Ofcom Press for Mandatory 999 Access on VoIP

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!

Many of the true VoIP companies who offer their services as a traditional phone replacement (such as Vonage VoIP and BT Total Broadband) rather than a cheap way of calling computer to computer already allow access to such numbers through their VoIP enabled phones.

A code of practice was put in place by Ofcom in March 2007 whereby VoIP providers have to make it clear in to potential users whether or not they include acess to emergency calls as part of their service.

This is an excellent example of a regulator interjecting for the good of the consumer and can only be applauded.