Freephoneline offers a form of 9-1-1 service that is similar to traditional 9-1-1 service but has some important differences and limitations when compared with enhanced 9-1-1 service (E911) available in most locations in conjunction with traditional telephone service.

Non-Availability of Traditional 911 or E911 Dialing Service

With both traditional 9-1-1 and E911 service, your call is sent to an emergency response centre. In addition, with E911 service, your call back number and address are visible to the emergency response centre call-taker. With freephoneline your call is being sent via the Internet rather than a traditional phone line, and the most up to date client information may not arrive with this call, meaning a different method is required to send this client information accurately. With freephoneline service the 9-1-1 call will be routed to a third-party service provider that will then automatically or manually route your call to the local emergency dispatch centre. The dispatcher will be located at either the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) or with a local emergency service relay provider designated for the address specified by the customer at the time of service subscription or as properly updated by the customer from time to time. The call centre operator will confirm your location information and then transfer your 9-1-1 call to the emergency response centre nearest your location. You should be prepared to confirm your address and call-back number with the operator as this information may not be available to them. You are encouraged not to hang up until told to do so, and to call back if you get disconnected, as immediately as possible.

Freephoneline's Recommendation

Due to the limitations regarding VoIP 9-1-1 calling, we recommend Freephoneline users use an alternate method to place 9-1-1 emergency calls. Why?

• In Canada, phones devices will always have the ability to call 9-1-1 emergency service, even without a SIM card or cellular voice plan
• 9-1-1 operators may be able to use your mobile device's location to locate you
• VoIP 9-1-1 calls go through a central dispatch to determine which local dispatch to send the call to whereas cellular 9-1-1 calls will automatically go to the closest local 9-1-1 dispatch

Registration of Physical Location

You should ensure your address/location information, updated through your online account, is kept current at all times. In case you are not able to speak during the 911 call, the call taker would dispatch emergency response vehicles to your last registered address. You need to update your 911 Dialing information whenever you move your device to a new location. Note: please allow up to 3 business days for the 9-1-1 data base to be updated.

Service Outages & Delays

9-1-1 emergency dialing may not be available during a power outage, may not be available if using the freephoneline software client if your computer is malfunctioning, or suspension or disconnection of the freephoneline service because of billing issues, or any disconnection or suspension of underlying broadband access service and will be unavailable during a broadband internet outage. If there is a power outage, you may be required to reset or reconfigure their telephony gateway device, if using a freephoneline gateway, prior to being able to use the service, including for 9-1-1 dialing purposes. For technical reasons associated with the possibility of network congestion, there is a possibility that the 9-1-1 call will produce a busy signal or will take longer to answer, as compared to traditional 9-1-1 calls.

Conveying Limitations to Household Residents and Guests

You should inform any household residents, guests and other persons who may be present at the physical location where you utilize the freephoneline service, of the important differences in and limitations of freephoneline 9-1-1 dialing as compared with traditional E9-1-1 service, as outlined above.

Availability

911 Emergency calling service is unavailable for use with FreePhoneLine Desktop services in the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. Please consider upgrading to a VoIP Unlock Key.

Please note, calls to 911 from FreePhoneLine Desktop are subject to a $35 fee which is payable after the call is made, failure to remit payment may result in termination of service or please consider upgrading to a VoIP Unlock Key.