911 Emergency Calls

Emergency calls dial 911 and 911now.tv

Since December 31, 2008, persons with hearing and speech disabilities using Video Relay Service (VRS) or Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay) – two forms of Internet-based Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) – have been able to obtain ten-digit telephone numbers. This ten-digit number requirement was adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in conjunction with 911 call handling requirements for VRS and IP-Relay providers.

TRS calls made through the traditional telephone network automatically pass along to the called party signals that help identify the caller’s location. As a result, if the call is about an emergency, relay providers know the caller’s location and can route the call to the appropriate emergency personnel, including those close to the caller’s location. The new rules ensure that VRS and IP Relay users are provided 911 service (including location information) that is comparable to the 911 service provided through the traditional telephone network.

FCC Advisory Page

Using Your Videophone

View video instructions

  1. Dial 911now.tv
  2. Emergency calls are answered with a higher priority than non-emergency calls.
  3. The Video Interpreter (VI) will ask for the caller's name, location and call back number.
  4. When connected to the 911 operator, the VI will provide the caller's name, telephone number, address, VI ID# and the VRS call center call back number.
  5. The VI will relay the conversation between the 911 operator and VRS caller.
  6. The VI will remain on the call until the emergency call has ended.
  7. If the call is not an emergency, the VI will provide the caller with sprintvrs.tv or 711.tv to place their non-emergency call and disconnect the call.
  8. In the event the calls gets disconnected from the user and/or 911 operator, the VI will attempt to re-connect by calling the VRS caller and/or 911 operator back.

Using the SprintVRS Website

  1. Go to www.sprintVRS.com
  2. Type '911' in 'Call to' field
  3. Call is identified as an emergency call and prioritized to the front of the call queue for the VI.
  4. VI will ask for the caller's name, location and call back number.
  5. VI connects to an appropriate PSAP.
  6. VI begins to relay conversation between user and PSAP.

WebCapTel®

View video instructions

  1. Log in to make a Sprint WebCapTel® call.
  2. Typing in 911 on the "Number to Dial" screen brings up a warning dialogue to make sure you are making a 911 call.
    • You can ONLY make 911 calls in ENGLISH at this time. The screen would only display (Foreign Language) if a Spanish user was with an English speaking agent or PSAP. Sprint WebCapTel® cannot translate English into Spanish and vice-versa.
  3. When making a 911 call, you are first answered by an agent who asks you your location. You must respond verbally.
    • This is NOT the PSAP.
    • The sooner the agent gets your location verbally, they will transfer you to the most appropriate PSAP.
    • Everything the agent says is captioned.
  4. The PSAP will answer. Everything the operator says is captioned. You must respond verbally.
  5. If either party is disconnected, the callback number has been passed to the PSAP. Hang up your phone, but do not turn off your computer or the Internet. The CapTel® center or the PSAP may attempt to reconnect to you.
  6. As with any crisis, please use your own best judgment. Do NOT stay near the phone/computer if your safety is at risk.

Using Sprint IP Relay through Instant Messaging (IM) AIM:

View video instructions

  1. The caller will need to know as much as possible about their current location. This information is essential to locate the correct PSAP.
    • Street address
    • City, State, Zip Code
    • Area code and Phone number from where they are located
  2. The caller should be prepared to provide an alternate means of re-establishing contact if they are disconnected from Relay. The caller should be prepared to provide an alternate method of calling them back such as a 10-digit phone number with a TTY or a VRS call back number.
  3. The caller will enter 911 as the number to dial.
  4. The call will be answered in a priority queue by a Relay Operator with emergency call-handling training.
  5. The Relay Operator will ask the caller for their location (Street Address, City, State and Zip Code), the area code and phone number where they are calling from and name.
  6. The PSAP number will be retrieved based on the caller's phone number. If the phone number is unknown, the PSAP number will be retrieved by using the caller's address.
  7. The call will be connected to the appropriate PSAP.

E911 FAQ

Click here to learn more about making Emergency Calls

Because of a problem with the software in the VPAD videophones, 911now.tv and 911fed.tv is currently not accessible for 911 calling from those phones. 911 is not accessible from our website. We are complying with the FCC requirement. In case of an emergency,

  1. Dial 911 from your videophone equipment,
  2. Dial 911 directly from a landline phone with a TTY, or
  3. Place phone ‘off-the-hook’ using a landline telephone.