HBF (News - Alert) Group will provide its 9-1-1 capabilities to Covad Communications. Known as i-911, the E9-1-1 service addresses deficiencies in other commercially available solutions by providing public safety answering points (PSAPs) with the callback number and location information of an emergency call. All this is achieved in real time. HBF’s i-911 service also facilitates nomadic users (including soft clients) and non-native telephone numbers.

 

Leveraging the i-911 integration, Covad (News - Alert) will be able to provide its VoIP customers with the coverage and functionality they expect to receive when making a 9-1-1 call. Covad is integrating the service with their data infrastructure. According to HBF, the service leverages NENA's (National Emergency Number Association) I2 standards to deliver the information required to dispatch help, even in a situation where the caller cannot speak or is disconnected. Also, emergency calls can be routed through HBF's i-911 Safety Response Center, which is staffed around the clock with trained agents.

 

Jake Heinz, Covad vice president and general manager of VoIP services noted in a statement that HBF is North America's premier E9-1-1 technology provider, and said that the company are pleased with the partnership.

 

Jim Shepard (News - Alert), executive vice president at HBF, emphasized that advanced solutions for providing enhanced 9-1-1 are paramount for VoIP service providers such as Covad. He expressed his company’s pleasure to provide Covad with a solution that supports evolving 9-1-1 standards and regulations, while also enabling new product offerings.