The City and NYPD are trying to figure out a way for internet phone service providers like Vonage to let their customers tap into the actual 911, versus an ordinary police line, when they call 911. Currently, many internet phone service companies just route their calls to the phone line police officers use to call in sick. There's something terribly twisted about that. The City has asked them not to use that phone as the designated "911," and they are working with Verizon to figure a way for voice over IP phones to use 911 by the end of the summer.

The Texas State Attorney General sued Vonage, after a family was unable to get through to 911 and two members were shot, and even has an audio clip of what happens when 911 is dialed from a Vonage phone. Vonage does emphasize that dialing 911 from a Vonage phone does not mean 911 is actually set up - you need to configure it.