January 2021 Summaries

In a recent webinar with Technical Design Authority Mehmet Hussain, the topic of scaling communications across multiple markets was discussed. The challenges and considerations involved in expanding operations globally were highlighted, including the need for full PSTN replacement, countrywide coverage, and managing physical connections, designs, building, and maintenance. Regulatory compliance is also a significant concern when entering new markets, as each market has its own regulator with specific priorities and requirements. Local expertise is crucial to navigate these complexities and ensure seamless global expansion.

Single-threaded toll-free service, which relies on a single carrier network, can pose significant risks to businesses that rely on toll-free numbers for customer support or sales. In the event of a network outage or localized disaster affecting the carrier, calls cannot be completed, leading to potential losses in revenue. Bandwidth offers an alternative solution with 5x carrier redundancy, direct peering relationships to four other carriers, and a 99.999% uptime commitment. This ensures more network uptime, reliable service, and less lost revenue due to dropped calls and outages.

The first deadline for the new 911 "dispatchable location" requirements under RAY BAUM's Act has arrived, with fixed VoIP devices needing to deliver dispatchable location by January 6th, 2021. Enterprises are expected to be mostly non-compliant and must prepare for more complex requirements for nomadic VoIP devices and services coming into effect in 2022. The RAY BAUM's Act rules require the delivery of dispatchable location with the 911 call, including floor, suite, or room-level data. Complying with these rules involves provisioning the location of fixed VoIP devices with an underlying 911 service provider like Bandwidth. For services that utilize extensions, PBX systems need to have intelligent 911 calling features such as Emergency Location Identification Number and Emergency Response Location (ELIN/ERL). The rules apply to both on-premise telephone systems and cloud services.