FCC Rule May Finally Bring Total Nationwide Next-Gen 911

For years, 911 call centers have been awaiting the arrival of next-gen 911 to better handle today’s modes of communications, but complete NG911 deployments have been few and far between, resulting in piecemeal improvements in how data is pushed from the call center to the first responder.

That may finally be changing. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week announced a new framework to help the transition to NG911 by establishing rules toward a path to fully implemented NG911 deployments across the country.

The new rules will require originating service providers (OSP), which includes phone and Internet companies, to connect NG911 core services networks with Internet protocol and session initiation protocol (SIP) within six to 12 months of getting a request from a local call center. SIP refers to a signaling protocol that is used for sessions that include voice, video and messaging applications.

“This order not only provides a balanced and sensible framework for 911 authorities and OSPs to move forward together to deploy NG911 nationwide, but also improves 911 service for everyone, especially those who depend on inclusive services, like deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals,” National Emergency Number Association (NENA) CEO Brian Fontes said in a statement.

The FCC order refers to several NENA standards for transitioning to NG911, including recognizing the NENA i3 Standard, NENA’s architectural standard, as the commonly accepted standard for NG911.

A congressionally mandated study estimated that the cost of a completed national NG911 transition will be $15 billion.

“That would be a small investment for the federal government but priceless for our communities,” Fontes said. “NG911 funding bills are under active consideration in both chambers of Congress, and we encourage congressional leaders to pass this vital public safety legislation during this session.”