What Is E911? How Enhanced 911 Works for Business Phones and VoIP
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What is E911? To put it simply: E911 makes sure that people calling 911 can get found and get help wherever they are.
Whether a call comes from a landline, a cell phone, or a VoIP phone system, E911 helps make sure emergency services get the caller's number and location, and fast.
Not only is this important for organizations (you want your employees to be safe) but communications providers as well (you don't want to leave your customers in danger).
And in the US, it's required by law.
This can take different forms based on the service in question. Landline, cell phone, and VoIP calls work differently, so the E911 rules for them differ too.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at how E911 works, the laws behind it, and how E911 works in Dialpad.
What is E911?
E911, or Enhanced 911, is a system that automatically sends a 911 caller's phone number and location to the public safety answering point (PSAP), the emergency call center that handles the call. Basic 911 connects a caller to an emergency dispatcher. E911 adds callback and location information, so dispatchers can find the caller even if they can't say where they are.
For wireless calls, carriers provide the PSAP with important information, including:
The telephone numbers wireless 911 calls come from
The location of the cell site or base station transmitting the calls
The location of the caller (latitude and longitude)
In short, it lets the emergency services you're calling know where you are, so they can get to you more quickly.
That's the simple version of it, at least. For wireless calls, carriers can estimate the caller's location using cell towers and the phone's built-in GPS. (It's a bit more complicated, but that's the short version.)
However, things are a little different for VoIP calls. With VoIP, you're connecting to the internet to make the call, which can make location harder to determine.
It can be harder for emergency services to find your location over a VoIP call, but the FCC does have some E911 rules in place to help:
VoIP providers should provide 911 service to all customers
911 calls should be transmitted along with a callback number and the caller's registered physical location to the appropriate emergency services call center
Providers need to provide customers with a clear understanding of their 911 service and its limitations
VoIP providers can also provide features to help locate E911 callers, such as Automatic Location Identification (ALI) databases that associate locations with devices, and support for remote workers so they can update their locations.
All this is designed to help emergency services get to you quickly, no matter what device you're calling from.
How does E911 work, and why does it matter?
Imagine this scenario: you're out for a drive in an unfamiliar area, when your car bursts into flames. You quickly pull over and get out, but you need to contact emergency services.
"911, what's your emergency?"
"Hi, my car's engine just exploded and now everything is on fire."
"Not to worry, we can have emergency services on the way. What's your location?"
"Umm… I'm about a few blocks down from the McDonald's?"
"Can you be more specific? There are a lot of McDonald's here."
"Umm… no, sorry."
Fortunately, with E911, the emergency services can still find your location and help will be on the way. With a VoIP phone, you'll need to make sure your service has the right information for your location, otherwise you'll be waiting a while.
The faster emergency services can find your location, the faster they can reach you. If your phone transmits that information automatically, it'll be quicker and easier to get the help you need. So it's in everyone's best interest for VoIP services to be able to access and provide that location information to E911 calls quickly and accurately.
More E911 learnings: Other things you should know
E911 requirements can vary by state, but two federal laws, implemented by the FCC, apply to multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) like the phone systems many businesses use: Kari's Law and Section 506 of RAY BAUM'S Act.
Kari's Law requires that people can dial 911 directly, without a prefix like "9" to reach an outside line, and that a central point, such as a front desk or security team, is notified when someone calls 911. It applies to systems manufactured, sold, or installed after February 16, 2020.
RAY BAUM'S Act requires that a "dispatchable location," such as a street address plus floor, room, or suite number, is sent with 911 calls. Compliance deadlines for multi-line telephone systems started on January 6, 2021, for on-premises fixed phones and January 6, 2022, for other devices.
These laws are designed to ensure that callers can dial 911 without needing to do anything extra, and that dispatch centers know where to send help.
E911 fees and taxes also vary by state and local jurisdiction. They typically help fund 911 services and often appear on phone and VoIP bills.
Does Dialpad offer E911?
Yes. Here's how E911 works in Dialpad:
Office E911 addresses: Admins set an E911 address when setting up Dialpad. It has to be a physical address (not a PO box), and team members are asked to confirm their E911 location when they first sign in.
Personal working locations: Team members can save up to 10 personal working locations, so their number stays tied to the right address when they work from home or travel.
Address verification: Dialpad verifies E911 addresses whenever they're added or edited in the United States, Canada, France, or Australia.
Dynamic E911: In the Dialpad desktop and browser apps, Dynamic E911 can use device location services or recognize known networks to keep the emergency address current. On a new or unknown network, Dialpad asks users to confirm or add an address.
Emergency call notifications: Emergency contacts and admins can be notified when someone calls emergency services from Dialpad.
As much as we hope you'll never have to call 911, these features are designed to help emergency services find you as quickly as possible when you do.