For some internet phone customers, the limited 911/E911 access is not an issue. For these users, their phone is used exclusively in one location, such as their home or office, and once registered their location is easy to pinpoint. Others maintain a land line or cell phone for other purposes and would be able to use those lines to make any necessary 911 calls. Certainly, for consumers simply wishing to take advantage of the cost savings and portability of internet phone there are options to deal with some of the current shortcomings of internet phone but for others, the prospect of using other technologies such as satellite GPS to resolve problems in identifying the location of callers will make internet phone services more desirable in the next year or two.

The challenge of providing consistent and reliable access to 911 for internet phone services will be temporary just as it was a number of years ago for land line based phone services and subsequently for cellular services. For internet phone customers today, it is important to check with the service provider regarding access to 911 and to assure that their address/location is up-to-date with the provider at all times.