How to set up emergency calling (E911) in Zoom Phone

Setting up emergency calling (E911) in Zoom Phone involves configuring emergency addresses, enabling nomadic emergency services (if applicable), and ensuring users understand how to provide their location during an emergency call. Key steps include defining static addresses, enabling nomadic services, and configuring Emergency Response Locations (ERLs).

Prerequisites

• A Zoom Phone license is required. Ensure you have purchased and assigned Zoom Phone licenses.
• You must have admin access to the Zoom web portal to configure Zoom Phone settings.
• Understand the difference between static locations, nomadic emergency services, and Emergency Response Locations (ERLs).
• If using nomadic emergency services, gather network data and define company locations.
• If using BYOC carriers, verify if they support next-generation emergency call signaling or require ERL/ELIN.

Configure Account-Level Emergency Calling Settings

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an administrator.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management, then Company Info.
3. Click Account Settings.
4. Locate the Emergency Calling section.
5. Configure the following settings according to your organization’s needs:
   • External Caller ID for Emergency Calls: Specify the external caller ID number to be used when making emergency calls. This ensures the correct number is displayed to emergency services.
   • Emergency Address Validation: Enable or disable address validation for emergency addresses entered by users. Enabling validation helps ensure accuracy.
   • Share My Location for Emergency Calling: Enable this option to allow client users to share their location for emergency calling.
   • Emergency Call Routing: Choose the routing method based on your needs. You may need to set up Emergency Response Locations (ERLs) if you’re not using a Zoom PSTN carrier that supports nomadic E911.

Setting Up Static Emergency Addresses

1. For common area phones or other devices in fixed locations, you’ll need to define static emergency addresses.
2. In the Zoom web portal, navigate to Phone System Management then Phones & Devices.
3. Click the Assigned tab.
4. Select the common area phone or device you wish to configure.
5. Under the Emergency Address section, click Edit.
6. Enter the correct emergency address for that device’s location. This address will be automatically provided to emergency services if a call is made from that device.
7. Click Save.

Enabling Nomadic Emergency Services

Nomadic emergency services allow Zoom Phone to dynamically determine a user’s location for emergency calling based on their network connection.

1. In the Zoom web portal, navigate to Phone System Management, then Company Info.
2. Click Account Settings.
3. Locate the Emergency Calling section.
4. Enable Nomadic Emergency Services.
5. You’ll need to configure your network settings within Zoom to accurately map IP addresses, wireless access points (SSIDs), and Ethernet switch ports to physical locations.
6. To add locations, navigate to Phone System Management, then Company Info.
7. Click the Locations tab.
8. Click Add Location and enter the physical address of your building or campus.
9. Once the location is saved, configure the network settings for that location.
10. Click on the location you just created and navigate to the Network Settings tab.
11. Add IP addresses, SSIDs, or Ethernet switch/port combinations to associate them with this location.
12. Ensure users are instructed to allow Zoom to access their location for emergency calling purposes.

Setting Up Emergency Response Locations (ERL/ELIN)

If your carrier does not support next-generation emergency call signaling, or if you have specific routing requirements, you may need to set up Emergency Response Locations (ERLs).

1. In the Zoom web portal, navigate to Phone System Management, then Emergency Services.
2. Click the ERL/ELIN tab.
3. Click Add ERL/ELIN.
4. Enter the necessary information, including the ELIN (Emergency Location Identification Number) provided by your carrier, the emergency address, and the location to associate with this ERL/ELIN.
5. Configure call routing rules to direct emergency calls from specific locations to the appropriate ERL/ELIN.

Monitoring Emergency Services Readiness

1. To monitor the status of emergency services configuration, navigate to Phone System Management, then Emergency Services.
2. The Emergency Services dashboard provides an overview of emergency location tracking data.
3. You can view metrics related to user opt-in/opt-out status for location sharing.

Common Issues

• Incorrect Emergency Address: Ensure all emergency addresses, both static and nomadic, are accurate. Regularly audit and update addresses as needed. Use the Emergency Address Validation feature where available.
• Nomadic Services Not Working: Verify that network settings (IP addresses, SSIDs, etc.) are correctly configured and associated with the appropriate locations. Ensure users have granted Zoom permission to access their location.
• Users Unable to Share Location: Confirm that the “Share My Location for Emergency Calling” setting is enabled at the account level. Remind users to grant location permissions within the Zoom client settings.
• Incorrect Call Routing: If calls are not being routed to the correct PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point), review your ERL/ELIN configuration and call routing rules.
• BYOC Carrier Incompatibility: Ensure your BYOC carrier supports the necessary emergency calling features. If not, work with your carrier to implement ERL/ELIN or explore alternative solutions.