911 on unused landline phone lines

Originally Posted by diehardbiker65
I no longer have landline phone service. I still have TTY hooked up on my ex-landline just for 911 purpose. (thanks to FCC law that requires that 911 line to be left intact EVEN after the service has cut off). The only thing I have connected is broadband internet it works so well for me!

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I have never heard of this. Where can I find info about this? (link?) I looked at FCC website and found nothing.

I was informed by local telephone company of this ruling. Also, don't you know FCC also prohibits block of voice on cell phone, especially on SK1 and 2? It is because of 911 as well. They don't tell you outright, you have to ask them to find out. They knew if they let people know, as they will stand to lose alot of customer to VoIP, and other means of communications.

Your very welcome to come down here and see for yourself, I don't have phone service and STILL able to call 911! I have no landline phone since Dec 2004 and already saved bunch of money! hehehe Even better, I don't have to pay 911 taxes. LOL

dkf747 said:

I have never heard of this. Where can I find info about this? (link?) I looked at FCC website and found nothing.

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911 does work even on dead landlines.

Richard

Nesmuth said:

911 does work even on dead landlines.

Richard

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It wont work if there is no dial tone. 911 will work if your landline serive is disconnected.

911 will work on cell phones without subscription services or disconnected or not..

Dial tone will always be there, just that you will recieve recording message explaining who to contact to have service restore and this even said this line is available for 911 calls only.

and yes that is correct that you could call 911 on cell phone even there is no service in effect! Its FCC regulations.

qwerty123 said:

It wont work if there is no dial tone. 911 will work if your landline serive is disconnected.

911 will work on cell phones without subscription services or disconnected or not..

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I've got my land line down to the cheapest level due to 911, but now you tell me it will work if I disconnect! Sounds good, but if this is required then there should be an FCC rule mandating it. I'd really like to read it if anyone knows where to find it.

Trust me, once you disconnect your service you will STILL be able to make 911 calls no matter what.

I was looking in FCC website and couldn't find clearly specified ruling, BUT there has been requirement that emergency line to be available at all the times. So, it vaguely for everybody, BUT what I understand "At all the times" meaning that no matter if service is available or not, the emergency communication is to remain in effect at all the times. So, 911 is one of emergency communication system known in America, so therefore it shall be available at all the times.

Probably because of Patriot act, FCC wanted to ensure that Emergency calls can be made from anywhere with minimal time waste. So, speaking if you can't afford phone line, which is fine by FCC and FCC is concerned if you saw some of terrorist doing something in works, FCC wanted to make sure you CAN call 911 right away, rather than looking elsewhere which can lose valuable time and let Terrorist get away. I think this makes alot sense right now.

dkf747 said:

I've got my land line down to the cheapest level due to 911, but now you tell me it will work if I disconnect! Sounds good, but if this is required then there should be an FCC rule mandating it. I'd really like to read it if anyone knows where to find it.

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I am starting to think it does not matter wheather having landline phone for 911 or not. After reading and trying to locate specific sentence for phone companies requiring 911 calls to be made even with disconnected service. I don't think FCC wants to advertising them and cause phone companies to lose business, so they might have vaguely and said "At all the times" rather than "Even when service is disconnected" But both means same thing. Also, there has been alot changes going on especially wireless and internet 911 services. So, this sounded included internet relay service and making 911 available for Internet relay service is in the work. So, soon or later having landline phone just for 911 calls is just waste of money.

Also, alot deafies have wireless handheld devices. So the chance of one of them might use them to make 911 is even at greater! In some areas, you could just basically dial 911 (Even don't have to say anything verbally) on your sidekick and wait for cop to show up in matter of just minutes! When the 911 operator heard just pure silence, they will track where you are and send cop over there. Cool, eh? Perfect for would be victim of kidnapping, just dial 911 and the kidnapper will be in for surprise in just few minutes!

diehardbiker65 said:

Also, alot deafies have wireless handheld devices. So the chance of one of them might use them to make 911 is even at greater! In some areas, you could just basically dial 911 (Even don't have to say anything verbally) on your sidekick and wait for cop to show up in matter of just minutes! When the 911 operator heard just pure silence, they will track where you are and send cop over there. Cool, eh? Perfect for would be victim of kidnapping, just dial 911 and the kidnapper will be in for surprise in just few minutes!

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Unfortunately, that service is not yet widespread. It is only available in some places.

I believe you, but if there is a rule it is going to be available. The FCC can't hide it just to help the phone cos. If they used language like you talked about I want to see it Why, because before I go disconnecti ng my phone I want to be absolutely sure it will work, or that I have the FCC on my side enforcing it.

When you disconnect your phone line, a soft dial tone should be available:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dial_tone

That means that your phone is enabled only to connect to emergency services and to connect your phone line to full service again. That's all.

Now, I'm unable to find any FCC documents that make this a requirement. However, there should be state requirements like the universal service fee that address this.

I just found out, there is public FCC forum for everybody to browse, and look around FCC site. There is ANOTHER site, private one for those who provides communications services. They are NOT available for public viewing. No wonder why my local phone company told me they are required to leave 911 hotline connected to my home phone line, even after disconnected.

It DOES makes sense to have private site for carrier providers only so that there won't be any economy upsetting. I am sure phone company would want to kill me for publicize this information. But, hey I am only helping other deafies save money. That is because deafies always been left out by hearing. SO I don't give damn about hearie world at all. Only those who support and endorse deaf world.

Dennis said:

When you disconnect your phone line, a soft dial tone should be available:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dial_tone

That means that your phone is enabled only to connect to emergency services and to connect your phone line to full service again. That's all.

Now, I'm unable to find any FCC documents that make this a requirement. However, there should be state requirements like the universal service fee that address this.

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your right on it, however there will always be expansion and continous improvement. That is what FCC website said about continous improvement. So, I am SURE almost all major metropolitians have complete sytem in force.
They also are working on requiring all new cell phone to include GPS chip.

Reba said:

Unfortunately, that service is not yet widespread. It is only available in some places.

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Clarification:

I think some people might get wrong idea. This rule of continue "Soft dial tone" applies to service that has been in place in the past and got disconnected. I don't think it applies to the line that never got connected. For example new house, or apartment and somebody moved right in there and never order phone service. That is where you won't be able to call 911.

excerpted section

In the U.S., FCC rules require every telephone that can physically access the network to be able to dial 911, regardless of any reason that normal service may have been disconnected (including non-payment). On wired (land line) phones, this usually is accomplished by a "soft" dial tone, which sounds normal, but will only allow emergency calls. Often, an unused and unpublished phone number will be issued to the line so that it will work properly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9-1-1

so, there are no confusion. your cell phone will work with 911. your landline phone will work (as long as its wired and connected properly with a dial tone).

diehardbiker65 said:

Clarification:

I think some people might get wrong idea. This rule of continue "Soft dial tone" applies to service that has been in place in the past and got disconnected. I don't think it applies to the line that never got connected. For example new house, or apartment and somebody moved right in there and never order phone service. That is where you won't be able to call 911.

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That is correct. new house or apartment are not even wired until new occupants order the landline phone service. i have been there.

qwerty123 said:

excerpted section

In the U.S., FCC rules require every telephone that can physically access the network to be able to dial 911, regardless of any reason that normal service may have been disconnected (including non-payment). On wired (land line) phones, this usually is accomplished by a "soft" dial tone, which sounds normal, but will only allow emergency calls. Often, an unused and unpublished phone number will be issued to the line so that it will work properly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9-1-1

so, there are no confusion. your cell phone will work with 911. your landline phone will work (as long as its wired and connected properly with a dial tone).

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Thanks for that. I will go back and search FCC again. Wikipedia is nice but it is not the same as reading the actual rule.

Thank you for locating the FCC ruling. I knew it was buried somewhere. I learn after asking phone company what if.... what about 911? I got answer from them. So, now you all know. If your thinking keeping service only for 911 calls, then your wasting your money.

qwerty123 said:

excerpted section

In the U.S., FCC rules require every telephone that can physically access the network to be able to dial 911, regardless of any reason that normal service may have been disconnected (including non-payment). On wired (land line) phones, this usually is accomplished by a "soft" dial tone, which sounds normal, but will only allow emergency calls. Often, an unused and unpublished phone number will be issued to the line so that it will work properly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9-1-1

so, there are no confusion. your cell phone will work with 911. your landline phone will work (as long as its wired and connected properly with a dial tone).

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dkf747 said:

Thanks for that. I will go back and search FCC again. Wikipedia is nice but it is not the same as reading the actual rule.

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I agree with you. I dont think FCC have listed EVERY rule in www.fcc.gov web site, so it may take a bit of digging to locate these overly complicated rules.

but we know 911 will work as we have mentioned in these threads.

Well like I said a while ago, FCC have TWO seperate sites, one for public to read and browse, and other site is private, hidden to the public. Only those who registered and doing business with FCC can access these hidden sites.

I doubt any one of you would find the exact ruling in the public site. Just think about it, I am sure FCC is trying to protect business in some way. If the rule of requiring 911 to be able to work while disconnected were publicize and everybody knows. What do you think would happen? I can bet that local phone company income will DIVE big time, and collapse big time. FCC can't afford that to happen. People would say, hey I got cell phone and if I can call 911 though disconnected landline phone why should I bother paying local phone company while I am using my own cell phone??? Get the drift?

qwerty123 said:

I agree with you. I dont think FCC have listed EVERY rule in www.fcc.gov web site, so it may take a bit of digging to locate these overly complicated rules.

but we know 911 will work as we have mentioned in these threads.

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