Intrado cuts VoIP E-911 deals with Vonage, AT&T
Intrado, the leading 911-solution vendor, recently reached agreements with Vonage and AT&T to provide enhanced 911 capabilities nationwide to the service providers’ voice-over-IP (VoIP) products, according to the 8-K Intrado filed yesterday with the SEC.
Both contracts are three-year deals that expand on existing commitments, according to the SEC filing. Agreements with other VoIP service providers exist, but Intrado is able to speak publicly only about the Vonage and AT&T deals, said Mark Andronici, Intrado’s product manager for VoIP E-911. These wins are a reflection of Intrado’s V-911 solution, which includes routing instructions, delivery and access to selective routers that typically are owned by the incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) serving a given region, Andronici said.
“Some [competitors] are doing different aspects of this approach, but we want to make it a one-stop comprehensive relationship with our customers,” he said. “We’re bringing a comprehensive solution that differentiates us from the rest of the marketplace.”
In May, the FCC unanimously approved an order requiring VoIP providers to include E-911 capabilities via the existing 911 infrastructure in their basic service plans. VoIP providers must have this service working by Nov. 28, according to the order. Andronici said it is too early to speculate whether Intrado customers will be able to meet the Nov. 28 deadline because there are so many variables impacting the ability to meet the FCC’s goal.
Intrado is in the process of gaining access to all selective routers in the nation—a sticking point for many VoIP companies—so their customers do not have to expend the time and money to reach agreements with each ILEC individually, Andronici said.
Intrado will be deploying its V-911 solution at a time when several standards organizations are still trying to determine the best architecture for the next generation of E-911, including VoIP. Andronici said he does not believe widespread deployment of Intrado’s V-911 package would render the standards work irrelevant.
“We’ve always been of the mind that we need to bring to market solutions that will fall into those standards,” Andronici said. “I don’t think you’ll find too much misalignment from those standards.”
