the 911 network, yet Vonage is making millions from it.
I can assure you that the guy whose house just burned down doesn't care who is at fault; the house and all his worldly possessions are still gone. Since I don't know what their level of disclosure to that client might have been, it's hard to say if he can sue Vonage for damages.
Regardless, the fact is that the system doesn't function properly in comparison to equivalent technologies. That will certainly keep me from considering it as an option, and may force the FCC to suspend business operations for affected companies. Because the next click on the ratchet is a negligent death incident, and then all bets are off.
Whether it was Vonage dragging their feet, the FCC not staying on top of it, or even some mutual bugaboo of a technical problem, it doesn't really matter. The technology is clearly not ready for prime time if it can't interface properly with the 911 network, yet Vonage is making millions from it.
I can assure you that the guy whose house just burned down doesn't care who is at fault; the house and all his worldly possessions are still gone. Since I don't know what their level of disclosure to that client might have been, it's hard to say if he can sue Vonage for damages.
Regardless, the fact is that the system doesn't function properly in comparison to equivalent technologies. That will certainly keep me from considering it as an option, and may force the FCC to suspend business operations for affected companies. Because the next click on the ratchet is a negligent death incident, and then all bets are off.
posted by Jar(egg)head at 11:08
3 Comments:
I've had Vonage for at least a year if not longer. It's a great service for the price. When you are setting up your account features it's clearly marked that you need to edit your account information for 911 and they have FAQS that explain the differences between E911 and the 911 service they offer. They are adding E911 service to more areas. I know I have received emails from them explaining how their 911 works.
In your account settings there is a place to activate 911 service, and you have to fill in your address so your call can be routed to the nearest Public Service Aaccess Point.
Even SWBELL (now AT&T) has the same disclaimers about their VOIP service.
If the powers out or your net connection is down, no 911. How many people actually use the old stle hardwire handset? The vast majority of people use cordless phones, same problem, no power = no phone.
It's really no different than someone using a cell phone to call 911. I know many who don't have a conventional phone line anymore and just use a cell phone. Most cell phone companies can give 911 the cell tower location, but then you have a several mile radius the call can be located in. Many new cell phones have the GPS locator capabilities. I don't know of any provider who actually uses it yet.
But then I regress back to the days before 911, you knew the emergency number for the police and fire departments. I still rememeber 222-3131 for the Houston cops. Also back then we did not have phones that could save numbers in memory, you actually had to know the number you wanted to call.
Lets see, those were the days when people were actually responsible for themselves instead of blamming someone else for their problems.
no 911
no air bags
no seat belts
no bicycle helments or knee pads
the list goes on.....
Somehow most everyone I grew up with managed to survive. The ones that didn't weren't taken out by not having any of the above.
From what I can tell people that whine about this kind of shit are the ones resposible for companies having to put labels on plastic bags that say not to put your head in one or you could die.
--j
As you know, I've no love for the Bells. And I certainly won't argue about the lack of personal responsibility in modern society.
But in the end 911 is what the authorities market as the "Go-To" number for emergency calls. It's on the side of police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances. It's what the average citizen knows--and all they know.
As you point out, we're increasingly living in a nanny-state mentality. I agree that's not a good thing, but it still brings exposure to Vonage and other companies in the business. Even with full disclosure, if the system isn't just as idiot-proof as landline and cellphone 911 service, a slick lawyer can take them to court and stand a good possibility of winning--or simply wring concessions from companies who wish to avoid the bad press.
It's a flaw that stands to hurt their business. Word of mouth has always been the most effective form of marketing, and you can't buy it for any amount of ad overhead. But it cuts both ways, and it won't take but a few incidents such as this one before Vonage finds their stock going down faster than a New Orleans whore at Mardi Gras.
For their own sake, they'd better idiot-proof it quickly.
You should note that one of the difficulties in making it all work is highly uncooperative Bells, who really don't want them to solve their problems quickly.
The VoIP providers make it very clear what the system's limitations are. If consumers don't know what they are buying, shame on them.
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