Frequently in IP Telephony conversation the subject of 911, or E-911 (Enhanced 911), and emergency response needs addressed. Many questions arise: What happens when a caller dials 911 from their IP telephone? How do the emergency responders physically locate the caller? How are records updated if a user relocates their IP telephone? How is 911 supported in IP soft-phone environments? Is the accuracy of this information difficult to manage? While IP telephony offers many benefits in terms of mobility, it may also create challenges when attempting to locate phones. Coupled with legislation in many states requiring E-911 compliance, these challenges can cause customers concern.
Avaya Communication Manager (CM) offers many 911 / E-911 capabilities at no additional cost. Avaya CM can automatically track IP telephones as they move between different locations, even when users log out of one telephone and log in to another one without physically moving the phone. Location changes are detected and updated the moment the telephone or user registers to the system. Since the Avaya solution does not depend on proprietary network protocols or hardware, E-911 features will work on any vendor’s network infrastructure. Even in the event of an IP WAN failure, the Avaya survivable remote gateways can route 911 requests through the PSTN. Avaya also offers additional capabilities for 911 / E-911 such as automatic call recording and alerting to consoles, stations or digital pagers. Avaya also offers a feature to have designated personnel, such as security guards, listen in on emergency calls to offer assistance while emergency responders are in transit.
For larger and more complex telephony networks, Avaya has a partnership with Redsky Technologies Inc. Redsky offers an E-911 solution that allows customers to more efficiently manage their E-911 configuration. These features include tracking IP telephones based on MAC address and updating Avaya Communication Manager with the telephone’s location for 911 calls, and administering alerts for IP phones and IP Soft Phones without location associations so that corrective actions can be taken. Redsky solutions can also interface with major ALI (Automatic Location Identification) database providers to update station location information for both traditional and IP telephones. A single E-911 server can support multiple locations and multiple call servers meaning that E-911 services in the workplace do not need to be a financial or administrative burden.
Contact TSG today for more information about integrating E-911 solutions in your enterprise.
