Ofcom are pressing for common sense to prevail by making it mandatory for VoIP providersto provide access to emergency numbers including 999 by the first half of 2008. Ofcom’s proposal published recently stated that any VoIP provider that allows their subscribers to make calls to landlines as part of their VoIP package must also offer access to the emergency services via 999.

It may come as a surprise to many non VoIP users that some providers such as Skype don’t allow 999 access and indeed it is worrying that any delay in making a 999 call whilst trying to locate a mobile phone of normal landline could in fact cause fatalities. The report suggested that enabling users to call 999 would cost just 90 pence per household per year - a very small cost when you consider the life threatening implications! (more…)