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xattt

> A ton of calls go to emergency services, government services, etc.

Is it common for providers to charge for emergency service access? I thought this was a given.

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I believe emergency services calls are free. The cost being talked about is the maintenance cost to the provider.

My voip line has a charge for (e)911. I can pay $1.50 per month or $75 per call.

Since my local police department has no direct dial number, non-emergency calls are routed through 911; that's pretty unusual, but I don't want to pay $75 to call police non-emergency, so I pay the $1.50.

I've never seen emergency calling broken out on my bill from an ILEC though.

> Since my local police department has no direct dial number

There should be a local PSAP ("public safety answering point") forwarding number available somewhere. Your E911 provider will have that information buried deep within itself, since it has to know where to physically route your call.

Have you tried reaching out higher up to say your local sheriffs office to see if you can get the local PSAP number?

I'm kinda annoyed NENA keeps this gatekept slightly. https://www.nena.org/page/PSAP_Registry_home

I have the PSAP for the county 911 dispatcher, because it was publicized when CenturyLink had broken 911. Which I guess I could use to save $1.50/month. But i still have to ask the 911 dispatcher to transfer me to the PD.

Interesting. In my area, the dispatchers are not unified either. There is an initial “greeter” who then forwards you to the relevant department.

How often do you have to call the police?

Had to do it several times to talk to a detective about an identity theft case. (Which ultimately went nowhere... local PD was interested, Oakland, CA PD where an apartment was rented with my information doesn't care; federal agencies only seem to care for statistical purposes)

Also have had to make a few calls to the fire department, 911 is more convenient, but I could find another number if I was going to pay $75.

I call 911 about every 6 months for non-occupational related incidents. Usually random arson incidents I come across (?), watching drunk people drive through folks mailboxes and get stuck in ditches, and medical events.

I could imagine paying the $1.50 because in an emergency I don't want to be second-guessing whether it's worth $75 to call the cops.

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