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Web service sued over consumer access to 911

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DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/internet/03/23/internet.phones.911.ap/index.html

HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- Texas sued the nation's largest Internet-based phone service provider Tuesday, saying Vonage failed to clearly inform customers they cannot automatically dial 911 when they sign up.

The lawsuit follows a case last month when a 17-year-old Houston girl was unable to call 911 on her family's Vonage service during an armed robbery in which her parents were shot and wounded. The girl ran to a neighbor's home and called for help.

The suit was filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and seeks to require Vonage Holdings Corp. to more clearly inform consumers that they must separately sign up for the 911 feature

"People find out too late that this service might not be available," Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said at a news conference Tuesday attended by members of the family whose home was robbed.

Vonage spokeswoman Brooke Schulz said customers are informed of the separate activation on two pages on the Internet registration form. She also said that e-mail notifications are sent to customers who fail to activate the emergency service.

"We're at a loss as to what they want us to change, but we're open to any changes they want," Schulz said.....



This is a bullshit lawsuit and I can attest to that bolded part when I had Vonage I didn't setup my 911 right away... goddamn they must have emailed me at LEAST once a week "reminding" me to set it up.
 

Blackace

if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
still.... why have a phone that doesn't dial 911?
 

DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on
Blackace said:
still.... why have a phone that doesn't dial 911?

... uh what? With all VOIP services you have to configure them(basically to know where you are) so they know what service to call when you dial 911. Since your landline phone company/line "knows" where you are that's not a problem for landline phone services.
 

Blackace

if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
DarienA said:
... uh what? With all VOIP services you have to configure them(basically to know where you are) so they know what service to call when you dial 911. Since your landline phone company/line "knows" where you are that's not a problem for landline phone services.

so it can't be configured when you sign up, or right when you get hooked up?
 

DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on

RedDwarf

Smegging smeg of a smeg!
I had no problems getting mine set up (and it works fine, I had to use it once). This case is to protect the stupid.
 

ChrisReid

Member
In which case, it's stupid that they don't require you to set up and configure your 911 service before you can start placing calls..
 

cloudwalking

300chf ain't shit to me
ChrisReid said:
In which case, it's stupid that they don't require you to set up and configure your 911 service before you can start placing calls..

no kidding. it's like letting someone drive before they have a lisence. doesn't make sense at all, logically.
 
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