911 Emergency Lines
- About 15-20 years ago I called a number in eastern Pennsylvania.
Dialed a complete number, including the area code (was NPA 717 then,
probably 570 now), and reached an operator who answered the
phone: "911 Emergency."
Does this mean that a local "911" line can also be reached by
dialing a regular number (which for obvious reasons isn't made
public)? And if so, would similar numbers like "611" (repair
service) or "811" (formerly the phone company's business office in
many localities) work the same way?
- At 10:01 AM 06/07/2004 +0000, you wrote:
>About 15-20 years ago I called a number in eastern Pennsylvania.Yes to all those.
>Dialed a complete number, including the area code (was NPA 717 then,
>probably 570 now), and reached an operator who answered the
>phone: "911 Emergency."
>Does this mean that a local "911" line can also be reached by
>dialing a regular number (which for obvious reasons isn't made
>public)? And if so, would similar numbers like "611" (repair
>service) or "811" (formerly the phone company's business office in
>many localities) work the same way?
>Date: Mon, 07 Jun 2004 14:41:41 -0500Sorry about following up my own post, but I just remembered that often
>From: Jill Ellenbecker <tamex@...>
>Subject: Re: [TENproject] 911 Emergency Lines
>At 10:01 AM 06/07/2004 +0000, you wrote:
>>About 15-20 years ago I called a number in eastern Pennsylvania.
>>Dialed a complete number, including the area code (was NPA 717 then,
>>probably 570 now), and reached an operator who answered the
>>phone: "911 Emergency."
>>Does this mean that a local "911" line can also be reached by
>>dialing a regular number (which for obvious reasons isn't made
>>public)? And if so, would similar numbers like "611" (repair
>>service) or "811" (formerly the phone company's business office in
>>many localities) work the same way?
>Yes to all those.
those numbers, even the numbers for 911, are listed in the directory. For
instance, in my local directory, in the government section for each city,
it lists the police/fire/medical response number as 911. Underneath that,
it says, "If You Cannot Complete Your Call Using 911 Call" and then it
lists a "regular" telephone number.
The business office and repair are listed, usually with toll-free numbers,
for the various companies that serve the area.
- Those "N11" codes could also route on DIRECT TRUNKS or special trunks
via a "tandem" switching office, to PSAPs (Public Safety Answering
Points) for 911, or to various telco answering centers (411, 611, 811),
maybe using special non-customer-dialable "routing" codes, with
"fictitious-like" numbers of the format 0XX-xxxx or 1XX-xxxx, something
that an operator could directly "dial", or that the automated network
internally routes on, (or YEARS ago, some non-telco person could "box"
on! :), or else there could be actual "direct" trunks, i.e., when you
dial '911', your call routes from your own local central office on a
direct trunk to the 911 PSAP (answering center), like a "hotline".
The other recent uses of N11 codes, such as 211 for the United Way,
311 for non-emergency government services, 711 for the Telecom Relay
Center for the Deaf (where hearing/speech disabled customers use
teletypes/modems, or hearing/speech-enabled customers can call to talk
to an operator who relays to deaf/mute customers with modems/teletypes),
and 511 for travel/traffic info-- 211, 311 and 511 not yet avaialble in
all parts of the US/Canada at this time though -- those calls might
be the ones more likely to actually "translate" to regular (POTS)
customer-dialable (non-published though) 7-digit NXX-xxxx or 10-digit
NXX-NXX-xxxx numbers. OR they too could route on direct trunks, or else
route on non-customer dialable internal "system-code" based routing
BUT... even 411/611/811 and even 911 *MIGHT* have their own
"customer-dialable" (yet non-pub) seven/ten-digit "POTS" like numbers
that could be used for *TEST* purposes (only), while under usual
circumstances, direct trunks or internal routing numbers/code
(0/1XX-xxxx) are still in place.
The published "POTS" numbers you see on the inside front cover are
residual leftovers from when 911 might not have yet been availble, or if
you KNOW the department you want to reach directly (i.e., Poison
Control, FBI, Secret Service, your own hospitals/doctors/ambulance,
etc.) without having to go thru a more "generic" 911 PSAP.
And "POTS" is an acronym meaning "Plain Old Telephone Service" when I
refer to customer-dialable seven-digit (NXX-xxxx) or ten-digit
(NXX-NXX-xxxx) numbers, whether published or non-pub.
As for Telco Business Office (and even directory assistance), with
competition these days, many telcos are abandoning 611 and 811 where
they have been used for years, in favor of "POTS-like" 800/888/877/866
type ten-digit toll-free numbers. This way, the incumbent telco can be
accused of "hogging" 611/811 when competitors can't have use of those
But the FCC/CRTC recommended or mandated use of 211 for United Way, 311
for non-emergency government services, 511 for travel/traffic services,
711 for Telecom Relay for Hearing/Speach disabled, 911 for Emergencies,
are "generic" and not tied to any specific telco.
There could come a time when you might see 611 and 811 (and maybe even
411) re-assigned or recommended for things like a GENERIC
"dial-before-you-dig" reporting desk (something for use by ALL telcos as
well as cable TV, power/electric, gas/water/sewer/etc. pipes, etc),
as well as other non-telco-specific generic-type functions a-la what is
in use or recommended for 211, 311, 511, 711, 911.
BTW, many places use (or previously HAD used) N11 codes for ringback or
other test-purposes. There is *NO* consistancy on this from place to
place, although things are being more streamlined as the FCC/CRTC have
taken over the uses of N11 codes on a more standardized basis in the
wake of comeptition.
Mark J. Cuccia
mcuccia (at) tulane (dot) edu
New Orleans LA CSA
+1 504 UNiversity 5-xxxx (WORK)
+1 504 CHestnut 1-xxxx (Home/voicemail)
- 911 is nothing less than a central office speed call code. If a c/o covers two different 911 call centers; the c/o will speed dial different numbers depending on the callers location.Plus lec local operator dials different numbers for 911 if she gets the calls, depending on caller's location.I believe Qwest in Twin Cities has a hundred block of numbers for different municipal 911 centers depending on caller's location. Especially for cel callers.Mike.
- On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 MikeRavis@... wrote:
> 911 is nothing less than a central office speed call code. If a c/o*NOT* with 911.
> covers two different 911 call centers; the c/o will speed dial
> different numbers depending on the callers location.
Maybe with local Repair or 211 or 311 the code might translate to a
local "POTS" number, but NOT with 911. At least not in larger cities.
Maybe smaller communities still have translations to local "POTS"
911 MUST have dedicated trunk groups to various PSAPs.
!!! *READ NOTES ON THE NETWORK* regarding 911 !!!
A call to 911 is handled much like a call to the '0' operator.
It routes over a dedicated trunk group to a PSAP, a trunk group which
the 911 "Operator" is supposed to be able to "hold up" your line,
which is usually a "feature group 'C' Operator" type trunk.
By "hold up" the line, that means you aren't supposed to be able to
"hang up" on 911 or the '0' local operator. She can keep your line
held-up even if you've tried to go "on hook". The 911 or '0' operator
must be the one to release the call. That is not usually possible on a
7/10-digit number on a regular dialed call.
(Although today, with CLECs and wireless and PBXes and private payphones
it might not be easy to "hold up" someones' line or trunk group, or even
if the trunk can be held, the PBX or CLEC central office might not
continue backwards holding up the line)
> Plus lec local operator dials different numbers for 911 if she gets theLocal dial '0' operators for the most part don't "dial" 911.
> calls, depending on caller's location.
The usually have special "POTS" numbers they dial if you call them
saying it's an emergency. These 7/10-digit "POTS" numbers might be the
regular "published" numbers in the front of the directory, but then
again they might be special non-pub numbers for operators and other
internal or official use that the general public is not usually given.
But 911 is *NOT* "just" a "speed-dial" code to translate to a "POTS"
number. There's a LOT more to it than that, and 911 Call Processing has
been documented in *NUMEROUS* Telcordia/Bellcore documents or Bell/AT&T
documents, etc. over the years. Again, "NOTES ON THE NETWORK", or
whatever title a particular edition uses, will give better detail on how
911 calls are prcessed.
- The most likely reason for this (for 9-1-1, at least) has to do with
alarm companies. The telco will set up local phone numbers that
display with an alarm company's name, etc. on the dispatcher's
screen. Often, the alarm company is out of state, so there needs to
be a way for them to contact the correct 9-1-1 center.
--- In TENproject@yahoogroups.com, "ajbrancato" <ajbrancato@y...>
> About 15-20 years ago I called a number in eastern Pennsylvania.then,
> Dialed a complete number, including the area code (was NPA 717
> probably 570 now), and reached an operator who answered the
> phone: "911 Emergency."