Emergency Services Policy
This Emergency Services Policy forms part of the Terms of Service. Please read it carefully. Internet-based voice services handle emergency calls differently from traditional landlines and mobile phones, and those differences can put lives at risk.
1. Summary
- sip.io is not a replacement for a traditional phone line or mobile phone for emergency calling unless you have configured emergency calling for the number and location as described in this Policy.
- Emergency calls may fail, or be routed to the wrong emergency centre, if there is a power cut, an internet or network outage, a configuration problem, or an out-of-date address.
- You must register and keep current a dispatchable address for every number and device used for emergency calls, and you must tell your End Users about these limitations.
2. Availability of emergency calling
2.1 Where available, emergency calls to numbers such as 911 (United States and Canada), 112 (European Union and many other countries), 999 (United Kingdom) and 100, 101 and 102 (Israel) are routed through our emergency calling partner or through an upstream carrier that supports emergency routing in that country.
2.2 Emergency calling is only available for numbers and countries we list as supported in the console and in Country Requirements, and only after you have assigned a registered emergency address to the number. Some countries do not permit emergency calls from nomadic or non-geographic numbers, or require the number to be used only at its registered location.
2.3 If emergency calling is not enabled for a number, device or trunk, emergency calls placed through it may not connect. You must provide an alternative means of calling emergency services.
3. Limitations of VoIP emergency calling
You and your End Users must understand that emergency calls over the Services may not work, or may work differently, in these situations:
- Power failure: IP phones, routers, PBXs and modems usually stop working when power fails unless they have backup power.
- Internet or network outage: the call depends on your internet connection, your local network and our platform. Congestion, outages or bandwidth limits can prevent the call from connecting.
- Suspension or zero balance: if your Account or a number is suspended, disconnected or out of funds, calls, including emergency calls, may be blocked. Where technically possible we will continue to route emergency calls, but you must not rely on this.
- Location: the emergency centre receives the address registered for the number, not the caller’s actual location. If the device has moved, the emergency services may go to the wrong place.
- Nomadic use: softphones, mobile apps and devices used away from the registered address are especially exposed to incorrect location information.
- Delays and routing: emergency calls may take longer to connect, may route to a general call centre rather than the local emergency centre, or the emergency centre may not receive a call-back number.
- Text and other channels: text-to-911, SMS to emergency services, WhatsApp and other messaging channels are not supported for emergency use.
4. Your responsibilities
4.1 Dispatchable address. You must provide, for each number and endpoint used for emergency calling, a valid dispatchable address including street address, and, where relevant, building, floor, suite or room, so that first responders can find the caller. You must update it before the device is moved or as soon as the location changes.
4.2 Notify End Users. You must inform every End User, in writing, of the limitations in section 3 before they use the Services, and obtain their acknowledgement where the law requires it. Resellers must flow this notice down to their customers (see the Reseller and White-Label Terms).
4.3 Labels. You must place a clear label on or near each device that can make calls through the Services, stating that emergency calling may be limited or unavailable. We can supply label text on request.
4.4 Alternatives. Where emergency calling is not configured, or where the location of a device cannot be kept current, you must ensure End Users have another way to reach emergency services, such as a mobile phone or landline.
4.5 Testing. Do not place test calls to emergency numbers. If you need to test, contact support@sip.io so we can arrange a test through our emergency calling partner where available.
5. United States: Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act
5.1 If you use the Services to operate or provide a multi-line telephone system (“MLTS”), such as a hosted PBX for an office, hotel or campus, you are responsible for complying with federal MLTS rules, including:
- Kari’s Law: users must be able to dial 911 directly, without a prefix such as 9, and the system must send a notification (for example to a front desk or security team) when a 911 call is placed, where the system can be configured to do so; and
- RAY BAUM’S Act: a dispatchable location must be conveyed with each 911 call, including for fixed, on-premises non-fixed and off-premises devices, as required by FCC rules.
5.2 We provide tools to support compliance, such as per-number emergency addresses, direct 911 dialling in call flows, and emergency-call notifications through webhooks or email. You are responsible for configuring them correctly for your system and locations. Equivalent state rules may also apply.
6. BYOC trunks
Emergency calls placed over a BYOC trunk are routed through your own carrier, not through our emergency calling partner. We do not provide emergency calling over BYOC unless your carrier supports it and you have configured it. You are responsible for confirming with your carrier that it supports emergency calling, that addresses are registered with it, and that emergency routing works. See the BYOC Terms.
7. Other countries
Emergency numbers, routing, location requirements and permitted use of nomadic numbers vary by country. Country-specific requirements are summarised in Country Requirements. You must comply with the rules of each country in which your End Users are located.
8. Fees
Emergency calls are free to the caller where the law requires. We may charge a monthly emergency-service fee per number and pass through government emergency-service surcharges, as shown on our pricing pages.
9. Disclaimer and limitation of liability
9.1 To the maximum extent permitted by law, neither sip.io nor its suppliers, including our emergency calling partners and upstream carriers, are liable for any loss, injury, death or damage arising from the inability to place an emergency call, a delay in connecting it, the routing of a call to the wrong emergency centre, incorrect location information, or the acts or omissions of emergency services or emergency centres.
9.2 Nothing in this Policy excludes liability that cannot be excluded by law.
10. Indemnity
You will defend, indemnify and hold harmless sip.io and its suppliers against all claims by you, your End Users or third parties arising out of emergency calls made or attempted through your Account, including claims arising from your failure to register or update addresses, to notify End Users, to label devices, or to comply with Kari’s Law, the RAY BAUM’S Act or equivalent laws.
11. Contact
Questions about emergency calling: support@sip.io.