FAQs: Enhanced 911

This situation indicates that the address in question is verified for postal services, but not for emergency services. When you add the emergency number to make the location available for use on sites, additional verification for emergency services is performed. 

Emergency verification confirms that the exact geographical location of the address is known to emergency responders, so that responders can locate the caller if an emergency occurs. Emergency verification is provided directly by the carrier who delivers the call to the emergency responders. The nature and process of that verification varies by jurisdiction.

For more information, see Address verification overview and Make a location available for sites.

All addresses are subject to some level of verification. Telecom regulations require Genesys to validate addresses used for Genesys Cloud Voice services for the purposes of billing and emergency services. If the location is not used for Genesys Cloud Voice services, then the verification status provided by Genesys Cloud is purely informational and has no impact on the services provided by Genesys Cloud.

For more information, see Create a location.

Ray Baum’s Act requires that a dispatchable location is conveyed with 911 calls to dispatch centers, regardless of the technological platform used, including 911 calls from MLTS. The purpose of Ray Baum’s Act is to ensure that dispatchers know the accurate location of 911 callers.

For more information, see Set your Emergency Address when working remotely.

An emergency capable number is a number that is capable of being registered with the Emergency Services administration in a given country. This registered number is linked to a specific address that emergency services will use as the location to send help when someone dials 911. For more information, see When setting up a location for Genesys Cloud Voice, how can I tell if the number I specify as the Emergency Number is emergency services capable?

No. The majority of numbers available in Genesys Cloud Voice are designated for call center inbound traffic only and are not registered with Emergency Services in the country. For more information, see When setting up a location for Genesys Cloud Voice, how can I tell if the number I specify as the Emergency Number is emergency services capable?

Yes, but only directly in Genesys Cloud Voice, where Genesys Telecom is the carrier. If you are using BYOC cloud or BYOC Premises, you need to work with your carrier to ensure accurate E911 address information is in use. For more information about enabling support for Ray Baum’s Act in Genesys Cloud Voice, see Set your Emergency Address when working remotely.

For more information on Ray Baum’s Act, see this article on the FCC website.

Yes, for Genesys Cloud Voice services. A Genesys Cloud Voice emergency services capable number is required as the emergency number for any location that has a site with a Genesys Cloud Voice trunk configured as the outbound route. Locations that are used for non- Genesys Cloud Voice services, such as BYOC, are not required to have a Genesys Cloud Voice emergency number.

Under the Emergency Calling Provisions included in Genesys Terms of Service, the customer agrees to provide their address for provisioning. By requiring the Emergency Location Identification Number (ELIN) to be Emergency Service capable, Genesys assures the submitted address can be properly associated to a number that is capable or outbound dialing emergency service.

No. Genesys discourages Genesys Cloud Voice customers from transferring incoming calls to Emergency Services. The proper way to handle an incoming emergency call is to request that the calling party hang up and directly dial 911. If an agent transfers an inbound call to 911 on behalf of the caller, the Emergency Services operator does not receive the original callers phone number or location. Instead, the operator sees the number and location of the agent who made the transfer. However, if an agent does transfer a call to 911, use the consult transfer option to speak with the Emergency Services operator to convey essential information before transferring the call. 

Yes, as long as you have these two things in place: 

1. Security desk email address
2. The physical location address

For more information, see Configure Genesys Cloud Voice E911 to support Kari’s Law.

Yes. The number sent to the E911 operator as the calling number is not only for association with the correct address, it also serves as the callback number for the operator if the call disconnects. For that reason, it is best to use the caller’s own number if possible, since that allows any callback to route directly to the person who needs assistance. You can configure this behavior by selecting Use as the ANI only if the phone or user doesn’t have a phone number Location option.

If your agents do not have individual numbers, or if those numbers are not reachable externally, then use an ELIN. Because the number serves as a callback contact for Emergency Services operators, Genesys recommends that the ELIN be a number associated with a phone in the same physical location, such as a front desk or security desk. Do NOT use an IVR number as an ELIN, since an operator performing a callback cannot reach the actual person needing assistance.

That depends on where your Genesys Cloud Voice organization is located.

USA / Canada

In the United States and Canada, Genesys Cloud Voice applies the following rules in this order:

1. If you’re working remotely and have specified a remote address as your emergency address, that remote address will be the location. For more information, see Set your Emergency Address when working remotely.
2. If the number is assigned as an ELIN, the address will be the location to which it is assigned as the ELIN.
3. If the number is assigned to a User with a phone or a Standalone Phone, the address will be the location associated with that phone’s Site.
4. If the number is assigned to an IVR, the address will be the Default Site for the organization.
5. If the number is not assigned to a User/IVR or as an ELIN, the address will be the Default Site for the organization.

EMEA

In EMEA, Genesys Cloud Voice uses the address of the Location assigned to the number at purchase or via the Number Management page.

No. Changing the location associated with a site will not impact service. But it can take several minutes for the address change to propagate to Emergency Services. If that is a concern, the action should be taken during a maintenance window.

If you are a telephony administrator and you have a location that you are no longer using, you can remove that location. Emergency Services is updated automatically.

Yes. Emergency Services updates are handled automatically by Genesys Cloud.

No. Not while the number is still assigned to the existing location. You have to remove it from the old location first, so it can be added to the new location. This could be done in a maintenance window to reduce potential issues.

You can determine if a Genesys Cloud Voice number is emergency services capable by accessing the Genesys Cloud Voice Number Management page and making sure that the Emergency Capable column for that number contains a green check mark.

1. Click Admin.
2. Under Genesys Cloud Voice, click Number Management.
3. Click Menu > Digital and Telephony > Telephony > Number Management.
4. Click the Numbers tab.

Yes. Genesys Cloud Voice supports the Enhanced 911 service (E911). E911 services are automatically included as part of the Genesys Telecom US and Canada VoIP services.

While the E911 services provide a means of emergency dialing, you need to be aware that because E911 services are Internet-based, and as such are different than traditional 911/E911 services. 
 
More specifically, E911 service may be limited or unavailable under certain circumstances including, but not limited to: a power outage or broadband (Internet) service disruption (regardless of cause), use of a non-native telephone number, failure to successfully provide a valid, current address, or delays or interruption in the transmission of your geographic location. As a backup, you should strongly consider obtaining a PSTN connection from the local exchange carrier or similar provider.
 
For more information, see

• Genesys Cloud Voice Enhanced 911 emergency dialing terms and conditions
• Print emergency services warning labels