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Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 1:09 pm
by grace98
I have an Oma telo. Do I have a real 911 service or it is a E911.
How safe is the 911 service that we have?. :!:

Thanks
Grace98

Re: Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 1:23 pm
by lbmofo
Ooma provides E911. As real as it gets.

https://ooma.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/169/

Re: Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 2:57 pm
by Ely
Yeap, as real as it gets, just BE SURE that you have the EXACT and CORRECT home address on your Ooma account.

Re: Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 3:16 pm
by murphy
Ely wrote:Yeap, as real as it gets, just BE SURE that you have the EXACT and CORRECT home address on your Ooma account.
If you aren't sure of your correct exact address, go to the usps web site zip code look up page and enter it. They will put it in standard format if it is not right.

Re: Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 3:24 pm
by lbmofo
murphy wrote:
Ely wrote:Yeap, as real as it gets, just BE SURE that you have the EXACT and CORRECT home address on your Ooma account.
If you aren't sure of your correct exact address, go to the usps web site zip code look up page and enter it. They will put it in standard format if it is not right.
Thanks Murphy, this page can come in very handy for a lot of folks: http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp

Re: Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 3:33 pm
by grace98
Thanks for your answers.

Could anybody comment on the level of safetiness of having access to an E911 instead of a 911 service access?
Thanks,
Grace98

Re: Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 3:59 pm
by lbmofo
Outside of needing power and internet being up (unlike traditional landline with wired phones), Ooma's E911 is as good as traditional landline 911 unless you live in the sticks. Even if you live in the sticks (the PSAP or dispatcher may see your phone number but will not see your service address when you dial 911), I think you are in the same boat with traditional landline.

A bit more info:
http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/0705/special ... -means.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_9 ... hanced_911

Re: Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 8:49 pm
by ajw522
I actually had a problem with my 911 service at the beginning that required Ooma's assistance to be corrected. My address does not contain a suffix (Drive, Street, etc.), but MyOoma forces you to enter a suffix. Thinking it would not make a different, I put a suffix of drive. However, my city didn't recognize that address as an address within its 911 boundaries, so I was always directed to the national 911 backup center whenever I tested my 911 service. Make sure your address is correct and make TEST calls to 911 (call the non-emergency line of your police station, ask for dispatch, and let them know you'd like to make a test call to test your new VoIP phone service).

Alex

Re: Do we have a real 911?

Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 2:55 am
by murphy
Depending on where you live you may have a centralized 911 center that handles calls for multiple police departments. In Montgomery county PA there is a central 911 center that handles calls for every township in the county. In that environment you should call the non-emergency number for the center to make arrangements to test 911.