911 Limitations

Effective Date: March 22, 2026

1. VoIP 911 Overview

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services allow telephone calls to be made and received over the Internet to and from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The nature of VoIP telephone calls creates unique limitations that differ from traditional telephone service.

Customer acknowledges and understands the differences between traditional telephone service and VoIP service, including but not limited to the lack of traditional 9-1-1 emergency services.

2. 911 Service

Because of the unique nature of VoIP telephone calls, emergency calls to 9-1-1 will be handled differently than traditional phone service.

3. Placing 9-1-1 Calls

VoIP service will attempt to automatically route 9-1-1 calls through a third-party service provider to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) corresponding to the address on record for your account. Due to technical limitations, however, 9-1-1 calls may be routed to a different location than they would be using traditional telephone dialing.

Your 9-1-1 call may be forwarded to a specialized call center that is different from the PSAP that would have received your call had it been made via traditional telephone service. In such cases, you may be required to provide your name, address, and telephone number to the call center.

4. How Your Information Is Provided

The service will attempt to automatically provide the PSAP dispatcher with your name, address, and telephone number. However, for technical reasons the dispatcher may not be able to capture or retain this information. You must immediately inform the dispatcher of your location.

If you are unable to speak, the dispatcher may not be able to locate you if your information is not up to date.

5. Correctness of Information

You are responsible for providing, maintaining, and updating correct contact information, including your physical location and address. If your location is not correctly identified, or if your information has not been updated, 9-1-1 calls may be misdirected to an incorrect emergency response location.

6. Disconnections

You must not disconnect your 9-1-1 call until told to do so by the dispatcher, as the dispatcher may not have your information. If you are inadvertently disconnected, you must call back immediately.

7. Connection Time

For technical reasons, including network congestion, 9-1-1 calls may produce a busy signal or may take longer to connect when compared to traditional 9-1-1 calls placed over a landline telephone connection.

8. When 9-1-1 Calls May Not Function

The functionality of 9-1-1 calling may cease or be curtailed in various circumstances, including but not limited to the following:

1. Failure of the service or the access device;
2. Power outages at your location or at any point along the network;
3. VoIP service outage;
4. Suspension or disconnection of your service due to billing issues;
5. Network or Internet congestion or outage;
6. The need to reset, reconfigure, or otherwise modify your equipment or network settings;
7. Changing physical locations, including moving your equipment to a different location than the address on record for your account.

9. Alternate Services

If you are not comfortable with the limitations of 9-1-1 calling as described herein, AWC Communications recommends that you consider terminating your VoIP services or arranging for alternate means of accessing traditional 9-1-1 emergency services.

10. Inform Other Users

You are responsible for notifying any user or potential user of your VoIP services of the nature and limitations of 9-1-1 emergency calls as described herein.

11. Liability

Neither AWC Communications Inc., its affiliates, nor their respective officers, directors, employees, or agents may be held liable for any claim, damage, or loss, or any damage arising as a result of service outage or data loss.

Customer waives any and all claims arising from or related to service outage or the inability to dial 9-1-1 or access emergency services, unless it is proven that the act or omission constitutes gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct.

AWC Communications does not provide any other warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

Customer agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless AWC Communications Inc. and its affiliates from any and all claims arising from or related to the absence, failure, or outage of service, including the inability to dial 9-1-1 or access emergency services.