Numbering 101-Lesson #4

How is 911 and numbering related?

1-If you don’t register for a 10-digit number, then your videophone will not work after November 12th, 2009 and you won’t be able to make 911 calls from your videophone.

2-Why is that the case? When you register with your videophone provider for a 10-digit number, you are also asked to provide the address where the videophone is located. The address is used after checking with you when you make a 911 call before sending the first responder (police, fire, ambulance) out to your place.

3-What if I have several videophones in the house? You need to register each videophone with the videophone provider and you will get an unique 10-digit number for each videophone…also you will be providing your location address to each provider of the videophone. After you do that, you will be able to make 911 calls from any of the videophones in your house.

4-When you make a 911 call, how does it work? When you dial 911 from your videophone–the videophone company is required to move your call to the top of the list so you should not have to wait. After answering the call, the video interpreter will verify the address before sending the first responder over.

5-What if you are incapicitated (fainting, on floor can’t move)? The video interpreter will answer the call and send the first responder to the address that is tied with the number you are calling from. (That is why it is important to have the right address at all times.)

6. What if I move my videophone to a different location? Be sure to inform your videophone provider of the location change so 911 assistance can be sent to the right address.

Dr. Z is here to help you. We want you to communicate happily ever after!

Numbering 101-Lesson #3

What is the national database?

1-When people talk about numbering, they always refer to the national database.

2-What is it? It is a place on a computer where everyone’s phone number and their IP address are saved.

3-Who controls and handles it? The FCC contracted with a company named Neustar. Neustar works with all VRS providers to keep track of their IP addresses and phone numbers. If an IP address changes, the VRS provider informs Neustar of the change. If a new phone is registered, the videophone company informs Neustar of the newly registered phone number along with the related IP address.

4-When you make a call, how does it work? When you make a videophone call, before the call is connected, the call goes from your videophone to your VRS provider who checks the national database. If the call-to phone number is there, the national database returns the IP address of the person who you are calling to the VRS provider who makes the connection. If the number is not there, this means the call is going to a hearing person. The national database then tells the VRS provider that the number is not there, then the VRS provider connects you to a video interpreter to make the call to the hearing person.

5-Why do we use a phone number address to connect calls? Why not use IP addresses? Videophones use the internet and telephones use the phone system–they both do not talk to each other. The 10-digit number you are getting is a phone number which works only on the internet with your videophone. The national database is the place where they connect the phone number with an IP address. The IP address is used to make connections on the internet with your videophone. The phone number helps find the IP address. Phone numbers are easier to remember and are more convenient than IP addresses. IP addresses change; phone numbers don’t change.

Dr. Z is here to help you. We want you to communicate happily ever after!

Numbering 101-Lesson #2

What happens after you register your number?

1-Check to make sure people can call you using your registered local number from any device. (Z150, Z340, Z-Ojo, VP-100/200, MVP, P3, VPAD, etc.)

2-If there are problems, check with your videophone provider to be sure your number is on the national data base.

3-If there are no problems, you know your videophone is registered.

4-To be on the safe side, check with your videophone provider to be sure they have the address where your videophone is in the right place. (This is for 911 calls.)

5-If you take your videophone with you to another location, be sure to inform your videophone provider of the change of address. (This is so that the 911 first responder – police, fire, ambulance- will go to the right location in case of a 911 emergency.

Dr. Z is here to help you. We want you to communicate happily ever after!

Numbering 101-Lesson #1

Did you register your number with your VRS provider?

How do you know you registered?

1-For VP-100/200 only, did your VRS provider change your old local number with a new number?

2-For other videophones, did you get a local number for your videophone? (You should have a separate number for each videophone.)

3-Did your VRS provider ask for your home address?

4-Did your VRS provider update the national data base? (ask your friend to call you on your VP with the new local number–if your VP rings, then it is good.) If it doesn’t ring and your friend gets a interpreter instead, inform your videophone provider and ask them to put your local number on the national data base.

5-If you have not registered, your videophone WILL NOT work after November 12th!!!

Dr. Z is here to help you. We want you to communicate happily ever after!

Starting next week and continuing for several months, there will be a series of articles and vlogs on numbering issues (Numbering 101).  As we all know, a lot of consumers and people who use videophones continue to be confused with numbering issues.  Dr. Z and his associates want to set the record straight and make sure everyone is on the same page. In the end, we all will have a pleasant videophone experience with no obstacles and no hiccups when it comes to numbering issues. It requires an industry effort, not the effort of one person or one company to make all this happen. Dr. Z is taking on this challenge and is asking the industry to do likewise. The objective is for the deaf and hard of hearing person to have a functionally equivalent communication experience. Let’s do it! If you do not want to miss the series, you are welcome to subscribe to the website by filling out the form at the upper right hand site of the Dr. Z website (www.drzvrs.com.)

(Previous Lessons)…