FCC expedites NG911 transition

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted rules to hasten the US’ transition to Next Generation 911. According to the organisation, this is to “support the deployment of advanced 911 capabilities including video, text, and data, that will help first responders save lives.”

This process will involve the FCC’s adoption of what it calls nationwide NG911 transition rules, defining responsibilities and deadlines for mobile operators to “implement 911 capabilities.” It is anticipated that this will lead to “faster call delivery and improved service reliability,”

Going into more detail about the rationale behind the decision, an FCC spokesperson said: “Each year, people in need of emergency assistance make more than 200 million calls to 911 in the United States. The calls travel on dedicated 911 networks to reach a tele-communicator who can dispatch aid.”  

The spokesperson continued: “State and local 911 authorities are now transitioning to NG911 by replacing legacy 911 technology with IP-based infrastructure that will support new 911 capabilities. 

“Completing the NG911 transition requires originating 911 callers’ phone companies to format 911 calls to be compatible with NG911. [This will] deliver the calls to new destination points on IP networks, as established by 911 authorities.”