Universal emergency number ELIN based on network address ranges

A communication system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, the memory being encoded with an emergency location table readable by the processor, the emergency location table comprising:
• a plurality of sets of Open Systems Interconnect Layer 3 addresses, each set of Layer 3 addresses comprising a plurality of Layer 3 addresses;
• and
• a plurality of Emergency Location Information Numbers (ELINs), each Emergency Location Information Number (ELIN) corresponding to a respective set of Layer 3 addresses stored in the memory.

A method for handling dropped emergency calls, comprising:

• (a) receiving, from a first communication device and by a port, a first communication to one of an emergency service provider and a public safety answering point;
• (b) determining, by an emergency locating agent executed by a processor, an Emergency Location Information Number (ELIN) by mapping a source address of the first communication device against address ranges in an emergency location table, wherein the source address and addresses in the range of addresses are Open Systems Interconnect Layer 3 addresses;
• (c) forwarding, by the processor, the ELIN to the one of an emergency service provider and public safety answering point;
• (d) receiving, by a trunk, a second communication from the one of the emergency service provider and public safety answering point;
• and
• (e) directing, by the processor, the second communication to an address associated with the first communication device and to the ELIN identified in step (b).