How 911 works on ZentryVoice
ZentryVoice is an interconnected VoIP service. When anyone dials 911 from a ZentryVoice extension, the call is routed through our carrier to the public safety answering point (PSAP) that serves the dispatchable location registered for that number or device, and the registered address and callback number are sent with the call. Every 911 call also notifies the practice’s front-desk extension and administrators, as Kari’s Law requires, and 911 can be dialed directly without a prefix or outside line.
Each desk phone is registered to the address where it is installed, and each practice number has a default address. Soft extensions on laptops and phones send the address the user last confirmed in the app; the app asks for confirmation when it detects a network change.
Limitations you must know
- Power or internet outage: VoIP phones, including desk phones, do not work without power and an internet connection. Keep a mobile phone available for emergencies.
- Moved devices: a desk phone or soft extension moved to another location sends the old address unless the address is updated. Update it in the portal or the app before using the device.
- Outdated address: if the registered address is wrong, emergency services may be sent to the wrong place. The practice is responsible for keeping addresses current.
- Network congestion or carrier outage may delay or prevent a 911 call from completing.
- ZentryVoice must not be used for emergency dispatch, alarm monitoring, medical-device monitoring or any life-safety function.
Keeping your address current
Administrators update the address for any number or device in the portal under Numbers; changes take effect within minutes and are logged. Users of the desktop and mobile apps confirm or correct their location in the app. We email administrators a reminder to review addresses every six months and whenever a desk phone registers from a new network.
Labels on equipment
Every desk phone we ship carries a label stating that 911 may not work during a power or internet outage and that the address must be kept current. Keep the label in place and apply one to any phone you bring yourself; we send replacement labels on request.
Your acknowledgment
Federal rules (47 CFR 9.11) require us to advise you of these limitations and to keep a record of your acknowledgment. Each administrator acknowledges this disclosure separately at activation, and again whenever we change it materially; the acknowledgment, the user, the time, the IP address and the document version are stored in your practice’s immutable audit log and are available to you in the portal.
Contact
Questions about 911 on your account: support@zentryvoice.com (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm ET · urgent line 24/7). IFIXNETWORKS LLC, d/b/a ZentryVoice, 3811 Percival Ave, Miami, FL 33133.
Frequently asked questions
Does 911 work from the mobile app?
Yes, using the address the user last confirmed in the app. On a mobile phone we recommend dialing 911 from the native dialer, which uses the device’s own location.
What happens if the internet goes down?
911 from ZentryVoice extensions will not work. Use a mobile phone. Inbound calls to your number still reach voicemail because the number lives at the carrier.
Do we need to acknowledge the 911 limitations?
Yes. Each administrator acknowledges them at activation, as federal rules require, and we keep the record.
Can we use ZentryVoice for an alarm panel or a patient-monitoring line?
No. Life-safety and alarm monitoring are prohibited uses.
How do we update the address for a phone we moved?
In the portal under Numbers, or in the app for a soft extension. Do it before using the phone at the new location.
Sources
- 47 CFR 9.11 — Interconnected VoIP 911 obligations and customer notification· eCFR
- Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’s Act — MLTS 911 requirements· Federal Communications Commission