ITSPA supports VoIP emergency call decision

The Internet Telephony Services Providers' Association (ITSPA) has given its backing to a recent ruling by Ofcom that will make it mandatory for the majority of VoIP phones to allow emergency calls.

In line with the industry regulator's decision, from September 2008 all Type 2 and Type 4 VoIP services that are capable of being connected to the normal Public Switched Telephone Network will now reroute 999 calls to emergency services.

By affording customers a 999 service, VoIP providers will now also be classified as providers of Publicly Available Telephony Services, meaning they undertake certain obligations to assist authorities in the reliable and cost-free provision of such services.

ITSPA head, Eli Katz, said his association had some reservations about the timescale of the implementation of the 999 facility, but he stressed all members would work towards compliance by next September.

Ofcom announced its new regulations last week after new research highlighted how 78 per cent of people that use a VoIP service which does not allow emergency calls are unaware of its limitation.