NG9-1-1 Back to Basics: Why Do We Need Next Gen 9-1-1?

Next Generation 9-1-1 is frequently referred to as “The Future of the 9-1-1 Industry," but after decades of strategic planning, only a fraction of our nation’s Public Safety Answering Points have been able to deploy NG9-1-1 solutions. If you are interested in bringing NG9-1-1 to your region, this series will give you the information you need to educate citizens, elected officials, and other stakeholders.

Why do we need NG9-1-1, and how will it transform PSAPs across the country?

Congress approved the development of our national emergency hotline in the 1960s, and today, more than 240 million people dial 9-1-1 each year. Unfortunately, the legacy system that most 9-1-1 centers rely on has been built on an infrastructure that is more than fifty years old. Smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices are swiftly replacing landlines. These devices are fully capable of sending photos, video, and real-time location data directly to 9-1-1 centers. However, the legacy 9-1-1 system simply wasn’t designed to process that data and deliver it in a form that 9-1-1 professionals can use. This leaves them to deal with patched systems and workarounds.

The digital divide between callers and 9-1-1 centers with legacy systems can have devastating consequences, especially when the caller is in the middle of a life-threatening situation. Without access to 21st Century telecommunications services, call takers and dispatchers can lose out on vital information that will help them respond quickly and effectively to an emergency.

The legacy 9-1-1 system is no longer sufficient.

It's clearly time for an upgrade. That's where Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) steps in. NG9-1-1 can resolve many of the challenges that 9-1-1 centers currently face. With cloud-based NG9-1-1 technology, 9-1-1 centers will be able to:

• Monitor a caller’s location in an emergency.
• Get real-time text, providing accessibility for the deaf, hard of hearing, and callers who do not feel safe enough to speak.
• Reduce 9-1-1 outages.
• Scale dynamically to handle call volumes during planned events or unexpected emergencies.
• Provide accurate call routing and reduce response times.

Our NG9-1-1 solution is powered by AWS, the leading cloud provider for federal, state, and local governments across the country. With our deployment model, we can bring NG9-1-1 to your community within a matter of months rather than years, overcoming many of the political, technical, and financial hurdles encountered when replacing legacy 9-1-1 infrastructure with new technology.

It's time to imagine better.

Now more than ever, 9-1-1 needs an upgrade from failing 1960s technology. Consumer technology will continue to evolve, and everyone will continue to assume that 9-1-1 is keeping up. Emergency responders deserve to have tools to make communication easier for the communities they serve. And you have the right to ask your elected officials to invest in better 9-1-1 technology.

We are committed to bringing secure, affordable, and effective NG9-1-1 technology to communities around the world. If you would like additional information about us, NG9-1-1, or ways to talk to your representatives about 9-1-1, please contact us today. It would be our pleasure to assist!