Public safety is at the forefront of public consciousness these days. And while you’ve probably taken precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace by implementing a work-from-home order, you may have overlooked another danger: inaccurate E911 information.
You see, business desk phones and softphones are programmed with automatic number identification (ANI) and automatic location identification (ALI) by IT staff. This information is automatically routed to the nearest public safety answering point, or PSAP, when you dial 911 from one of these devices. What’s important to note here is that this information is programmed manually; it doesn’t just update automatically if you transport your device from one location to another.
So if you’ve brought your desk phone home, are using a corporate mobile device or are making calls through a softphone application, your E911 location information might not be up-to-date. In the midst of the corporate frenzy to move employees out of the office and into their homes, IT was probably scrambling to make sure everyone had the necessary tools and technology to effectively work from home. This little detail was likely forgotten.
Inaccurate E911 Information is a Vulnerability
But this oversight could become a significant safety hazard in the event of an emergency. If you call 911 from one of these professional devices from home, the PSAP will automatically receive your corporate location information. And if you’re unable to verbally communicate that you’re at a different address, the PSAP will send the emergency response team to your office.
Read full article here:
https://www.telnetww.com/blog/voice/e911-safety/