Results - Topic: NG9-1-1

4G 9-1-1: It's APPed To Get Interesting

The proliferation of new applied data resources and new applications is going to be an impact of incredible proportion for E9-1-1 since Wireless E9-1-1. This will affect our systems in network, hardware, software, administration/management, training, and funding... 4G refers to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards... a comprehensive and secure IP-based solution, high usability for any technology...

Access 9-1-1: Anytime, Anywhere, Any Device

Since this month's issue historically appears in conjunction with the National Emergency Number Association's annual conference, I thought that it might be appropriate to discuss the new trademarked tagline that has become associated with NENA. On the surface, it's a pretty catchy tune; "Emergency Help - Anywhere, Anytime, Any Device." And granted, it does pretty much sum up the state of our business, and where we are most likely headed. But beyond the printed words, what does it really...

Ada County 9-1-1 Center Plans for the Future

There's hardly a person today who doesn’t have a smartphone. At the touch of a screen, the world is in the palm of our hand, but 9-1-1 centers have unfortunately fallen behind in most technology advancements... With training advancements, new training methods and different skill sets must be utilized to succeed in this new advanced environment.

Addressing Misunderstandings About Text-to-9-1-1: An Interview with NENA's Barbara Jaeger

The public's desire to contact 9-1-1 by the latest of communications technologies - SMS texting, in this case - has led to new technologies that allow callers to report crimes via text message to 9-1-1 PSAPs... The availability of this technology means that the 9-1-1 Centers are going to have to find a way to receive this new form of texted 9-1-1 call... 9-1-1 magazine recently interviewed Barbara Jaeger, ENP, President of the NENA Executive Board, about this important issue...

Benefits of Integrating CAD and RMS

A clear sign showing how dispatchers can support law enforcement more directly than before, and even help influence a safe outcome for police incidents, is the move to integrate CAD and RMS systems. Fueling this integration trend is a wide range of software offerings that simplify data entry, retrieval and storage between dispatchers and law enforcement officers.

Bi-Partisan Amendment Promotes Next Generation 9-1-1

Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) around the country received encouraging news on December 1, as a bipartisan group of Representatives in the House passed an amendment aimed at improving the capabilities of the nation's 9-1-1 centers.

Brother Can You Spare A Dime?

Current trends and challenges in 9-1-1 Center funding

Business Process Optimization for Public Safety Answering Points

Historically, Public Safety Answering Points were equipped with communications recording systems for protection from liability due to legal evaluation of emergencies. This function was facilitated by time stamps, protection from tampering and assurance of fail-safe operation.

Cassidian & Avaya Join Forces to Develop and Deploy NG9-1-1 i3 Solutions

Cassidian Communications, the market leader in public safety communications solutions and an EADS North America company, and Avaya, a global leader in business communications and collaboration solutions, have entered into a strategic agreement to develop next generation (NG) National Emergency Number Association i3 (NENA i3) standards-based solutions focused on national public safety requirements.

Cassidian & Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Text Messaging to 9-1-1 Trial a Success

Emergency communications leader Cassidian Communications and Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network have announced the successful advanced text messaging trial using the company's next generation 9-1-1 emergency response call processing platform, VESTA. The trial involved the receipt and processing of text messages from within the Houston area. Although the general public believes the capability for short message service (SMS) also known as text messages to 9-1-1 should be available...

Cassidian Communications Provides Gaston County, N.C., 9-1-1 Center with Emergency Call Processing Solution

Cassidian Communications has implemented its next generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) Sentinel Patriot call processing solution within the Gaston County, N.C., Police Department 9-1-1 Communications Center via communications solutions integrator, Wireless Communications. The cost-effective and proven NG9-1-1 call processing solution, Sentinel Patriot , now supports Gaston County 9-1-1. No single point of failure and redundant servers ensure 9-1-1 calls are answered efficiently.

Cassidian Upgrades Cecil County, MD, with NG911 Call Handling Suite

Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, announced the successful 9-1-1 equipment upgrade at the Cecil County Department of Emergency Services Dispatch Center in Maryland, with the partnership of channel partner Verizon Business. The ten call taking positions at the 9-1-1 center are equipped with the VESTA CS call processing solution, the Aurora management information system (MIS) and the ORION Vela mapping solution.

Cassidian's Geo-Diverse 9-1-1 Solutions Suite Successfully Installed in Virginia 9-1-1 Centers

Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, has successfully upgraded the 9-1-1 call processing solution at the York-Poquoson-Williamsburg Emergency Communications Center (ECC) and the James City County ECC in Virginia. The upgrades at these PSAPs, together, are one of the first geo-diverse Sentinel Patriot call processing solution installations in the state.

Congress Approves Next Generation 9-1-1 Funding

Today (fittingly, on the 44th anniversary of 9-1-1), Congress made a down-payment on the future of our nation's 9-1-1 system when it provided $115,000,000 in grant funding to state and local 9-1-1 authorities. The move comes as part of a major legislative push to extend payroll tax cuts that were set to expire at the end of February.

Counties file to operate NG9-1-1 Project in Southern Illinois

The Counties of Southern Illinois (CSI) organization has submitted a petition for authorization to conduct a Regional Next Generation 9-1-1 Pilot Project to the Illinois Commerce Commission. The filing of the petition is the latest milestone toward implementing the vision for improved public safety shared by the citizens of the region.

Durham 9-1-1 Center Extends Texting Trial for Emergency Help

In order to continue to gauge the effectiveness of the new "text-to-9-1-1" technology, the Durham Emergency Communications Center and Verizon Wireless are extending the trial period beyond the January 31st deadline to now end on April 30, 2012.

Durham's Next Generation 9-1-1 Installation Complete

The Durham (NC) Emergency Communications Center is now one of the few next generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) systems in the country, laying the groundwork to enable it to accept text, images, and video once mobile carriers make this an available option to their customers.

E911: Raising Awareness for a Critical Component of Emergency Communications

Over the years, I've met with many safety officers and other managers who think a lot about emergency preparedness at our schools, corporations and government institutions. ... most of these organizations are not using all the tools available to provide the highest level of safety in the event of an emergency. While their intent is right, many safety officers are simply not aware of technology solutions that exist today for multi-line telephone systems that can ensure the right help gets to...

Emergency CallWorks NG9-1-1 Call Mgmt & Mapping System Selected by Jefferson County, Alabama

Alabama's largest county, Jefferson County, with an estimated 660,000 citizens has selected Emergency CallWorks (ECW), a leading provider of Next Generation 9-1-1 and incident management software for the public safety industry, to supply advanced 9-1-1 call management and call mapping. The new system, built to meet and exceed the latest Next Generation (NG) 9-1-1 standards, will help improve emergency response capabilities, consolidate operations and add efficiencies as well as lower...

Emergency CallWorks NG9-1-1 Solution Goes Live at Southwest Oklahoma Regional PSAP

Emergency CallWorks Inc., a leading provider of NG9-1-1 and incident management software for the public safety industry, has completed the installation of its Next Generation E9-1-1 Call Taking solution at Southwest Oklahoma Regional 9-1-1. Spanning across six counties, the new Enhanced NG9-1-1 system will serve law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services and significantly improve emergency response.

Emergency CallWorx Selected by East Texas Council of Governments

Hitech Systems, Inc., an end-to-end public safety solutions provider and reseller of Emergency CallWorx, Inc., a leading provider of NG9-1-1 and incident management software for the public safety industry, announced today that it has been selected to supply its Next Generation E9-1-1 Call Taking and Mapping solution to the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG). The integrated, multi-agency solution will be locally hosted with regional deployments serving ten counties, including eighteen...

Emergency Communications V2.0 - The Next Generation And Beyond

Smartphones now offer more advanced computing ability and connectivity. NG 9-1-1 will ultimately have the capacity to support these devices and the advanced technologies they possess. This includes pinpointing callers based on geographic coordinates, sending and receiving text and instant messages, and sharing high-resolution photographs or video images. All of this are current capabilities of the contemporary Smartphone, which is rapidly becoming the preferred means of communication for...

FCC Announces Action Plan to Improve Deployment of NG9-1-1

At the 2011 Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) conference in Philadelphia, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced his five-step action plan to chart the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) services. Working with the public safety community, carriers, manufacturers and other service providers, Chairman Genachowski's goal is to ensure that effective emergency response is a critical element of the broadband environment.

FCC: "Big 4" Wireless Carriers Will Deploy Text-to-9-1-1 Capabilities on their Networks in 2014

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has announced that the nation's four largest wireless carriers - AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile - have agreed to accelerate the availability of text-to-9-1-1, with major deployments expected in 2013 and a commitment to nationwide availability by May 15, 2014.

From the Chair: 9-1-1 Mobility

There is a tidal wave of change coming for the emergency telecommunications industry that is known simply as NG9-1-1. It's all about mobility now... The gurus in the high-tech industries have been busying themselves trying to solve some of the known problems, while simultaneously finding new and creative ways by which citizens can access emergency services...

Georgia PSAP Launches Smart911 SMS

Information is knowledge and knowledge can save lives in an emergency. The City of Sandy Springs will be the first city in Georgia to use a new 9-1-1 system that will provide first responders vital information instantly. They will also be the first city in the United States to allow 9-1-1 operators to be able to initiate texting with emergency callers.

Hawaiian Telcom Chooses Intrado for Next-Generation 9-1-1 Services Delivery

Intrado Inc., a subsidiary of West Corporation and a leading provider of 9-1-1 technology solutions, and Hawaiian Telcom, Inc., a subsidiary of Hawaiian Telcom Holdco, Inc., the largest full-service provider of communications services, products and solutions in Hawaii, today announced an exciting new collaboration to bring Next-Generation (NextGen) 9-1-1 products and services to public safety answering points (PSAPs) and residents statewide.

Houston-Galveston Area Council Launches GIS Replication for NG9-1-1

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is the regional planning agency for the 13 county region and it assists local governments in planning for the future... to make for a safer region, Data Services GIS has been able to standardize their 9-1-1 GIS database fields (schema) and adopt ESRI ArcGIS Server replication for their rural county 9-1-1 group as well as the public safety answering points (PSAP) within the region. Both of these tasks are geared to better equip H-GAC with assisting...

ICE-5: Advocates Collaborate to Enable Better Access to 9-1-1

The 5th Industry Collaboration Event, or "ICE 5," resulted in heightened awareness of the requirements necessary for access to 9-1-1 by all persons in the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) environment. NG9-1-1, which will soon replace today's voice-centric 9-1-1 system, is designed to support text messaging and multimedia communications; these widely-used communications methods are especially critical for improving interactions between those with hearing- and speech-related disabilities and...

Identifying Value in PSAP Consolidations

One, perhaps indirect way to perceive trends in the public safety industry is to count the frequency of certain types of RFPs that cross consultants' desks. So it is noteworthy to those of us in the consulting business that, although subjects such as NG 9-1-1 might be expected to generate the majority of requests for help, in fact, we find we are receiving even more requests to support either studying the feasibility of PSAP consolidation or for planning and implementing such consolidations.

Information Overload and the 9-1-1 Dispatcher

February, 2008 marked the 40th anniversary of the initiation of 9-1-1 service in the United States. In the four decades since that first call was made in Halleyville, Alabama much has changed.

Intrado & City of Durham Launch First NG9-1-1 Network in NC

The emergency communications network supporting more than 267,000 residents in the city and county of Durham, North Carolina is now one of the most technologically advanced and reliable in the United States. Intrado Inc., a subsidiary of West Corporation and a leading provider of 9-1-1 technology solutions, and the City of Durham announced the deployment of North Carolina's first next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) network. Activated in July, the new system provides the Durham Emergency...

Intrado Simplifies the Move to Next-Generation 9-1-1 with New Solutions Bundle

Intrado Inc. has announced a special next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services offer to help public safety answering points (PSAPs) respond to citizen expectations and better protect lives and property. Public safety agencies now have a flexible, fast and cost-effective solution to launch NG9-1-1 in their communities - the Intrado Advanced 9-1-1 JumpStart bundle. With the JumpStart bundle, PSAP directors can, for the first time, decide how and when to implement NG9-1-1 services that meet...

Intrado Teams with Miami-Dade PD to Upgrade one of the Nation's Busiest 9-1-1 Centers

Intrado Inc., a leading provider of 9---- technology solutions, has teamed with the Miami-Dade Police Department to begin the transition of one of the largest emergency communications centers in the United States to the next-generation of 9-1-1.

Intrado unveils interim text-to-911 application

Intrado hopes to immediately expand the nation's text-to-911 capability with 911Link Mobile, which is designed to let cellular customers send emergency text communications to public-safety answer points (PSAPs), even if the call center is not technologically capable of accepting texts natively into its 9-1-1 system.

Intrado Welcomes Plan to Implement Standards For Text-to-9-1-1

Intrado Inc., a subsidiary of West Corporation and a leading provider of 9-1-1 technology solutions, welcomes the recent action by the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Standards (ATIS) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) to implement standards for the use of SMS for text messaging to 9-1-1.

Is Your PSAP Ready for NG9-1-1?

NG9-1-1 will bring to PSAPs a whole new level of emergency response capabilities. The ability to receive and share multimedia information will have a huge impact on public safety. By providing law enforcement, fire fighters, EMTs, and other emergency crews with more detailed and complete information about the situations they are about to encounter, they will be better prepared to perform their jobs successfully.

Joint Zetron-GeoConex Effort Produces "Most Advanced and Complete NG9-1-1 Solution Available"

Zetron, a leading provider of mission-critical communications solutions worldwide, has signed an agreement with GeoConex of Knoxville, Tennessee, that allows Zetron to label and distribute GeoConex's newly created Next-Generation 9-1-1(NG9-1-1) CAD suite and distribute this version through Zetron resellers and direct sales channels.

L.R. Kimball Promotes Jeremy L. Smith to Senior Consultant for NG9-1-1 Networks and Security

L.R. Kimball, one of the nation's leading providers of architecture, engineering and communications technology services, is pleased to announce that Jeremy L. Smith has been promoted to Senior Consultant for Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) Networks and Security. Mr. Smith joined L.R. Kimball in 2009 as a Senior Cyber Security Consultant in charge of the company's cyber security offerings. He will continue to be based in San Diego, California.

Morgan County 9-1-1 Dispatchers Get New PlantCML Call Processing System

The Morgan County (AL) Emergency Management Communication District (MCEMCD) 9-1-1 upgraded their existing 9-1-1 equipment with the next generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) Sentinel Patriot call processing solution from emergency communications leader PlantCML, an EADS North America company, through Allcomm Wireless.

National 9-1-1 Assessment Guidelines Released for Public Comment

The 9-1-1 Resource Center, sponsored by the United States Department of Transportation, National 9-1-1 Program has a project underway to develop consensus-based universal guidelines to serve as the basis for a 9-1-1 statewide program assessment process. The National 9-1-1 Assessment Guidelines are now available for public comment on the 9-1-1 Resource Center. Comments received will be considered prior to the release of the final guidelines.

National 9-1-1 Association's New President Promises Strong Leadership on Next Generation 9-1-1 Issues

A new NENA Executive Board took office during the Installation Banquet & Gala at the NENA 2012 Conference & Expo earlier this month in Long Beach, CA. Barbara A. Jaeger, ENP was sworn in as President, while Bernard Brown, ENP became 1st Vice President and Christy Williams, ENP assumed the office of 2nd Vice President.

NENA Applauds Senate Action on Next Generation 9 1 1

The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) has praised Senator Amy Klobuchar, along with Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller and Ranking Member Kay-Bailey Hutchison for working together to include support for Next Generation 9-1-1 in the SPECTRUM Act

New Mobile App Helps Citizens Report Crimes by email

CrimePush has launched an innovative new crime-reporting and personal safety app for the iPhone and Android marketplace. With a few intuitive clicks, community members can now report crimes, medical emergencies, or other threatening situations to their local authorities at the push of a button. Because of the smartphone's unique capabilities this app can discretely send alerts that include detailed GPS coordinates, photos, text, and even video.

New Release of NICE Inform,Multimedia Incident Information Management Solution

NICE Systems has announced the introduction of its new release of the NICE Inform multimedia incident information management solution. The new release of NICE Inform builds on NICE's advanced capabilities by giving security control centers and Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) the ability to integrate text, video and voice recordings from third party capture platforms into holistic incident timelines. This differentiating technology reinforces NICE's support of Next Generation 9-1-1 and...

Next Generation 9-1-1 and Visualization of Incident Reporting

When moving to Next Generation 9-1-1, It is critical for emergency centers to very carefully consider the importance of a communications recording and incident reconstruction solution that can handle all of these different types of media.

Next-Generation 9-1-1 Is Finally Poised to Take Off

More than a decade ago, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) recognized the need for changes to the nation's 911 systems. The old systems had their jobs for decades, but in a world of wireless calling and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), the country needed more accommodating technology. Enter the concept of next-generation 911 (NG911), a system that would run on a secure Internet protocol-based network and allow texting, data transfer and more.

NG-911 Inc. to Coordinate Southern Illinois' Next Generation 9-1-1 Project

The counties of Southern Illinois have selected NG-911, Inc. of Williamsburg, Iowa, as the integrator for the Next Generation 9-1-1 project. The Next Generation 9-1-1 project has been a long time coming as about 25% of homes no longer have landlines, they only have cell phones.

NG1-1-2: EENA publishes Standard for Next Generation European emergency services

The European Emergency Number Association (EENA) has released the first public version of the Next Generation 112 Long Term Definition standard (NG112 LTD). To ensure global interoperability, EENA has re-used existing standards as much as possible. In particular, the work from the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) has been adapted to European Public Safety Answering Points. The NG112 LTD document defines a long-term architecture for European Emergency Services and remains...

NG9-1-1 Institute Elects New Board Of Directors

The Next Generation 9-1-1 Institute (NG9-1-1 Institute) has announced the results of its 2012 election for five seats on the organization's Board of Directors. The organization, which has nearly 2,000 members nationwide, holds an annual election for representatives from public safety, industry, and non-profit representatives.

NG9-1-1 Institute Executive Director resigns

Gregory L. Rohde has announced his resignation as Executive Director of the NG 9-1-1 Institute. Rohde has served as the head of the non-profit organization since its formation in 2003. Rohde will continue to serve through a transition period until a replacement is identified.

NG9-1-1 Recording and Quality Assurance Resource Guide

Public safety emergency communications have never been on the threshold of greater change than they are today. PSAPs, both large and small, are now preparing for Next Generation 9-1-1 to keep up with the rapidly evolving world of mobile, multimedia and IP communications. This ground-breaking resource guide discusses what you need to look for in a new recording and quality assurance system to meet the challenges arising from Next Generation 9-1-1.

NG9-1-1: The Changing Face of Emergency Calling

What public safety leaders need to know about how to make the move to next-generation 9-1-1 services, and how best to take advantage of the benefits these services provide... Through the Next Generation 9-1-1 initiative (NG9-1-1) initiative,PSAPS are looking to incorporate new technical capabilities. Yet being able to tie Emergency Services IP Networks (ESInets) to legacy networks, and ensuring that PSAPs can handle video, streaming, data, texting and voice, plus obtain the location of a...

NG911 Webinar Series Combines Resources And Adopter Experiences

Tasked with supporting and promoting implementation and coordination of NG9-1-1, the National 911 Program continues its effort to bring together resources and information about NG9-1-1, announcing a new, year-long webinar series - "The State of 9-1-1" Forum... The series will provide a unique combination of useful tools, information about Federal and State participation in the NG9-1-1 process - including what efforts Federal agencies are making to support state and local activities

NICE Collaborates on Multimedia Communications for Speech and Hearing Disabled at NENA's ICE 5 Forum

NICE Systems has participated in the National Emergency Number Association's (NENA's) ICE 5 Industry Collaboration Event, a forum that promotes progress towards Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1). During ICE 5, NICE was able to demonstrate its ability to record video calls, real-time text messages, and voice calls in various test scenarios using the standard interfaces defined by NENA. These are essential future NG 9-1-1 capabilities for PSAPs.

Nine Years Of 9-1-1 Coming Of Age

The NG9-1-1 Institute recently marked the 9th Anniversary of its NG9-1-1 Caucus. The NG9-1-1 Institute is a not for profit organization that supports the mission of the Congressional Next Generation 9-1-1 Caucus.

Pasco County, Fla., Upgrades to Next Generation-Ready 9-1-1 Call Processing Solution from PlantCML

The Pasco County, Fla., Emergency Communications/9-1-1 Center recently upgraded its emergency call centers to the next generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) call processing solution, Sentinel Patriot, and management information system (MIS) solution, Aurora, from emergency communications leader PlantCML, an EADS North America company, through communications system provider, AK Associates.

Pike County PSAP moves to new Solacom equipped facility days before Sandy hit

After moving into a new public safety complex in Lords Valley PA just 18 days before Hurricane Sandy struck, Pike County 9-1-1 had to hunker down and trust the recently installed Solacom next generation 9-1-1 system to function flawlessly as they responded to a month's worth of 9-1-1 calls in the two and a half days that the superstorm raged over the county.

Plaquemines Parish (LA) first to select Intrado Great Migration for move to NextGen 9-1-1

Intrado Inc., a subsidiary of West Corporation and a leading provider of 9-1-1 solutions for public safety, has announced the launch of its Great Migration offer. The offer, created to help public safety answering points (PSAPs) safely migrate to NextGen 9-1-1, is a fully managed package of Advanced 9-1-1 (A9-1-1) solutions that requires no capital outlay and comes with the Intrado i3 Guarantee to ensure ongoing compliance with evolving standards.

Play it Again, Sam

A Manager's Guide to Recorder Procurement

Public Safety Agencies in Utah Team Up to Improve 9-1-1 Services

The Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC) announced that several counties in Utah have taken the initiative to provide the first IP-capable 9-1-1 call delivery system in the state. Intrado and CenturyLink will offer an emergency service number (ESN)-based ESInet for all 9-1-1 wireline and wireless call handling and routing; IP-based Intrado VIPER call processing equipment; and a common database for call routing and mapping systems that display caller location. This new...

Public Safety Industry Leaders Support NENA's i3 NG9-1-1 Architecture Interface Standard

Formal ratification of the NENA i3 standard is urged for optimum public safety communications performance and interoperability. 911 Datamaster, Avaya, Cassidian Communications, Digital Data Technologies (DDTI), GeoComm, RedSky Technologies, Solacom and TeleCommunication Systems demonstrate unprecedented collaboration in support of standards-based public safety technologies

Q&A: 9-1-1 Industry Alliance Faces 9-1-1 Overload Challenges & More

With 25 years of professional background in public safety and professional services, 9-1-1 Industry Alliance (9IA) executive director George S. Rice, Jr. is now helping to tackle a major issue impacting public safety, the 9-1-1 overload issue. 9-1-1 Magazine's Randall Larson spoke with Rice on why he is dedicated to public safety and how the alliance is working to ensure that no 9-1-1 call goes unanswered.

QuickResponse-Ltd Edition Software for Next Gen Call-Handling

911-Inc., a leading provider of emergency call handling software and networking solutions has expanded its QuickResponse emergency call handling solution to include a Limited Edition version of the software for smaller PSAPs. New QuickResponse-LE provides affordable, IP based call handling solutions for small PSAPs

Solacom & ECaTS complete testing of new NG9-1-1 i3 call logging solution

Solacom Technologies, a prominent NG9-1-1 solutions developer and ECaTS, a leading software company owned by California based Direct Technology, announced that they have completed integration testing of a next generation Call Detail Record (CDR) logging interface for more effectively gathering, viewing and distributing a greater variety of data for public safety answering points (PSAPs).

Solacom begins deployment of landmark NG9-1-1 network in Southern Illinois

Solacom Technologies has begun deploying to the Counties of Southern Illinois what is likely to be the first Next Generation 9-1-1 public safety network in the USA to incorporate key functional elements as defined by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) "i3" specifications.

Solacom Selected for Hawaii Statewide Next Generation 9-1-1 Network

Solacom Technologies announced they have commenced deploying their emergency services platform in a multi-site IP-based next generation 9-1-1 network that will serve all Islands and public safety answering points (PSAPs) in the state of Hawaii.

Solacom selected for Maine's new state-wide NG9-1-1 network

Solacom Technologies has been chosen by service provider FairPoint Communications to implement, support and supply equipment for a next generation 9-1-1 solution for Maine's new state-wide public safety network. The system will serve more than 1,300,000 residents – making it one of the largest ESInets (emergency services IP networks) in the country in terms of population coverage.

Speech Analytics Now Primed For 'Law' And 'Order'

The use of automated speech recognition technology in business is nothing new. We see it all the time in the customer service industry - with voice-directed call routing, voice verification, identification of unhappy customers and so on. Albeit an advancement with tremendous value, we have not yet seen it used in the emergency services industry. You may be asking why. Perhaps it is due to the complex implementation processes often seen when trying to use this technology.

Stratus White Paper: What You Need to Know About Migrating to Next Generation 9-1-1 Technology

As mobile phone use skyrockets and texting becomes a preferred mode of communication, the 9-1-1 system needs to evolve to catch up. That's what Next Generation 9-1-1 technology is all about... The Stratus white paper, "What You Need to Know About Migrating to Next Generation 9-1-1 Technology," will help you understand what's involved in upgrading your Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) to NG9-1-1.

Synergem Announces Addition of EvolutionISR Interactive Session Recording

A carrier-grade Interactive Session Recorder (ISR), EvolutionISR is specifically designed to overcome the unique challenges associated with capturing, securing, archiving and managing interactive session recordings in IP telephony environments. As NG9-1-1 brings broadband communications capabilities to 9-1-1 call centers, with video, text and other data delivered and utilized as part of the 9-1-1 call handling process, EvolutionISR will ensure that all these data are captured, recorded and...

Synergem Emergency Services, L.L.C. Announces Corporate Conversion & Name Change To Synergem Technologies, Inc.

Synergem Emergency Services, L.L.C., widely recognized in the Public Safety 9-1-1 communications services industry as the first company to offer end-to-end Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) solutions including a NENA i3 compliance tested network, has become a Delaware corporation and changed its name to Synergem Technologies, Inc., effective February 19, 2013.

Synergem works with Industry Leaders on ICE5 to improve 9-1-1 access for deaf & hard-of-hearing

Synergem Emergency Services, LLC participated in NENA's most recent Industry Collaboration Event (ICE) focused on improving access to 9-1-1 for the deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired communities. Solutions Engineer Patrick Voigt said that "I believe the event shaved months or perhaps even years from the timeline for deploying these vital technologies on behalf and for the benefit of the nation's PSAPs, and was well worth the significant investment of resources by Synergem to...

TCS & University of Maryland Collaborate on Innovative NG9-1-1 Apps

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS), a leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, and the Maryland Information and Network Dynamics (MIND) Lab at the University of Maryland, have announced a joint effort to harness technology innovation and academic expertise to build new public safety applications. The two organizations will work together to explore Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) NENA (National Emergency Number Association) i3-compliant technologies for...

TCS Smart911, First Nationwide, Rich Information Solution for Text to 9-1-1

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, has introduced TCS Smart911, the public safety industry's first nationwide solution providing enhanced information during emergency communications that use text messaging (Short Message Service [SMS] 9-1-1).

TeleCommunication Systems Acquires NG9-1-1 Technology Leader, microDATA GIS

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS), a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, has acquired privately-held microDATA GIS, Inc., a leading provider of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) software and solutions.

TeleCommunication Systems Extends Industry-Leading 9-1-1 Support to Next Generation VoLTE Networks

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS), a leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, has announced the availability of TCS VoLTE (Voice over LTE) 9-1-1, enabling carriers to reliably deliver emergency voice communication services as they transition to new 4G/LTE networks.

TeleCommunication Systems Selected by State of Tennessee for NG9-1-1 Services

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS), a leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, has been awarded a contract by the state of Tennessee to provide Next Generation 9-1-1 management and integration services. TCS is the first company in the nation to build a NG9-1-1 solution using a state's existing Internet Protocol network and to implement a flexible architecture that allows seamless interoperability with other vendors' products and services.

Text to 9-1-1: Things to Consider

This new technology is only the latest in what has been an almost constant drumbeat since 9-1-1 was first developed almost thirty years ago. The next few years will see callers having the ability to send photos and video, as well as text messages, into the 9-1-1 Center. This presents our Centers with some opportunities, as well as a few challenges.

Text-to-9-1-1: Operational Considerations after Vermont Trial

Beginning last April, the state of Vermont conducted a six-month trial to test the potential of 9-1-1 text messaging services... With the trial period having culminated on October 15th, 9-1-1 Magazine recently spoke with David Tucker about his views of the viability of test-to-9-1-1 services following the completion of the state's trial program.

Text-to-911: History repeats, experience matters and doing the right thing

The FCC has responded to an agreement between APCO/NENA and the Big 4 wireless carriers with its Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the subject of text-to-9-1-1. For those of us who have been watching and waiting to learn what will be done about SMS, and for those of us involved in moving toward equal access for all, this is a monumental decision!

The Changing Communications Patterns of Citizens

PSAPs everywhere are witnessing a fundamental shift in the communications patterns of their citizens. With the growing number of wireless households it is essential that our public safety networks accommodate our mobile citizens. Rave Mobile Safety's Smart911 service has created this free infographic showcasing the ever-changing 9-1-1 communications patterns of citizens. The graphic can be downloaded as a PDF file for display or use by 9-1-1 administrators...

The Next Generation 9-1-1 Administrator: The Need For Position Diversity

The challenges facing today's 9-1-1 administrators, coordinators, directors, and/or managers are forcing them to decide how and when to proceed; and how to fund changes. These issues are forcing these professionals to attempt to wear many cloaks or, at best, to become multi-faceted in their technical, budgetary, and operations and training knowledge and abilities in order to most effectively respond to the changes. Due to these realities they need to be systemically diversified in their...

Two More Virginia Counties to Deploy NG9-1-1 Networks

Franklin and Patrick counties have announced plans to deploy next-generation 9-1-1 networks in 2012. The two counties' new emergency communications systems will serve approximately 75,000 residents and join Pittsylvania County as the first next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) networks in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Vendor's Corner: NENA i3: Something Less Than the Holy Grail of NG9-1-1

The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) has put considerable effort into creating a theoretical framework for an NG9-1-1 system they call i3. NENA's i3 document outlines their idea of a completed, fully integrated IP-based network of networks shared by all emergency agencies. This work has been monumental and is viewed by many industry stakeholders as the comprehensive definition of next-generation 9-1-1. The document offers many good ideas; however, we need to be clear about what i3...

Verizon & Intrado Join Forces to Deploy NG 9-1-1 Nationwide

In a collaborative effort to provide a richer set of information - including voice, data and video - to the front lines, Verizon and Intrado are teaming to advance the state of 9-1-1 emergency services in the U.S. Under a strategic business agreement, the two companies later this year will roll out advanced capabilities that will be available to 9-1-1 centers nationwide to enable them to keep pace with today's rapidly changing telecommunications systems and the way people expect to...

Vermont Enhanced 9-1-1 Board Launches Statewide Text to 9-1-1 Trial for Emergency Help

Beginning April 18th, Verizon Wireless customers can send a text message to 9-1-1 from locations in Vermont for emergency help as part of a six-month trial to test the potential of this technology. From now until October 15, 2012, the Williston Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) will accept 9-1-1 text messages from Verizon Wireless customers as part of a collaboration among the Vermont Enhanced 9-1-1 Board, Verizon Wireless and Intrado

What's Next for Next Gen 9-1-1

For multiple reasons, a wide variety of changes are coming to 9-1-1. When the dust settles, the outstanding service our first responders provide today will be enhanced. Citizens will be able to reach help in a number of new ways, the communications infrastructure will be even more reliable and predictable, and existing infrastructure we have come to rely upon will be enhanced to take us through the next 35 years.

Wood County, West Virginia, Selects Tiburon for Their NG9-1-1 Needs

The Central County Telecommunications Center for Wood County, West Virginia (Wood County 9-1-1) has selected Tiburon for their next generation Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) solution. Wood County 9-1-1 serves 2 counties (Wirt and Wood), with a combined total population of approximately 93,000 and 25 public safety agencies (Fire/EMS/Police). In 2012, the 9-1-1 center