Next Generation 9-1-1
Next Generation 9-1-1 is based upon the premise of moving the legacy network to an IP-based system
Over the past 30 years a system of reporting emergency calls (i.e. 9-1-1 calls) has evolved that today provides a significant portion of the United States with very accurate, timely telephone number and location information delivered to an Emergency Communications Center (ECC) or Public Service Answering Point (PSAP) from a caller originating an emergency call. In the traditional Public Switched Telephony Network (PSTN) environment, emergency 9-1-1 calls rely on the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) which maintains (or contracts) a database with the street address associated with all telephone numbers. Providing this 9-1-1 service involves a complicated process in which the calls are routed through traditional circuit switches and selective routers (SR) to the appropriate ECC or PSAP.
With the advent of cellular technology the process was modified to utilize a "pseudo location" of the cellular tower (and face) that is providing the connection for the emergency caller and, in some cases, the actual geographic location of the caller (within certain parameters). This solution still utilizes cellular gateways that feed the selective routers and the centralized data bases to provide the desired information.
However, the past 15 years of advancements in communications technology has created the need for an Internet Protocol (IP) and open standards based system to access emergency services for all types of communications devices. While the existing 9-1-1 system has been a success story for more than 30 years, 21st century communications has stretched it to its limit. Wireless and IP-based communications devices, with multimedia capabilities like text, video, and imaging, are being used at an ever increasing rate. Unfortunately, the current 9-1-1 system was never intended to receive calls and data from these devices. The closed, proprietary nature of today's circuit switched technology and limited centralized data bases, restricts the ability of these new devices to seamlessly access emergency call services.
As a result, through cumbersome adaptations, 9-1-1 is being asked to perform functions it was not designed to handle. In short, the nation's 9-1-1 systems are in need of a significant overhaul.