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If your business uses a VoIP phone system — or you’re thinking about switching — there’s one thing you need to understand before anything else: 911 works differently with VoIP than it does with a traditional landline.
This isn’t a reason to avoid VoIP. Millions of businesses across Canada run on hosted phone systems with full 911 capability. But the way 911 works with VoIP has a few key differences that every business owner, office manager, and employee should know about.
How Landline 911 Works
When you dial 911 from a traditional landline, the phone company’s network automatically identifies your physical location based on the copper wire connected to your building. The dispatch centre receives your exact address without you saying a word.
This system has worked reliably for decades — because the phone is physically wired to a known address.
How VoIP 911 Works
VoIP phones connect over the internet, which means they can work from anywhere with a broadband connection. That flexibility is one of the biggest advantages of VoIP — but it also means the phone system can’t automatically determine your physical location the way a landline can.
Instead, VoIP uses Enhanced 911 (E911). When your VoIP account is set up, your provider registers a physical address for each phone number. When you dial 911, the E911 system sends that registered address to the dispatch centre.
The registered address must be accurate. If the phone has been moved and the address hasn’t been updated, emergency responders could be sent to the wrong location.
Three Things Every Business Needs to Know
1. Keep Your Address Current
If any phone or extension is moved to a new location — a different office, a home office, a temporary site — the registered 911 address must be updated. This is especially important for:
- Remote workers using VoIP phones or softphones at home
- Businesses that relocate or open a second office
- Temporary or seasonal work sites
Contact your VoIP provider to update the address before using the service at the new location.
2. No Internet = No 911
VoIP requires an active internet connection. During an internet outage or power failure, your VoIP phones will not work — including 911.
What you can do:
- Install a UPS (battery backup) on your modem, router, and PoE switch. This keeps VoIP running during short power interruptions.
- Keep a charged mobile phone available as a backup 911 device. Mobile phones transmit GPS location to dispatch centres.
3. Mobile App 911 Uses Your Registered Address
If you use the 3CX mobile app on your cell phone and dial 911 through it, the call will use your registered VoIP address — not your phone’s GPS location. Always use your mobile phone’s native dialer to call 911 when you’re away from the office. The native dialer provides your real GPS coordinates to emergency services.
What DVGVoIP Does for Every Customer
At DVGVoIP, 911 compliance is built into every deployment:
- E911 included at no extra charge with every account
- Address registration for every phone number during initial setup
- Multi-site support — each location gets its own registered address
- Same-day updates when you notify us of address changes
- Annual safety reminders sent to every customer
We also recommend posting a brief notice near each VoIP phone in your office to keep staff aware. A printable notice is available on our 911 Information page.
The Bottom Line
VoIP 911 is safe and reliable when the registered address is kept current and your equipment has battery backup. The key is awareness — make sure your team knows how it works, keep your addresses up to date, and have a mobile phone available as a backup.
Questions about your 911 setup? Contact DVGVoIP at support@dvgvoip.com or call (807) 700-7111 to verify your registered 911 addresses.
For the full details, FAQ, and a printable notice, visit our VoIP 911 Information page.