911 Information
911/E911 Service is an important feature of the Internet Phone Service from CLEAR. Our goal is to offer our Internet Phone Service customers reliable access to 911 services in times of emergency, but it is important for all customers to understand the difference between traditional 911 service and the availability of 911 service on any VoIP network such as our Internet Phone Service.
Traditional 911 Service
911 is the official national emergency number in the United States. Dialing 911 quickly connects you to a Public Safety Answering Point ("PSAP") dispatcher trained to route your call to local emergency medical, fire, and law enforcement agencies. Some telephone service operators can offer Enhanced 911 (E911) which offers the additional assurance of being able to identify the telephone number and physical location of the 911 call automatically. This additional identification provides the added security of knowing the caller’s location, assisting the caller in the case where the caller does not know the address or cannot relay the information to the dispatcher.
CLEAR 911/E911 Capability
All CLEAR Internet Phone Service customers are required to register their service location address before activation of the service. When you dial 911, we will use the address you provided to determine which PSAP we should route your call, and we will then route your 911 call to that PSAP.
Key Differences Between Traditional 911 and CLEAR 911/E911:
Required Registration: CLEAR requires a unique registration of your service location address at time of order entry. Any customer address that cannot be validated will not be offered CLEAR Internet Phone Service. Customers also must acknowledge they understand the limitations of CLEAR’s 911/E911 service before CLEAR Service is activated.
Moves or change of address: If you move your device to a different location you must update your 911 address information. Please note that any changes may take 3-5 business days to complete. During this update period 911/E911 may not function properly. If CLEAR cannot provide 911/E911 at the new location, we will discontinue your CLEAR Internet Phone Service and notify you that we cannot provide 911/E911 service at the new location. If we can provide 911/E911 service at the new location, you will receive a confirmation email notifying you that your address has been updated.
Power Outages: CLEAR Internet Phone Service is dependent upon a constant power source, therefore, during any electrical power outage, your CLEAR Internet Phone service including 911/E911 will not be available. This means that you will be unable to place telephone calls, including calls to 911, until the electricity is restored, and if there is an emergency your inability to call 911 could result in serious injury or death.
Network Outages: CLEAR Internet Phone Service is dependent upon a CLEAR high-speed Internet connection, therefore, any outage or interruption of your Internet connection will also affect your phone service and you will not be able to dial 911 or place any other telephone calls. In addition, Clearwire must perform regular maintenance on its CLEAR network. In some cases this may require Clearwire to temporarily interrupt the Service. Clearwire cannot guarantee that your Service will not be interrupted, and cannot always give advance notice of such interruptions. During an interruption you will be unable to place telephone calls, including calls to 911, and if there is an emergency your inability to call 911 could result in serious injury or death.
Busy Signal: Like traditional 911/E911 service, it is possible for "all lines to be busy," or for "circuits to be full” at the time of a 911 call. This is especially true during any natural disaster or mass emergency events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, or other public warnings. 911 calls may receive a busy signal, recorded message or be routed to an alternative PSAP in such instances. If circuits are overloaded you may be unable to place telephone calls, including calls to 911, and if there is an emergency your inability to call 911 could result in serious injury or death.
YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THE INTERNET PHONE SERVICE AS YOUR PRIMARY METHOD TO OBTAIN EMERGENCY SERVICES. IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THESE LIMITATIONS, WE SUGGEST YOU MAKE ALTERNATIVE METHODS AVAILABLE TO CALL 911 OR OTHERWISE OBTAIN EMERGENCY SERVICES, SUCH AS THROUGH A TRADITIONAL TELEPHONE LINE OR A MOBILE PHONE.
It is important for you to understand the limitations of the CLEAR Internet Phone Service, and that you ensure that family members who use the Service also understand the limitations. We strongly encourage you to share this information with anyone who will, or may, place calls using your CLEAR Internet Phone Service.
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