999 Services

999 Emergency Access

aql are a proactive provider of IP telephony services and a member of ITSPA, operating over 42 million UK telephone numbers on behalf of the IP telephony industry.
Following an OFCOM requirement to allow 999 calling from any IP telephone device, aql has been working closely with the Regulator and BT wholesale to ensure that a compliant solution be provided to the UK Internet Telephony Service Provider/Operator Community.

999 Access By Default

When a 999 call is routed in the UK, the Emergency Services operators have access to an emergency database. "Traditionally" this is populated with the name and address of the "line subscriber".
Because IP telephony users could, by design, be nomadic, It is possible that they may not be at the location in the emergency services database. By default, because aql have no visibility of the end subscriber, aql do not apply any location data to 999 calls. This means that in all instances, the emergency caller will be prompted for address information.

Emergency Location Database

aql are working with BT and Ofcom to enable a "best practice" solution for providing location data to the emergency services. Our rollout of this service will be conducted in full consultation and will address :

• An expiry time on data and/or a
• Location validity period
• An option for the declaration of nomadic users

aql are in constant proactive discussion with OFCOM regarding this issue and all aql customers who have expressed a preference to receiving our mailouts will be kept informed as a matter of course. If you have any specific or urgent questions regarding this important topic, please don't hesitate to contact us