Swedes caution cities about VoIP pitfalls
Swedish officials have warned public agencies and cities to think twice before switching their telephone service to Voice over Internet Protocol.
The newspaper Sydsvenska Dagbladet said this week that while VoIP technology offers lower prices, the Internet phones might not be available during a crisis should the power go out.
In addition, Sweden's emergency-management agency pointed out that the switchboards at emergency dispatch centers cannot determine where a VoIP phone call for help originated.
VoIP is nevertheless catching on in Sweden, where, according to the newspaper, more than 100,000 households have dropped landline service in favor of the Internet.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International