Ofcom rules VoIP services need 999 calls

From September 2008, voice over internet protocol (VoIP) operators will have to make sure their service allows 999 emergency calls.

The decision by industry regulator Ofcom was aimed at ensuring that VoIP users are not put at risk by trying to call the emergency services, using either 999 or the EU-wide 112 number, but being denied access.

It was suggested that this could waste valuable seconds or even minutes as a frantic search for a landline or mobile phone ensues, which could prove critical in an emergency situation.

Ofcom Chief Executive, Ed Richards said: "As new voice services develop and become more mainstream, regulation must evolve too.

"In the future, consumers will be confident that if they can make calls to ordinary national numbers using their VoIP service then they will be able to call 999 or 112 in an emergency."

The decision followed Ofcom research that found more than three-quarters of VoIP users were not aware that 999 and 112 emergency calls were unavailable to them over their IP telephony service.

Any VoIP provider which offers services that allow calls to landline phones using the IP system are affected by the ruling – meaning computer-based services that are purely online VoIP are excluded from the requirements.

Posted on: 2007-12-06, in: General VoIP

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