VoIP Call Routing Update

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VoIP Call Routing Update

• Presentation to the 511 Working Group
• July 20, 2005

Eli Sherer Lead Consultant, Voice and Telecom
Services PBSJ
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Agenda

• What is IP?
• What is VoIP?
• VoIP for you and me
• N11 Dialing
• VoIP and the FCC
• Providers try to mitigate
• Wi-Fi VoIP
• What does it mean to 511?

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First things first What is IP?

• IP is the method by which data is sent from one
  computer to another on the Internet
• Data is sent or received in chunks called
  packets
• Packets may arrive in a different order than they
  were sent. It is up to the Transmission Control
  Protocol (TCP) to put them back in the right order

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What is VoIP

• VoIP is Voice over Internet Protocol
• Allows telephone conversations over the Internet
  or a dedicated IP network(e.g. a companys
  Intranet, or a telecommunications carriers IP
  network) instead of voice (telephone) lines
• IP packets carrying voice data are sent over the
  network.

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VoIP for you and me

• VoIP utilizes the users existing broadband
  connection to the Internet
• Requires an analog telephone adapter (ATA) to
  connect a telephone to the broadband Internet
  connection
• Vonage, ATT CallVantage, and many others, use
  VoIP to offer unlimited calling within the US,
  and sometimes Canada or select countries in
  Europe and Asia, all for a flat monthly fee

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VoIP for you and me (2)

• Since the VoIP registered phone number travels
  with your telephone adapter (a virtual phone
  number), you can place and receive calls anywhere
  you have access to a broadband connection to the
  Internet
• By taking your ATA with you, you also take your
  phone number.. and you may place and receive
  calls on that number from most anywhere in the
  world!

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N11 Dialing on VoIP

• N11 numbers are one of the larger problems for
  VoIP service providers.
• Since the N11 number does not live attached to
  a particular telephone circuit, when a user dials
  one of these numbers, the circuitry does not know
  where to route the call
• The VoIP provider is not able to use the regular
  look-up tables that are used to send the call
  to the nearest/proper terminating point

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Similar issues with Nationally Distributed or
Single Number services

• Similar issues arises when a VoIP caller tries to
  dial a nationally distributed toll-free number,
  where calls are routed based on the callers
  location
• For example
• The national Poison Control Center number is
  800-222-1222 When this toll-free number is
  dialed, the telephone service uses a look-up
  table and routes the call based on the users
  NPA-NXX (area code and central office exchange)
• There are 62 Poison Control Centers using this
  toll-free number across the 50 states, DC, US
  Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

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VoIP and the FCC

• On May 19, 2005, the FCC released an order
  requiring any VoIP provider that allows calls to
  be placed and received over the Public Switched
  Telephone Network (PSTN), to provide connectivity
  to local authorities through the 911 dialing code
• A copy of the News Release for this order can be
  found at http//hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/at
  tachmatch/DOC-258818A1.pdf

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VoIP and the FCC (2)

• Specifically, the order requires
• Interconnected VoIP providers must deliver all
  911 calls to the customers local emergency
  operator
• Interconnected VoIP providers must provide
  emergency operators with call back and location
  information of their customers (i.e., E911)
• Although the customer provides the location
  information, the VoIP provider must provide the
  customer a means of updating this information,
  regardless of their location
• Thus far, there has been no FCC action on other
  N11 or Single Number services

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Providers trying to mitigate the issue

• Even before the FCC order, some providers had
  already started working toward geo-location
  solutions, through requested registration of
  the users address
• Vonage was asking customers to fill out a short
  form that tells us your actual physical address.
  When you dial 911, the call is routed to the
  local emergency personnel location designated for
  the address you register
• Customers are reminded, When you move or travel,
  you MUST provide your new location...

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Providers trying to mitigate the issue (2)

• Based on the FCC decision, providers are making
  these requested registrations, mandatory
• There are still issues with this solution in
  that, the physical address of a customers ATA
  might differ from their billing address, and this
  registration does not account for the
  registrant moving without updating their
  registration information
• A user might enter an incorrect address (in error
  or deliberately) and thus their 911 (or other
  location specific) calls will be routed to the
  facility near the address they entered, though it
  may be incorrect

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Providers trying to mitigate the issue (3)

• Vonage is also working on a solution that will
  allow a reverse look-up that would route the call
  based on the callers NPA-NXX for nationally
  distributed toll-free numbers (as noted
  previously)
• There are additional issues with this solution,
  such as users who maintain a non-local telephone
  number (e.g. a subscriber from Connecticut might
  have a Florida telephone number)
• All of these issues must be mitigated for these
  solutions to work properly

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Wi-Fi VoIP poses more complications

• A Wi-Fi Handset enables users in corporate,
  residential and public Wi-Fi network environments
  to use VoIP calling without wires
• In corporate and residential settings, users
  utilize their home or company Wi-Fi networks In
  free public hotspots, callers can make and
  receive calls without plugging in to a local
  network

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Wi-Fi VoIP poses more complications (2)

• With this capability, a Wi-Fi VoIP user can log
  on to many Wi-Fi networks and have access to the
  networks Internet calling plan
• This service is applicable to Wi-Fi hotspots,
  where anyone using a computer or Wi-Fi phone can
  simply log on to the network
• Users are assigned a dynamic IP address for use
  when on-line. However, their location is not
  registered, as they do not have to register with
  the Internet Service Provider (as one might with
  a fee-based provider such as T-Mobile or Boingo)

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What does this all mean to 511?

• VoIP providers are starting to manage the 911
  issue by requiring users to register their
  location (and in some cases, the phone number of
  their PSAP)
• Similar requirements and capabilities are
  beginning to arrive with 311 dialing (Vonage
  already offers this option)
• Providers are becoming, and need to be made aware
  of geographically based services, such as 511,
  and the need for them to be able to route these
  calls efficiently

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Scenarios for solving 511 routing for VoIP

• Establish a dialog with the VoIP providers to
  coordinate a solution for 511 call routing
• Might include discussion of registration issues
  for when the caller moves from one location to
  another on a regular basis
• Investigate a 511-VoIP clearing house number,
  where VoIP providers translate all 511 calls.
• From this point, the caller would select the 511
  service to which they would like to connect
• Calls might be transferred to their proper
  destination over VoIP (meaning no toll-free
  charges)

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Scenarios for solving 511 routing for VoIP (2)

• Work with VoIP providers for solutions to
  geo-locating VoIP callers through their IP
  address or some other means
• Could entail enabling GPS tracking for VoIP
  adapters and Wi-Fi VoIP phones, (similar to how
  some cell phones provide tracking for E911)
• Ask Wi-Fi Hotpot owners to provide the physical
  addresses of their routers to enable geo-locating
  the service address
• Caution It is unknown whether Hotspot providers
  or ISPs would be responsive to providing this
  information, due to the perceived and expected
  anonymity of an IP connection.

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Scenarios for solving 511 routing for VoIP (3)

• Communicate with the FCC the need for this
  coordination of 511, and other N11 services, as
  they continue their discussions of VoIP
  regulations and considerations

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A thought from Vonage

• Vonage has indicated a willingness to help route
  511 calls in a similar manner to the current
  solution for 911 calls, (by the registered
  address of the VoIP user), and correlating this
  with a translation table for the proper
  terminating numbers of the 511 systems
• Vonage states that this process would allow for
  both statewide and regional 511 system callers to
  have their calls answered properly, and offered
  to assist with the development of this solution!

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A thought from Vonage (2)

• In order to function properly, the translation
  table must
• Be maintained on a regular basis to insure proper
  terminating numbers are available, including
  system-specific decisions on whether to route to
  a toll-free number, or a local number where
  available
• Be properly coordinated with 511 implementers
  according to the coverage areas for their systems
• Be distributed to all, (or as many as possible),
  VoIP carriers with registered customers in the
  United States

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Discussion/Questions?