More organizations are abandoning their expensive desk phones for softphones, giving users the flexibility to move around, collaborate, and work remotely. But all of this mobility creates real challenges when it comes to determining exactly where they are when they make a 911 call.
The challenge mobility causes
Traditional solutions for desktop phones rely on a preprovisioned address for the user, but what happens if they have the flexibility to move? Instead of assigning a static 911 location to each user, Bandwidth’s E911 Dynamic Location Routing (DLR) solution leverages a user’s location at the time of the call.
How our solution solves it
When a call is placed, DLR pairs the caller’s information with their current location using defined network elements such as subnets, WiFi access points, and Ethernet switches/ports. This information is then used to route the call and is made available for display at the destination public safety answering point (PSAP).
RAY BAUM’s Act and dispatchable location
During a 911 call, every second counts. Imagine first responders pulling up to a large complex enterprise or campus with only a street address to guide them to a 911 caller. Public safety relies on more granular information such as a building, floor, room, or suite to respond faster to emergencies.
Learn more about RAY BAUM’s Act and other 911 regulations from
911 expert Thomas Ginter.
What it requires
RAY BAUM’s Act requires that 911 calls from multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) include a “dispatchable location.” According to the FCC, that is “a location delivered to the PSAP with a 911 call that consists of the validated street address of the calling party, plus additional information such as suite, apartment, or similar information necessary to adequately identify the location of the calling party.”
Breaking it down
To better understand that, think of trying to get directions. If you’ve ever circled a complex looking for your actual destination, you’ve experienced the difference between an address and a dispatchable location. You got close, but that extra specificity made all the difference.
Where DLR comes in
While provisioning dispatchable location for fixed VoIP phones is straightforward, users with softphones require new solutions like DLR to meet the requirements of RAY BAUM’s Act for nomadic VoIP (deadline of January 6, 2022).