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VRS
 

911 Advisory

FCC Advisory Regarding Numbering and E911 Services (for Individual and Enterprise users)

The FCC requires us to advise you of certain information about telephone numbers for VRS users and important limitations regarding the availability of 911.

Numbering Advisory

Sorenson offers functionally equivalent local ten-digit numbers indicating the geographic location, or “area code,” where a user lives or works. You may request one or more ten-digit telephone number(s) in conjunction with your use of Sorenson VRS. By obtaining one or more telephone number(s) from Sorenson, you are selecting Sorenson as your “default” provider of VRS. This means that all VRS calls to and from your ten-digit telephone number(s) will be routed, by default, though Sorenson VRS. 

If you would like to request one or more ten-digit numbers, call Sorenson Customer Care at (866) 756-6729 or apply online at https://sorenson.com/vrs.

You also have the following rights: (i) you may obtain a local ten-digit telephone number from, and register with, your provider of choice (notwithstanding any prior relationship you may have had with another provider); (ii) you may change default providers at any time and, in doing so, retain your local ten-digit telephone number by transferring (or “porting”) the number to the new default provider; and (iii) you may make calls through, and receive calls from, any provider (you are not limited to making or receiving calls through your default provider). 

If you already have a local ten-digit telephone number from a VRS or IP-based Relay provider other than Sorenson, but would like to select Sorenson as your default provider, you may port your telephone number to Sorenson. To do so, please contact Sorenson Customer Care by calling (866) 756-6729 or by sending an email to [email protected]. You also may port the local ten-digit number(s) assigned by Sorenson to a default provider other than Sorenson. Upon request, Sorenson will port the local ten-digit number assigned to the videophone to the new default provider.

Under rules adopted by the FCC, VRS providers are no longer permitted to provide toll-free service to their customers. However, you can find a list of toll-free providers at http://www.somos.com/find-a-toll-free-number. Contact the toll-free service provider of your choice and ask for a toll-free number. The toll-free service provider will charge you a fee. The fees may vary from provider to provider, so make sure you ask about the cost of toll-free service. Once you have toll-free service, you will probably want your toll-free number linked to your local ten-digit number in the numbering database that supports VRS service. This linking will allow your videophone to ring when either of your numbers is dialed. To have your numbers linked, send a request by email to [email protected]. Once we receive your request, we will ensure that the database links your assigned toll-free number with your local ten-digit number.

Advisory re Limitations of 911

HEARING POINT-TO-POINT VIDEO USERS AND INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PLACE AN EMERGENCY CALL.

For other users: If you need to place an emergency call, you can dial the emergency 911 number through Sorenson VRS. To ensure your 911 call is routed to the proper emergency response center and to ensure that the emergency response personnel can send help to your physical location, Sorenson (as your default provider) needs to obtain the address from which you are placing the emergency call. You are responsible for providing Sorenson, as your default provider, or other VRS provider if you use their Video Relay Services to place a 911 call, an up-to-date Registered Location. It is very important for you to do so. If you fail to do so, the provider may not be able to obtain your location information and route your call to the appropriate emergency center or provide your physical location. If you change your Registered Location (e.g., move your residence or take your VRS calling device to another location) you must update your default provider with your new location information. After you update your VRS provider with your Registered Location, it will take some time (hours or more if there are issues reading or entering the address information provided) to activate 911 service at the provided address and, if a 911 emergency call is made prior to activation, then your call and the Registered Location information may not be automatically routed to the appropriate emergency personnel. If Sorenson is your default provider, you can inform Sorenson of your initial or new Registered Location by visiting https://sorenson.com/support/manage-account or calling (866) 756-6729 from the Hardware or from the Operating Device with the Software.

Some versions of the Software include an optional functionality called “Share Location.” If you elect to turn on the “Share Location” feature during a call, the Software will attempt to retrieve your current location via GPS (if you are using a GPS-enabled Operating Device) and you may elect to display your current address to you, the Sorenson interpreter, and/or to the person to whom you have placed the call. “Share Location” is an entirely optional feature, and it will not identify or otherwise track your location unless you elect to turn it on. Sorenson cannot guarantee that the “Share Location” feature will provide correct address information in every situation. Accordingly, you acknowledge and agree that “Share Location” is not a substitute for providing us with your Registered Location for purposes of 911 emergency calls.

LIMITATIONS AND RISKS IN USING VRS TO PLACE 911 CALLS

Sorenson recommends that you maintain an alternative means of making an emergency call to 911 (for example, through a traditional text telephone or, if a TTY is not available, a standard telephone) in the event that you are unable to use Sorenson VRS for any reason. Dialing 911 from a TTY or traditional phone remains the most reliable and fastest method of reaching emergency response personnel.

If you use Sorenson VRS to place a 911 call, you should be aware that any such use is subject to the following important limitations and risks.

  • 911 AVAILABLE ONLY IN THE U.S. 911/E911 is available only for calls placed from a location within the United States or one of its territories or possessions.
  • Technical Trouble or Errors. It is possible that, as a result of technical errors or human errors, your location and any telephone number associated with Sorenson VRS may not be automatically passed to the emergency service center or personnel when you use Sorenson VRS to place a 911 emergency call.
    • Technical errors may include:
      • Hardware or Software malfunction;
      • a broadband network outage or power outage, or degradation of Internet service as a result of congestion, interruptions, or technical problems that may affect your ability to access the Internet;
      • cancellation, suspension, or termination of your broadband or ISP service for any reason (including for failure to pay); or
      • termination, suspension, restriction, or cancellation of your use of the Hardware or Software under this Agreement.
    • Human errors may include misinterpretation, mistakes, or your inability to provide the interpreter with your address. In each case Sorenson may not be able to obtain your location or other relevant information and/or provide that information to the appropriate emergency personnel.

Other providers. If you use the Hardware or Software to place a 911 call through a VRS provider other than Sorenson, Sorenson will have no control over the manner in which the other provider will handle, process, or route the call. Sorenson thus cannot ensure that the other provider will handle the call in accordance with the FCC’s emergency calling rules or that the call and your location will be automatically routed to the appropriate emergency personnel.

By clicking on the 'Accept' button, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this advisory. If you are signing this document on behalf of a minor, you represent and warrant that you are the minor’s parent, guardian, or legal representative.

For more detailed information on obtaining ten-digit numbers and the limitations and risks associated with using Sorenson’s VRS to place a 911 call, please read this advisory.