How relable does the Internet need to be? (Was: Re: Converged Network Threat)

Thu Feb 26 11:13:23 UTC 2004

> E911 and FBI surveillance are just the tip of the iceberg...
> 
> Joe

Does anyone have documented instances in which misconfigured or failed 
residential VOIP services have resulted in deaths, or major injury?  I 
can see how it would be easy for the typical end-user to choose the 
wrong regional 911 call centre when configuring their service.  Outside 
of those of us with well-equipped home offices, I don't think many 
typical residential broadband users keep a UPS connected to their 
cablemodem/DSL modem and NAT box.  Vonage and their competitors provide 
thorough warnings about this, but I think they may be going unheeded.

As a side note, are *all* cablemodem operators and DSL operators 
deploying UPSes as standard policy, in manholes or on poles with their 
digital loop / hybrid fibre-coax converters?  Will the FCC desire that 
they do so in the future?

That said, most POTS cordless 2.4GHz phones don't operate in a power 
failure situation, as the base station requires 110V AC from the wall....