Microsoft Teams Calling is capable of sending a location to the National 9-1-1 system so that first responders can locate callers if they are not able to speak. When using Teams on campus while connected to the campus network (Wi-Fi or Wired), the Microsoft Teams Calls application will display a Location address.
The Division of IT has no way to independently verify that your Microsoft Teams client is getting a valid address, or what that address is. This is due to Microsoft’s privacy policies. We have made a significant effort to provide appropriate information to your Microsoft Teams client application to identify a location, but we rely on you to ensure that it is correct. The only time it is displayed to any device other than your Teams client is to a 9-1-1 operator if 9-1-1 is dialed.
There are three main scenarios while in Teams Calling:
- On Campus with a Laptop or Desktop connected to Campus Wi-Fi (eduroam or beachnet+) or a campus data jack, rolling your pointer over the Location below the Dial Pad, the pop-up shows the complete address. The key is the part that looks like “/BH -1 -188 --". This is an encoding that is used by University Police to locate a 9-1-1 caller by Building, Floor, and Room. When on Wi-Fi, the location is not likely to be exact, but is often close enough for emergency responders to reach someone. Some Wired locations may also be based on suite numbers not exact offices. You cannot Edit this location manually. We strongly encourage you to provide Feedback if this location does not make sense or the encoding is not present.
- At a remote campus location, such as the Southern California Marine Institute or the Long Beach Trauma Recovery Center at St. Mary’s Hospital, the address should match the location. Calls to 9-1-1 from these locations will be sent to the local 9-1-1 dispatchers.
- For private locations when disconnected from the GlobalProtect VPN or using the Split-Tunnel default with GlobalProtect VPN, the physical address Microsoft Teams gets is Microsoft’s attempt to locate by IP address, which is an imprecise science despite what TV police dramas tell us, and requires you to Edit the location to correct it if needed.
9-1-1 dispatchers often will ask you for your location anyway, so you will have an opportunity to correct the information if you need to call 9-1-1, but having the information in the Teams client is very helpful in many situations.