Emergency/9-1-1 Limitations 

Client acknowledges that Gazelle Integrated Communications (“Gazelle”) utilizes voice over Internet protocol (“VoIP”) for the delivery of local voice services. This is an importance difference from traditional wireline local services and affects the nature of 9-1-1 services available.

VoIP 9-1-1 can be delivered as Enhanced 9-1-1 (E 9-1-1) or Basic 9-1-1 (B 9-1-1) Service. When placing a call to emergency services with E9-1-1, your telephone number and location are automatically transmitted to the operator during the call. These two features (telephone number and location) are what make E9-1-1 “enhanced.” With Basic 9-1-1 (B9-1-1), your telephone number and location are not automatically transmitted to the operator trained to route your call to local emergency medical, fire, and law enforcement agencies. In either case, the operator at the answering location verbally obtains the pertinent information that identifies the caller’s need and physical location. The attendant then determines the appropriate agency and transfers the caller to that agency. Gazelle requires address information for every DID subscribed to on the Gazelle Network. When this information is available, the 9-1-1 call is delivered as E9-1-1. When this information is not available, the 9-1-1 call is delivered as B9-1-1.

VoIP services provided by Gazelle have certain limitations compared to traditional wireline local services. These differences include, but are not limited to:

1. A bilingual call centre agent will answer the 9-1-1 emergency call, request the caller’s location and the emergency service required and route the call to the 9-1-1 public service answering point (“PSAP”) serving the location provided by the caller; 
   
   
2. The caller’s location information and phone number will be automatically delivered to the VoIP 9-1-1 call centre if the address information is provided to Gazelle for the DID that is used as the outbound caller ID for the 9-1-1 call. If the address information for the DID used as the outbound caller ID for the 9-1-1 call is not provided to Gazelle, location information and phone number will not be delivered to the VoIP 9-1-1 call centre. In either case, the call control features that provide the PSAP agent with control over the line on which the 9-1-1 emergency call is made will not be available; 
   
   
3. The caller must be able to verbally communicate his/her location to the call centre agent. If the caller cannot communicate his/her location and the address information associated with the DID used as outbound caller ID for the 9-1-1 call was never provided, inaccurate, or invalid, emergency services may be dispatched to the wrong location. 
   
   
4. Client understands the VoIP 9-1-1 limitations of Gazelle’s local voice services and Client acknowledges that it is their obligation to make all other Users, or potential Users, of the Service aware of these limitations. 
   
   
5. VoIP 9-1-1 emergency calls made from locations outside of Canada cannot be completed by the call centre agent. The caller will be told to use an alternate service to VoIP 9-1-1. 
   
   
6. Traditional wireline 9-1-1 are not available in all locations within Canada. VoIP 9-1-1 services within Canada are subject to the availability of traditional wireline 9-1-1 service at the caller’s physical location. If 9-1-1 is not available from User’s location, User should contact emergency services such as fire, police or ambulance directly. 
   
   
7. VoIP 9-1-1 service will not function if the Customer Premises Equipment is not configured properly or if Client’s Service is not functioning for any reason. 
   
   
8. VoIP 9-1-1 service will not be available during a power outage and will be unavailable during a broadband Internet outage unless a fail-over plan is in place. The caller will need to place 9-1-1 calls through a traditional phone line. 
   
   
9. VoIP 9-1-1 services will not be available if Service is suspended or terminated. 
   
   
10. VoIP 9-1-1 calls from Gazelle’s local voice service will take longer to be connected to the emergency authority than those made from a traditional wireline phone. 
    
    
11. If Client maintains an analog line it may be possible to route 9-1-1 calls through this line and the above differences will not exist.

Callers to VoIP 9-1-1 should: 

1. Be prepared to provide their physical location, call back number and the nature of the emergency; and 
   
   
2. Ensure that they do not hang-up, whether the call was dialed intentionally or accidentally, and stay on the line to provide details to the operator

If the Client does not understand or does not agree with the limitation of VoIP 9-1-1 services, then Client should consider alternative arrangements to provide access to traditional 9-1-1 services. 9-1-1 services are mandatory on local voice services. Gazelle’s 9-1-1 service will be provisioned on all applicable Services. Any alternative arrangement will be in addition to Gazelle’s applicable Service.

The Client understands that it is their obligation to ensure that all Users are aware of the limitations of VoIP 9-1-1 services. The Client understands the limitation of VoIP 9-1-1 services and assumes all liability and responsibility for the provision of emergency services and agrees to hold Gazelle, its officers, directors, employees and agents harmless for any injury, death or damage whether direct or indirect that may result from : (1) the VoIP 9-1-1 service provided by Gazelle (including but not limited to situations of unavailability of 9-1-1 as described in these terms and conditions and incomplete or incorrect address information provided by the Client); (2) Client’s failure to obtain access to conventional 9-1-1 service as part of a telephone line subscription from another telephone company under separate agreement; or (3) Client’s failure or delay in utilizing conventional 9-1-1 service.