911 Service
Take Control of Your Calling
AT&T is concerned about your safety. That's why we automatically include 911 Service with your AT&T CallVantage service - there's no additional activation necessary.
However, there are some important differences with the way 911 Service works compared to traditional phone service. We've detailed those variations in the chart below.
Please Review This Important 911 Dialing Information
| Conditions | AT&T CallVantage Service 911 | Traditional Wireline Phone 911 Service |
|---|---|---|
| If your power goes out... | No service | Service Available* |
| If your High Speed Data connection is down... | No service | Service available |
| Does the 911 Dispatcher know your address? | Possibly | Possibly |
| Is your 911 call answered by a Local 911 Dispatcher... | Yes | Yes |
| If you take your Telephone Adapter to another location... | Possibly** | Not Applicable |
*If you have a traditional phone that does not plug into power. For example, cordless home phones require power to work. In some cases, large neighborhood power outages could cause phone line outage.
**In order to use AT&T CallVantage service at a different location other than your registered primary address, you must provide AT&T with the new address. AT&T will confirm and validate that 911 Service is available from the newly requested address. If 911 Service is not available at the requested new location, you will not be able to use AT&T CallVantage service at that address. The chart is provided for your convenience. AT&T does not make specific representations or warranties based on the statements in the chart, as AT&T cannot foresee every possible such combination of events.
You may need to provide your address to the 911 dispatcher.
Your 911 call may be answered by a regional 911 center (used for wireless 911 calls) or other emergency response centers.
If you live in an area that does not have E-911 for traditional wireline phone service, you will receive Basic 911 Service. With E911 service, the PSAP or local emergency service dispatcher should be able to see your registered service address and telephone number when you dial 911. With Basic 911 service, the PSAP or local emergency service dispatcher may be able to see your telephone number but will not be able to see your registered service address when you dial 911. In some states, or in certain areas within some states, due to technical limitations of the E911 systems in those states or areas, the PSAP or local emergency service dispatcher receiving AT&T CallVantage E911 calls may not be able to capture and/or retain your telephone number and registered service address when you dial 911. If this limitation applies to your AT&T CallVantage E911 service, you will be informed of the limitation when you place your order for AT&T CallVantage service, when you update your service address to a state or area within a state in which this limitation applies, and/or when your order for service or change/update of service address is confirmed. Due to these limitations in some E911 service areas, and due to the limitations of Basic 911 service, AT&T recommends that you immediately tell the dispatcher your name, address (or the location of the emergency, if different) and phone number you are calling from when you place a 911 call. You should also take care not to disconnect the line. If you disconnect the line before you have given the dispatcher your phone number, the dispatcher may not be able to call you back. If you are unable to speak and describe your location, the dispatcher will not be able to locate you.
Important Considerations When Dialing 911 from Your AT&T CallVantage Service Phone
- If you purchase your TA from a retailer, you may be able to make outbound calls immediately after installing your TA. However, provisioning of your 911 Service may take additional time to complete in which case any 911 calls dialed between installation of your TA and completion of 911 provisioning may not complete or may be forwarded to a non-public, backup emergency answering service.
- If you have Call Forwarding, Locate Me, Do Not Disturb, or other features programmed and in use at the time you dial a 911 call, if your call is interrupted the emergency dispatcher may not be able to call you back at the phone from which you dialed the call.
Note
- Please refer to the 911 Service section in the AT&T CallVantage Service Subscriber Agreement for important information on possible 911 Service limitations, including the differences between 911 Service with AT&T CallVantage and with traditional wireline dialing.
Additional Information
- Service Outages or Interruptions
- Providing Physical Location for the 911 Service Address of your AT&T CallVantage Service Phone
Service Outages or Interruptions
Service outages or interruptions prevent 911 calls placed from your AT&T CallVantage Service Phone.
- Just as your regular cordless phone will not work without power, your Telephone Adapter (TA) does not operate without power, either. As a result, you will be unable to make any type of 911 call from your AT&T CallVantage Service Phone during an electrical power outage.
- Similarly, you will not be able to make any 911 calls from your AT&T CallVantage Service Phone if your broadband service provider has a service outage, or if any other service disruptions keep you from being able to make an outbound call.
- If for any reason your AT&T CallVantage service is temporarily interrupted, you may not be able to make any 911 calls.
- FOR THESE REASONS, AT&T STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF ACCESSING TRADITIONAL WIRELINE 911 SERVICES FROM YOUR HOME.
Providing Physical Location for the 911 Service Address of your AT&T CallVantage Service Phone
We need to know the physical location of your AT&T CallVantage Service Phone for 911 to function. Once you have signed up for service, you can update your registered 911 Service Address on the Account Management website.
- In order for 911 to work properly, the 911 Service address we have on file for you MUST correspond to the physical location of your AT&T CallVantage Service Phone. This will enable us to accurately identify your emergency Public Safety Answering Point and correctly route your call. You cannot specify a PO Box. The emergency dispatcher will send emergency services, such as an ambulance, to your registered 911 Service address.
- In order to use AT&T CallVantage service at a different location, you must provide AT&T with the new address. If 911 Service is not available at the new location, you will not be able to use AT&T CallVantage service at that address.
