Mica
@shawcable.net
|  Digital Phone and 911 calls
I was just reading on the news this sad story of this family in Calgary that lost their child and blaming it partially on the fact that their phone call to 911 was not routed correctly because they use VoIP:
»www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/···ler.html
I'm a Shaw subscriber with the digital phone service. I understand this is not the same than VoIP, but I also know that this is not the same than a land line either. It is some sort of VoIP in the end, right?
My question is, should I be concerned with this potentially happening to us? If I ever need to call 911, will my real address be picked up by the system? I know I could just call 911 and find out, but I don't want to waste precious resources with this.
Thanks in advance for your comments
Mica |
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anony 161554213
@shawcable.net
| Shaw is pretty much a hybrid voip service and most things relate and go threw normal phone networks. the VOIP parts of there service are virtually within there internal network.
With 911 shaw has E911 which just causes it so when you call 911 your information pops up on there side right away.
things like what happened with that child can occur if you moved and shaw somehow did not update your address information with 911 (not very likely to occur) and if it did occur with shaw your directed right to the local emergency services lines anyways, never threw any kind of call center. |
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ninnpwint
join:2008-02-28
edit:
May 4th, @04:26PM
| reply to Mica
thanks to Mica for this scary and very sad info
and thanks to anony 161554213 for your reply to Mica
i am going to call the tech dept at Shaw for confirmation
cause i am a Shaw Digital Phone customer as well
--
ASUS P4P800SE, Intel P4 3GHz, 2GB RAM, XP-Pro(SP2), IE7, 80G disk, Symantec AntiVirus, PC Tools Spyware Doctor(non AV).
as mentioned i did call to Shaw tech dept 604-629-3000 and talk to a support staff there it is confirmed that E911 (who has digital phone directly from Shaw) sent the call only to the local EMS (never routed to anywhere) and the EMS can see the address and the front photo of the location
disclaimer: please call yourself to verify |
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Googler
join:2007-01-16
Chilliwack, BC
 ·Shaw
| I never knew they actually had a pic of the location.
Shaw never wants anyone to move their modem when moving, instead they will put in a new modem and the new location. This is because the modem is tied to a certain address, so I am guessing that there is extremly low risk that they have the wrong address on file.
Now things like Vonage, I would not trust to much. Because you can take those anywhere (ex you live in Vancouver, and on a business trip you take the modem along to toronto (to make the vancouver calls "local") and there you have to call 911, they will have your vancouver address on file. |
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Mica
@shawcable.net
| reply to ninnpwint
Thanks ninnpwint, I will certainly check myself calling the phone number you provided. I appreciate your effort.
Googler brings up an interesting point about the location of my modem. I have recently moved to a new place and I have no idea if my modem was replaced or just reconfigured.
With that in mind, I'm wondering how effective will be to call Shaw and ask them if my call will be routed to the proper EMS. I mean, I'm concerned with receiving a standard response that describes Shaw's policies than the actual information about my specific location. In fact, part of the problem with the VoIP call described in the CBC article has to do with this family moving recently and their 911-link information (only) not updated correctly.
Sounds like calling 911 directly is the only way to be sure, no? Or will the Shaw TSR have access to check the live information?
Thank you all for your comments. I will report back what I find out.
M. |
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fuzzmania
join:2003-08-19
Richmond, BC | I don't see a problem with calling 911 and TELL THEM RIGHT AWAY THIS ISN'T AN EMERGENCY, and you just want to know if your information is displayed and correct. |
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anony 161554213
@shawcable.net
| reply to Mica
The location of the terminal has nothing to do with the information given to EMS.
it is now standard when you move to bring the terminal with you when moving. what happens within shaws system is they have your address information and send it to your local emergency services department to be updated when you move.
when you call to move your services the work order that they create to switch your address will send the new address to emergency services to be updated. even if they have the old address still on file your still routed to your local emergency services center, what happened with this family cant ever happen on shaw. if you move from one system to another system you create a new account and a new confirmation is sent to that local emergency services team.
if you live in Edmonton and have shaw phone, then move to Calgary and keep services. its a new confirmation to that local emergency team.
If you call shaw support they cant check what 911 was have information but they can check what was submitted to 911 from there side. |
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anony 161554213
@shawcable.net
| reply to fuzzmania
i DO NOT recommend that.
no matter what you say when you call 911 they are required to dispatch someone in most city's.
so even if you tell them its just a test they mill still roll a police car, please don't waste emergency services time on just testing something, maybe try calling them threw a non emergency number to confirm information |
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Its a Secret
C.Y.A.
Premium
join:2008-02-23
Calgary, AB
·Shaw
| reply to Mica
Sadly, the company this family was with was not Shaw, but probably a reseller. It makes me wonder how they got the bills for the service, and why they didn't change their address.
When I moved to my present home, Shaw was delayed in installing my line by 2 days so they could ensure E911 services to my location. I thank them for their diligence!
My sympathy goes out to this family for their loss.
--
A triple espresso, please... |
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ErikRP
join:2004-11-06
Winnipeg, MB
| said by Its a Secret  :Sadly, the company this family was with was not Shaw, but probably a reseller. It makes me wonder how they got the bills for the service, and why they didn't change their address. This family had nothing at all to do with Shaw. They are not a "reseller", but an actual VoIP phone company.
A lot has been made of the fact that "the bill arrived properly, why couldn't the EMS?" What people forget is that a LOT of people have multiple addresses: one might be a mailing address, one is a physical address. Some might even move around with their VoIP hardware. There is nothing at all to stop me from going on holiday and taking my VoIP with me. If I do that though I know I have to update the 911 information on my VoIP's customer portal.
I am not familiar with the VoIP company in question so I don't know what their portal looks like but I believe most companies have some sort of mechanism to view this information online yourself so you know that the information is accurate. I regularly check my info.
This is a tragedy but one that could have been avoided. Unfortunately a lot of people are quick to blame the VoIP company before all of the facts are in. Hopefully what comes out of this is a better awareness of the need for everyone to check their own information to ensure its accuracy. |
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ErikRP
join:2004-11-06
Winnipeg, MB
| reply to fuzzmania
said by fuzzmania :I don't see a problem with calling 911 and TELL THEM RIGHT AWAY THIS ISN'T AN EMERGENCY, and you just want to know if your information is displayed and correct. I hear what you're saying and I understand your reasoning, but DON'T DO THAT. 911 isn't a chat line, it's not a test line and it's only to be used in an emergency. Can you imagine if everyone on a non-standard type phone (i.e. VoIP) called their local 911 just to test to see what information was sent?
I agree, there should be a way of verifying the process works properly, but I think the people to call are the ones who are responsible for your phone. If you're a Shaw Phone customer, call Shaw. If you are with a VoIP company, call them and ask questions. Tell them you want to know what process they use to route your call. They have to tell you. If they can't or won't give you a good explanation, be concerned.
Keep in mind too that most people have cell phones, and calling 911 with your cell phone is a great backup in an emergency. |
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R0acH
join:2006-05-17
| reply to Mica
If you have concerns regarding E911 with Shaw i suggest you contact them either at the CSR line or 611. In either case they should be able to either check themselves or have someone check your account to ensure that your address is correct for E911 purposes. |
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