Regulators gave voice-over-IP providers a break last week in the effort to make Internet-based calling compliant with emergency 911 service rules.
Earlier, the Federal Communications Commission had said that all VOIP subscribers had to acknowledge that they may not be able to reach an emergency operator when dialing 911 or else their service would be disconnected Wednesday. But one day before the deadline, the commission said that providers that had received acknowledgment from at least 90 percent of their subscribers were exempt from the disconnection requirement.
Those that had not received acknowledgment from at least 90 percent were given a deadline extension to the end of this month.
VOIP providers have until late next month to make their services compatible with the 911 calling system.