Connecticut sues Vonage over 911 policy

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Connecticut's attorney general on Tuesday sued Internet telephone company Vonage Holdings Corp., accusing the company of "misleading customers" about the limits of 911 emergency calling over its service.

The lawsuit, the second by a state attorney general, was spurred by an incident where a Vonage customer in Connecticut who dialed 911 for a medical emergency reached a recording.

Emergency calling for consumers who use Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services has become a top concern among federal and state regulators, and a growing headache for Vonage, the largest independent VOIP provider.

Calls to 911 with traditional telephones provide emergency service dispatchers with the caller's number and address. VOIP providers have limited access to the systems connecting those calls to emergency dispatchers, and typically route calls to office numbers that are not always answered.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a statement that the lawsuit alleges Vonage misrepresents its 911 services, failing to fully disclose that 911 calls may take longer to connect or go unanswered.

Blumenthal also said Vonage warns consumers in contractual fine print to have a backup method of dialing 911. The suit seeks changes in Vonage's marketing and unspecified financial penalties.

Vonage "deceptively leads consumers to believe their emergency access will be as reliable as conventional landlines," Blumenthal said. "This lawsuit should sound an alarm: Consumers need and deserve to know whether 911 means real, immediate human help, or an answering machine."

Texas state officials have also sued Vonage over 911 disclosures, while Michigan officials have threatened to do so.

Vonage, the largest Internet phone service company in the United States with more than 500,000 subscribers, tells customers they must activate a 911 service. Vonage has reached or is close to deals with two of the four big local telephone carriers for its customers who dial 911 to be connected to the primary lines in emergency call centers.

Vonage spokeswoman Brooke Schulz said the Connecticut customer had activated her 911 service, and was given "full disclosure" about its limitations.

"We're always willing to look at improvements to our disclosures, but the ultimate improvement is access to the 911 network," Schulz said. "We really need to focus on the root of the issue."

Vonage said SBC Communications (NYSE:SBC - news) was the local provider in the area where the Vonage customer reached a recording after dialing 911. The company has not yet reached a pact directly with SBC for access to the 911 systems.

[PVFD113 6]

I must investigate with my employer and see if this holds true for our VoIP service.

[JBE 328]

Can you also investigate that annoying music, and praytell find a way to make it STOP!!!!!

Thank you kindly!!!

[Guest EMSwhitecloud]

Like Vonage says....."people do stupid things" apparently this company holds true to that

[Guest WolfEMT]

Can you also investigate that annoying music, and praytell find a way to make it STOP!!!!!

Thank you kindly!!!

Woo-hoo, Woo-hoo-hoo! Woo-hoo, Woo-hoo-hoo! Woo-hoo, Woo-hoo, Woo-hoo, Woo-hoo-hoo!

[WAS967 97]

I'm going to invent a way to strangle people via the internet just so I can wring your neck for singing that song. :chainsaw:

[Guest WolfEMT]

Right....