Press & PR

Users of internet telephone services (VoIP) are to be assured that their calls to emergency services will get through, following a ruling by Ofcom.

The telecoms regulator has made it mandatory that all VoIP service providers include connectivity with the UK's 999 and the EU's 112 emergency service lines.

Previously, some providers chose not to include this feature as they claimed VoIP should not be treated as a fully-fledged telecoms service.

However, Ofcom highlighted the potential risk of a VoIP user picking up their phone in an emergency and finding they cannot get through – wasting precious seconds as they find a landline or mobile phone.

Ofcom Chief Executive, Ed Richards said: "As new voice services develop and become more mainstream, regulation must evolve too.

"In the future, consumers will be confident that if they can make calls to ordinary national numbers using their VoIP service then they will be able to call 999 or 112 in an emergency."

The deadline for VoIP providers to introduce 999 and 112 functionality is September next year.

Fortunately, industry leader Vonage has offered customers peace of mind ever since it launched in the UK by including 999 and emergency calls in all of its voice plans.