Background
When a UCX (or any PBX system or even single line phone) is installed, one or more of the telephone numbers associated with that location must be registered with the organization responsible for Emergency Services response on the trunks used for that site so that they can associate those numbers with a physical location and route the response unit correctly. Any user interface that allows the user to make emergency calls when not physically located at that same site faces challenges in associating that user with their actual location. Even cell phones currently rely on triangulation of cell phone signals to attempt to provide location service, although there are some enhanced capabilities that will leverage GPS capabilities of cell phones to provide exact location to the responders.
UCX Emergency Capabilities
E-MetroTel has developed a number of capabilities that can be used to assist in providing greater accuracy and support for emergency calls made from any of the physical locations that it serves for a customer. These can also be used to assist in the location of remote users making emergency calls from InfinityOne devices.
Emergency CID (Per Extension Setting)
Every extension configured on the UCX software (other than Virtual Extensions) is able to be assigned an Emergency CID (Caller ID). This Emergency CID is used when dialing an Outbound Route that is flagged as Route Type Emergency Route in the Outbound Routes section of the UCX PBX settings tab. Typically this is used to provide some sectional location within buildings or campuses to ensure that emergency services are sent to the closest area associated with the dialer.
E911 Notification (System Wide Setting)
The UCX E911 Notification application in the PBX Configuration menu can be used to detect when any user on the system dials a number that has been configured in the application as an Emergency Number in the application. The application notifies one or more contacts (internal or external) by phone or by email when a designated emergency number is dialed. The notification includes both the emergency number dialed and the extension used to place the call.
The process to configure this functionality is described in E911 Notification documentation.
Multiple numbers can be configured as Emergency Numbers. The default value of 911 is pre-configured, but the application still needs to be enabled and the destinations configured. Additional Emergency Numbers can be added to account for miss-dialings (9-911 for example), other Emergency center numbers (some locations have numbers specifically for Poison Control, etc.), and some international locations use other numbers than 911 (Australia generally uses 000, for example).
Emergency CID Configuration
Outbound Route
Navigate to the PBX – PBX Configuration – Outbound Routes page and add a new route:
- Route Name = Emergency
- Route CID = Enter the CID to be used for emergencies. If the number is the same as the normal CID, this field can be left blank.
- Override Extension = If checked, the Route CID will override the extensions normal Outbound CID. The extension’s emergency CID will still be used if it is defined.
- Route Type = Select the Emergency checkbox.
Under Dial Patterns, enter the emergency numbers used for your country.
In North America, to meet the requirements of the FCC, the route must have a match pattern of 911 with NO prepend digits and NO prefix digits. The following patterns are recommended:
- 911
- 9-911 (This is to cover scenarios where the system requires a prefix (e.g. 9) to dial out and users may be accustomed to dialing a prefix.)
- 933 (This is an automated service to verify the Caller ID information that is sent to the Emergency Service Provider facility.)
Under Trunk Sequence, select the trunk(s) to be used for emergency dialing. Note that CID cannot be sent by the UCX if the call is routed over an analog trunk.
After saving the new route, the final step is to drag the Emergency route to the top of the list on the top right corner, so it would be given the highest priority.
Extensions
The Emergency CID for the extension must be filled in if the emergency CID is different from the normal Outbound CID.
Businesses with multiple buildings or locations must ensure that the CID information is populated for each user that would allow the PSAP to identify the corresponding user’s location.
For remote users, this emergency CID can be one that is associated with their primary remote working location. For example their home number.
For users who primarily use the app on their cell phone, configure the user’s dialable cell phone number as the emergency CID, as long as the PSAP provider is able to identify that this number is associated with a cell phone.
Verify the Emergency CID
If you are located in North America, you can verify the emergency CID by dialing 933 from each of the extensions on the UCX.
You will hear an automated recording announcing the CID and associated address.
Verify that the number and address is correct.
If the address is incorrect, please contact your trunk provider to update the address associated with the DID.
Remote and Mobile Users
All UCX users that have the ability to place calls remotely should be advised to always attempt to place emergency calls from a device that is connected directly to the PSTN, as this assures a higher level of interaction with emergency responders' location services capabilities. However, there are capabilities on the UCX that can be deployed to minimize the impact when the user does call an emergency number from a remote client.
Use of Emergency CID settings
In the case of remote or mobile users, the emergency Caller ID information can be one associated with their primary remote working location.
For Example:
- Mobile user who primarily uses the iOS or Android app on their cell phone:
Configure the user’s dialable cell phone number as the outbound Emergency CID and notify the PSAP provider that this number is associated with a cell phone. - Full time work-from-home user with a physical desktop phone or is using Infinity 3065 on their PC:
Provide the user with their own unique DID and configure that DID as the outbound Emergency CID and notify the PSAP provider of the street address associated with this number.
Use of E911 Notification capabilities
If an extension will primarily be used by a remote user on a desktop device at a fixed location, E-MetroTel recommends:
- Maintaining a list of these users and their respective working locations that is accessible by the corporate security response team (or equivalent administrator)
- Configuring the corporate security response team member(s) for Notifications (either phone or email).
- When the corporate security team member is notified of an Emergency Number dialing situation, they can use the list of remote users and their locations so ensure they can attempt to re-direct true emergency service responders a more likely location.
If an extension will primarily be used by a remote user on a mobile device with no fixed location, E-MetroTel recommends:
- Maintaining a list of these users and alternate contact options (i.e. cell phone number) that is accessible by the corporate security response team (or equivalent administrator)
- Configuring the corporate security response team member(s) for Notifications (either phone or email).
- When the corporate security team member is notified of an Emergency Number dialing situation, they can use the list of remote users and their alternate contact information so they can attempt to provide the true emergency service responders with additional contact information.
Hotdesking
When using Hotdesking, the Emergency CID follows that of the extension.
If a user hotdesks the extension normally associated with their iOS or Android app to a physical phone in the office and uses that physical phone to dial 911, the Emergency CID sent will be the number configured for the extension, which in this example would be the user’s cell phone number, not one associated with the office location.
Likewise, if an extension is configured with an Emergency CID that has been reported to the PSAP to designate a physical office location, but the user hotdesks that extension to a different device while traveling, emergency calls will be sent with Emergency CID associated with the office location.
Configuring for phones without 911 support
In some cases, one or more phones may be located completely outside of the jurisdiction of the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) that services the UCX. For instance, a remote worker may be located in a completely different country but is able to use their phone to connect to other co-workers and use the corporate PSTN access with a UCX system located in Canada or the US. The PSAP authority servicing the company facilities in the UCX location typically does not have any mechanism for contacting emergency personnel in the remote country location, and it may not be feasible for the UCX to be configured with local access trunks in that remote country. Provided there are no explicit rules that require local 911 access for that worker in the remote country, then E-MetroTel recommends that the phones be adequately labeled to indicate they are not able to be used for 911 dialing to local authorities, and that the extension(s) be configured to provide an announcement to that effect if and when an emergency number is dialed from that phone. Furthermore, it is incumbent upon the reseller and the customer to ensure that those remote employees are aware that emergency calls should be placed from another phone that is connected to local access.
Labeling to indicate that Emergency numbers cannot be used from a phone
XSTIM phones all have four display lines that are configurable on the UCX on a system wide or individual extension basis. This functionality is described in the XSTIM Settings and Adding a XSTIM Extension documentation. For each extension that must not dial emergency numbers, a message to that effect should be constructed in the Display Options section of programming for the extension. When the phone is idle and the set display is not sleeping, it will display the configured text configured for the Title Default , Main Text 0, Main Text 1, and Main Text 2 field.
Routing 911 calls to an announcement
If a phone is located where the customer has determined that no emergency service can be provided, there are several mechanisms that can be used to provide the caller with direct feedback of the situation when an emergency call is attempted.
- If the company has a continuously monitored extension or group of extensions prepared to handle notifications from the UCX Emergency Notification feature, then ensure that the remote phone is routed to that extension or group whenever an emergency number is dialed. At the same time, however, the company’s PSAP provider must not be alerted as they will not be able to respond to the call and may apply penalties to the company. To do this, create a custom context that will prohibit the emergency call dial strings from accessing outbound trunks and assign that custom context to the extension.
- Alternatively, you can use the same programming for the customer context but route instead to an announcement and then rollover to that extension or group of extensions.
To configure this:
- In System Recordings, create a recording indicating that 911 cannot be connected via this phone and provide a recognizable Name (i.e. No_911_Service)
- in Announcements create an announcement using that recording with a descriptions such as No_911. Set the repeat parameters, do not allow Skip or Return to IVR. Set the Destination after playback to either the Extension, or the a Ring Group, corresponding with the normal Emergency Notification extension(s).
- Create a Custom Context called “Cannot Dial 911” (example)
- Add dial rules of 911 and 9911 (and any potential local emergency number as well)
- Set All To: Deny Rules
- In the Failover Destination, send it to the No_911 announcement
- For each of the remotely located extensions, edit their Extensions properties and set the Call Restrictions to the newly created Custom Context (i.e. Cannot Dial 911).
