Next Generation 911 (NG911) is the next wave of 911 technology designed to integrate multimedia support into 911 services across North America.
Why should you care about Next Generation 911?
Learning about Next Generation 911 starts with understanding basic 911 and Enhanced 911 (E911). While basic 911 has existed for decades, E911 was introduced in response to Kari’s Law and the RAY BAUMS act to add accurate locational information to 911 calls.
E911 provides the location of the 911 caller to the Public Safety Answer Point (PSAP) so it can route the call and dispatch the appropriate local emergency services. PSAPs are local call centers for handling 911 emergency calls in an area.
Next Generation 911 builds upon traditional 911 services by extending additional multimedia support to 911 calls. With NG911, in addition to voice, callers can use real-time text (RTT), transmit photos, videos, and other types of data to 911 responders, providing valuable details to assist incident response teams.
Governments and public safety officials are pushing for Next Generation 911 adoption for several reasons, including:
- Keeping up with new technologies: We want our emergency response systems to be compatible with emerging trends in communication. Many citizens are used to sending text messages, pictures, and videos to friends and family. Being able to do so for 911 calls as well will boost familiarity and trust in emergency responses.
- Boosting resilience: Outdated 911 systems are notorious for their susceptibility to network congestion and security attacks. Thanks to more routing options provided by IP, service outages will no longer be as significant of a threat to hindering 911 responders.
Many regulators agree a slow transition period would not only delay NG911’s benefits but also raise costs and potentially cause compatibility problems between PSAPs with varying 911 infrastructures.
What are the benefits on Next Generation 911?
Next Generation 911 (NG911) brings transformative improvements to emergency services communications by integrating modern technologies, enabling multimedia data transmission, and enhancing location accuracy for quicker response times. This evolution from traditional 911 services empowers emergency responders with real-time information, allowing them to efficiently address incidents, enhance public safety, and adapt to the evolving communication landscape. NG911 ensures a more robust and responsive emergency infrastructure, ultimately saving lives and improving overall emergency management capabilities.
How does Sinch work with Next Generation 911?
Sinch fully supports the latest advancements in 911 technologies, including E911 and Next Generation 911. We make it easy for municipalities, counties and states to ensure their 911 communications are fully compliant with the NG911 latest regulations.
Sinch can help you advance the speed or your deployment of industry leading NG911 technology to promote accurate emergency responses and improve public safety in your community.
Sinch has been awarded 40% of the population of nationwide NG911 ESInet Aggregation by states/counties. We’ve extended Next Generation 911 service in all or parts 31 states. And we keep expanding! Get in touch today to learn more about all our innovative emergency services solutions.
