You're absolutely correct. The 911 system maintenance is a PITA.
Our current PBX routes all 911 calls to an box we call the "Proctor
Box". That box does a couple things. First, it assigns an ANI to a
number. So for example, 3-digit extensions get a real 10-digit numbers
assigned. It then routes that 911 call out a dedicated CAMA trunk to the
PSAP. Additionally , we pay a third party company to upload our location
data to the ALI database, so when our provided ANI hits the PSAP, they
can pull proper location info out of the ALI database.
The other thing this box does is feed a couple local display terminals.
These terminals alarm and display local information from it's own
internal database during a 911 call for local security folks. In the
meantime, I have the PBX itself which contains its own telephone
directory with location and department information, and it's own
Emergency Services ID. It will use this ID if the CAMA trunks are out of
service and the phone system decides to route the 911 call out a normal
PRI. This data we try to use as a baseline for the 911 data. So we
currently have multiple databases I have to keep 100% in sync, with a
1000+ set campus with people moving constantly amongst the 25+
buildings. It's a nightmare.
Basically, as we migrate to Asterisk, I need to figure out if I can
replicate our current functionality. The preference is to come up with
something much nicer than a half-dozen data points that are never in
synch. If I can't find a solution in Asterisk, then I'm stuck using
something like we already have.
...and yes, as you have imagined, there have been a few FUs in the past.
We've dodged a number of bullets. I'm hoping I can resolve this when we
migrate.
I will look into the local channel variable in the sip.conf. That sounds
promising. If I populate that data, how does it make it to the display
of a phone on campus? I guess that's a piece I haven't either read or
been able to wrap my head around yet.
Thanks!
On 6/12/2012 5:50 PM, Steve Edwards wrote:
On Tue, 12 Jun 2012, Nunya Biznatch wrote:
I also need location data. I know there are ways to do it, but I
don't have the kung-fu for things like databases, and am wondering if
there's something simple in Asterisk like a flat file used to
correlate phone number and location.
1) The Asterisk database? You can access it with dialplan applications.
2) Set the location as a channel variable in sip.conf? (Keeps all of
the 'phone specific' stuff in one place.
Just being a bit paranoid, but fiddling with 911 calls always makes me
nervous. I'd dial the 'real' 911 call over a copper pair first and
then after (or in parallel) do all your kewl stuff.
I'm sure there will be a lawyer somewhere out there just itching to
sue when the 'real' 911 call doesn't happen because of some minor FU
on your part.
What's your legal exposure if your location data is wrong? I think I'd
want a letter absolving me of liability signed by the CEO in my back
pocket.
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