Frequently Asked Questions About E911

What is E911?

Enhanced 911 or E911 service is a North American telephone network (NANP) feature that automatically associates the physical address with the calling party's telephone number. This is generally done by a form of reverse telephone directory that is supplied by the telephone company. This provides emergency responders with the location of the emergency without the person calling for help having to provide it. Enhanced 911 has been deployed in most metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada.

What are the FCC requirements?

The FCC has mandated that all VOIP providers provide E911 service to 100% of its customers by November 28, 2005. GoVatel.com has already implemented this new service and is already ahead of other VOIP providers.

Will my 911 service work in a power outage?

No. In order for your E911 service to work, you must have power and an active internet connection.

How will the 911 dispatchers know my address?

When you signup with GoVatel.com, we list your address in the ALI (Automatic Location Identification) database. This allows dispatchers to know your address. It is also important that if you change your address, then you will need to notify GoVatel.com so that we can update your registered location.

What are some advantages of E911?

If the caller cannot talk or for some reason hangs up, the PSAP (Police, Sheriff, 911 Dispatch Center, etc...) knows the address. Also, the PSAP will try to call back, but if the line is busy or there is no answer, the emergency services personnel will be dispatched to the ALI address on record.