Legal Issues

Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick




Vonage Sued Over Lack Of Clarity In 911 Info

from the seems-like-a-stretch dept

The issue of VoIP having 911 service gets way too much attention. Most of the major VoIP players already have some sort of solution in place, and it seems to be improving over time. However, apparently the attorney general in Texas doesn't think Vonage is doing enough. It's not that they don't offer 911 service, but that they don't make things clear enough to customers who are signing up. The whole case seems a bit confusing. Vonage clearly does offer 911 service, so saying that users "aren't clearly informed that the service excludes 911" is incorrect. It does include 911, you just have to follow the instructions -- and Vonage claims they make every effort to get people to follow the instructions. Not only that, but the company seems to make the process fairly straightforward, though it could be improved. This seems more like political grandstanding in the wake of some negative publicity recently concening VoIP and 911 service in Texas.

3 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Mar 23rd, 2005 @ 11:37am
  • No Subject Given

    by Anonymous Coward

    I don't understand why you would have to sign up for 911 service in addition to the initial service.

    Does anyone know why it isn't just included ?

    Thanks

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Mar 22nd, 2005 @ 12:06pm
  • Vonage even reminded me

    by Jon Gales

    I never set up my 911 info because I would never use the phone in an emergency, my cell phone is always on me. The other day I got an email from Vonage reminding me that I should set it up and it even explained how. Add this to the ample warning when I signed up and I think I actually had to work harder to not set it up.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Mar 22nd, 2005 @ 12:06pm
  • Vonage 911 notification

    by Ron Barker

    Folks, have we forgotten the millions of cigarette packages admonishing us to refrain from smoking -:)

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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