Why does VoIP have to provide access to emergency services? How many people use strictly VoIP only, who couldn't resort to using some 'old-fashioned' method of communication such as a mobile or, heaven forbid, a landline? Surely, to mandate that VoIP can not be used to contact emergency services is much more managable and is therefore a more reliable solution.

It won't be long before the EU steps in to mandate that geographical numbers must be registered to a particular location/address (just like Austria for all calls and USA for 911 calls), and another advantage of VoIP is destroyed.

There wouldn't be a conspiracy from the provider(s) of copper wire phone services would there? No, surely not! I can't see OfCom falling for that trick!

would think that the reason to connect potentially encrypted wireless P2P VoIP systems and terminals to the national emergency number system, (which in the USA also mandates WHO and WHERE the connection comes from) is that 'Hunters Stones BT Microwave Tower' could then more easily dump the VoIP data into the NSA processors....

Our cordless DECT phone says on a sticker on the base that you're not supposed to use it for emergency calls, because it's mains powered so in an emergency you could be left without any telephone at all, even though your line is live.

If VoIP have to provide access, why doesn't my DECT phone supplier have to make some foolproof way to use the thing even when the power is out

My DECT base station is powered via a UPS so it'll survive at least a couple of hours with no mains power. Not a typical solution, but certainly shows what can be done. At the moment it shares with a computer, but a properly-designed DECT backup battery system would probably keep it going for several days.

They are not on about hardware, but providers. Your provider (i.e. phone line), be it BT, Telewest (or whatever they are this week), can still connect to 999 even if your phone can't.

People also are thinking of the twee little Skype phones at home. But if they don't comply, what about a 5000 user PBX that has multiple links to a VoIP provider? Are you saying if the building is burning down, if fine for them not to contact the emergency services? I think OFTEL are actually looking at the big pitcure.

Also if you are trapped in a burning house and your only connection out is your VoIP line, you may be a little pee'd off if you can't call the fire brigade, because the provider can't be bothered to provide the service.

As long as users are informed that they can't call the emergency services, then it is their decision to decide whether or not to go with VoIP.

The choice is there, they are not being forced into it.

@Jeff et al. I'd really like to hope Ofcom won't go down the line of demanding certain numbers are registered to a geographic location. OPTA in the Netherlands used to do this but industry pressure because of VOIP moved them to a 'best efforts' clause and this is likely to soften further if it hasn't already done so.

If VOIP providers would agree to use ENUM you could solve the issue fairly quickly and route to a nearby emergency operator. Many countries also allow a prefix from the telco to determin which emegency central the call gets routed to. It's a question of them wanting it and understanding VOIP. So few telcos really understand it yet that they aren't able to do much pressuring. It's more the old ISPs who have been gobbled up by telcos that stand a better chance to adding pressure to Ofcom here.