What is it E911 (and USF) and why do we need it?

 

Answering the question ‘what is e911’ is on a lot of corporate minds. Enhanced 911, E-911 or E911 is a North American telecommunications based system that automatically associates a physical address with the calling party’s telephone number and routes the call to the most appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for that address. Being e911 compliant means the caller’s address and information is displayed to the 911 dispatcher.

E911 provides emergency responders with the location of the emergency without the person calling for help having to provide it. This is often useful in times of fires, break-ins, and other events where communicating one’s location is difficult or impossible.

N2Net is E911 compliant and provisions E911 information by phone number.

USF

The Universal Service Fund (USF) was created by the United StatesFederal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1997 to meet Congressional universal service goals as mandated by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The 1996 Act states that all providers of telecommunications services should contribute to federal universal service in some equitable and nondiscriminatory manner; there should be specific, predictable, and sufficient Federal and State mechanisms to preserve and advance universal service; all schools, classrooms, health care providers, and libraries should, generally, have access to advanced telecommunications services; and finally, that the Federal-State Joint Board and the FCC should determine those other principles that, consistent with the 1996 Act, are necessary to protect the public interest. The USF fee changes quarterly.