Solved 3CX - Please fix Emergency Number Settings for USA 911 Calls

[Thiek]

I have mentioned this a number of times and this feature still does not exist. PLEASE we need the ability to apply rules to emergency numbers dialed, just like we do under Outbound Dialing Rules, the ability to strip or prepend to a number. This is needed ASAP for Ray Baum legislation coming up January 2021. When someone dials 911 we need to route this to a specific toll free number such as 1-844-555-1212... if you need to know why, see below.

For larger businesses with different buildings and/or different floors we MUST be able to send out a specific ELIN (Emergency Location Identification Number) and yes, this can be done under Emergency Numbers (finally), however, when 911 is dialed the 911 Center (Public Safety Answering Point) will not recognize all of our ELINs, they typically will only recognize one ELIN and that is the phone number associated with the main billing number. So how does the local 911 Center (PSAP) recognize 25 or 30 different ELIN's, they don't unless you setup a PS-ALI or ALI account with a company like Sentry or Redsky E911. Companies like this maintain an ELIN database were you create a list of all your ELIN's and associate specific location information with each (ABC Corp. 742 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, 2nd Floor Office North West). When 911 is dialed the call needs to be routed to someone like Sentry or Redsky who then routes the call to the correct PSAP along with proper location information.

 

[cobaltit]

https://www.3cx.com/blog/vlog/erl-elin-kari-e911-regulation/

 

[Thiek]

cobaltit, why did you send this? I just wasted 15 minutes watching a video that does NOT answer or resolve the issue. Per the video, 3CX is assuming all SIP providers will allow you to setup an ALI database to house ELINs. 3CX is also assuming we are using a SIP provider, we are using a PRI circuit. In the USA, Century Link, Verizon, AT&T... they do not provide an ALI database to house the ELIN data so again, we need the ability to strip digits and prepend. so we can route 911 calls to our PS-ALI provider who then routes to the call to the PSAP.

Is there a reason this cannot be done?

Here's another example as why this would be helpful. We have a lot of employees coming from company XYZ to visit our 12 locations that have 3CX. At XYZ corporation they must dial a 9 to get an outside number and they've been doing this for 20 plus years. My fear, while at one of our our 3CX sites someone might try to dial 9-911 and guess what, this will not work and the person will die because their call didn't go out. Oh yes, i can create a new Emergency Number for 9911 but if I cannot strip that first 9, they're going to die.

 

[cobaltit]

If you wasted 15 minutes then that means you didn't see that article or watch the video prior to posting so you're welcome. What you have there is what is available today. Here is another thread where 3CX discusses what they've done so far, and that they are evaluating ways to implement additional capabilities needed for the requirements:

https://www.3cx.com/community/threa...responds-with-emergency-number-options.70962/

It seems with what 3CX provides today it already meets the basic requirements to provide location information for fixed devices for compliance by 1/6/2021. It seems that the issue is more with the fact that you want (or maybe need) to use a 3rd party service which adds a layer of routing complexity. Are you saying that your provider doesn't allow you to update the location information for your TNs so you can't use them for ELINs per the video I posted above? Or they don't let you provide the more detailed location information (just street address). You seem to have a better handle than I on the 911 requirements/challenges so I'm trying to understand if you are using a 3rd party service because you need to as your current provider doesn't do something specific or want to because of the flexibility it provides by offering a better interface or means of maintaining the ERL/ELIN info?


If I'm understanding you correctly, you want to accomplish the following:

Phone A uses ELIN 1234567890
Phone B uses ELIN 1234567891
Your PS-ALI provider requires you to send calls to 844-555-1212

911 is called from Phone A. 3CX routes that call to 844-555-1212 and sends ELIN 1234567890
911 is called from Phone B. 3CX routes that call to 844-555-1212 and sends ELIN 1234567891

Is that correct?

 

[Thiek]

Yes, that is correct. I would strip the first 3 digits (911) and replace with 1-844-555-1212 and the appropriate ELIN would then be sent.

 

[Thiek]

How do we get 3CX's attention so they look into this? I can't imagine we're the only one's running into this and would love to know what others are doing, how are they getting detailed location info to their local PSAP for say 15 to 30 different ELIN's for a single site. Have people even looked into this yet?

My viewpoint, a PBX supplier is supposed to provide this functionality, which it sort of does but again, if a phone company does not provide ALI services then you have to go with someone like Sentry, Redsky, etc. Just like a company is supposed to send detailed location information for 911 calls come Jan. 2021 in the USA and if they don't, this can put them into a serious legal position if an employee feels emergency services could have responded faster with detailed location information. You can bet lawyers will put this right above chasing ambulances. Probably see commercials about it, "did you get hurt at work and responders took too long...call Lerner and Rowe".

 

[NicholasP_3CX]

I just wasted 15 minutes watching a video that does NOT answer or resolve the issue.

@Thiek sorry that you feel that the video was a waste of your time.

However, in the video we (I) do mention about the configuration of the ELINs and ERLs.

ERL: The Emergency Response Location. This is the PHYSICAL location where the Emergency dispatch will be sent. For example The second floor of ABC Building, Office 201 for example.

You will need to get legal advice as to what is considered a valid ERL because it does differ from state to state. Some only require the specific building and some require the specific floor and office/suite.

This is defined from within your providers portal. They should be able to assist you with defining the ERL in their portal.

ELIN: The Emergency Location Identification Number. This is the actual telephone number (DID for example) which is sent to the emergency dispatch, and through your provider, is attached to a specific ERL.

Depending on how specific the ERL needs to be defined based on the legal requirements, you will be able to send out the proper Caller ID to the emergency services to show this.

Go to the Settings of the PBX and select "General"

At the bottom, you will see the Emergency number configuration.

Here you can define as many Emergency number entries as required.

I will take your specific example from above to show you how it should be configured.

Phone A will be extension 100
Phone B will be extension 101 for reference.





When you mention that they emergency services will not recognize the relevant ELINs this is false, as you can define specifically which extension, or extension group will go out with each ELIN. This would require you to create more than 1 Emergency number rule however, but the PBX does do it, if configured to do so.



The PBX will send the calls directly to 911, without any prefixes. Sending to the call directly to 911 is what the aim is here, not to forward to any other number.

In the video we also explain how to configure the notification template that will be sent to the necessary personnel internally who will work with emergency dispatch when they come on site.

You can configure email and chat notifications, as well as send a call to the necessary personnel with a call.

When each extension in this case calls 911, the respective ELIN will be sent so dispatch knows where to send the first responders. You could even do this at an extension group level, if the requirements are more general.

In summary, you will need to define your ERLs on your providers portal so they have the correct information to send to your local dispatch.

Again, sorry if our video was a waste of time, but it does explain things in sufficient detail with what is required at the PBX level, but I hope my clarification has answered your question.