Complain about a product or service

Michigan Warns Vonage About 911

May 2, 2005
More problems for New Jersey-based Vonage Holdings Corporation, a major provider of Internet-based telephone service. Michigan is accusing the company of misleading consumers about its emergency 911 service.

VOIP-911 • FCC Wants Enhanced 911 Service For Cell Phone, VoIP Users • Vonage 911 Caller Put On Hold While House Burns Down • FCC Requires VoIP Carriers to Provide Enhanced 911 Service • FCC Ready to Require VoIP Carriers to Provide 911 Service • Vonage To Tie Into Verizon's 911 System • Connecticut Sues Vonage Over 911 Claims • Michigan Warns Vonage About 911 • VOIP 911 Moves To Front Burner At FCC • 911 Becoming an Emergency for VOIP Providers • SBC, Vonage in Stand-Off Over 911 • Texas Sues Vonage over 911 Access

In a Notice of Intended Action (NIA), Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox told the company it has failed to make it clear that customers do not have access to traditional 911 service. Last month, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a lawsuit against Vonage citing similar concerns.

"Vonage needs to make sure its customers understand that normal 911 access may not be available to them," Cox said. "Emergency calls made through Vonage's service are often routed through call centers that may not be answered outside of regular business hours."

Although Vonage advertises its "911 dialing" as a benefit, the feature has significant limitations compared to traditional phone service. Customers who use Vonage's service are not directed to operators who dispatch emergency vehicles. If emergency personnel do get the call, they may not be able to identify the caller's phone number or have information displaying the caller's address.

"I don't know about most people, but I don't have the ability to time my emergencies," Cox said. "Vonage has ten days to respond to the NIA, or my office will file a lawsuit seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties."

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Back to the top |