Next Generation 9-1-1
Encyclopedia
Next Generation 9-1-1 refers to an initiative aimed at updating the 9-1-1
service infrastructure in the United States
and Canada
to improve public emergency communications services in a wireless mobile society. In addition to calling 9-1-1 from a phone, it intends to enable the public to transmit text, images, video and data to the 9-1-1 center (referred to as a Public Safety Answering Point, or PSAP). The initiative also envisions additional types of emergency communications and data transfer. This NG9-1-1 infrastructure is intended to replace the current services over time. The National Emergency Number Association
(NENA) first identified the need for NG9-1-1 in 2000, and started development actions in 2003, and is nearing full definition and standards for NG9-1-1. Since 2006, the US Department of Transportation
(DOT) has been leading their NG9-1-1 Initiative, a research and development project aimed at advancing NG9-1-1.
The project is aimed at ultimately establishing a national architecture for an NG9-1-1 system that would meet these goals, and to create a transition plan for NG9-1-1.
The "Proof of Concept" phase of the DOT project was completed in 2008, and a report was issued on the results of a proof of concept demonstration conducted over the course of that year. That report has served as the basic blueprint for planning and implementation of these capabilities. Actual implementation of these capabilities is expected to take several years, and will require changes to existing communications infrastructure, as well as changes to the way PSAPs operate.
(SIP), or IP Multimedia Subsystem
(IMS, which incorporates SIP). The functional and interface standards developed by NENA describe general SIP and IMS-based architectures that allow responsible agencies flexibility in developing an infrastructure to support the envisioned features of NG9-1-1.
, subscriber name and Automatic Location Identification, when available.
In the Next Generation 9-1-1 environment, the public will be able to make voice, text, or video emergency "calls" from any communications device via Internet Protocol
-based networks. The PSAP of the future will also be able to receive data from personal safety devices such as Advanced Automatic Collision Notification
systems, medical alert systems, and sensors of various types. The new infrastructure envisioned by the NG9-1-1 project will support "long distance" 9-1-1 services, as well as transfer of emergency calls to other PSAPs—including any accompanying data. In addition, the PSAP will be able to issue emergency alerts to wireless devices in an area via voice or text message, and to highway alert systems.
Other major stakeholders include:
Major contributors and stakeholders in the standards community include:
The DOT's NG9-1-1 Initiative looks to facilitate the involvement of all these stakeholders going forward in order to develop the architecture and migration plan necessary to make NG9-1-1 a functional reality.
for text, MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service
) or Wireless Application Protocol
for multimedia), translation to a common protocol may be required prior to forwarding. In the case of Advanced Automatic Collision Notification
data, the service provider must be able to similarly route this data, along with location data to the PSAP serving the area where the collision occurred. For the PSAP to be able to send out automatic notifications to all wireless devices currently operating in the area of an emergency, a similar routing mechanism must exist in the opposite (outgoing) direction. Here again, the wireless carrier will be forwarding information.
IP infrastructure interface will be needed at the PSAP for it to be able to send and receive all this data. A key element of this will be equipment and software to support VoIP communications. Internal routing of the emergency communications to the appropriate systems (i.e. text, picture and video data to the Computer-assisted dispatch
system, and simultaneously to the communications recording system) will require modifications to the existing PSAP network equipment and software. Some of these changes will be non-trivial.
and medical services providers are also anticipated.
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
service infrastructure in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to improve public emergency communications services in a wireless mobile society. In addition to calling 9-1-1 from a phone, it intends to enable the public to transmit text, images, video and data to the 9-1-1 center (referred to as a Public Safety Answering Point, or PSAP). The initiative also envisions additional types of emergency communications and data transfer. This NG9-1-1 infrastructure is intended to replace the current services over time. The National Emergency Number Association
National Emergency Number Association
The National Emergency Number Association is an organization whose mission it is to foster the technological advancement, availability, and implementation of a universal emergency telephone number system in the United States. In carrying out its mission, NENA promotes research, planning, training...
(NENA) first identified the need for NG9-1-1 in 2000, and started development actions in 2003, and is nearing full definition and standards for NG9-1-1. Since 2006, the US Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
(DOT) has been leading their NG9-1-1 Initiative, a research and development project aimed at advancing NG9-1-1.
Purpose and history
Planning for NG9-1-1 started in 2000 and was published in NENA's Future Path Plan in 2001. NENA's NG9-1-1 Project began in 2003 and continues to an ultimate goal of establishing national standards and implementation plans to accomplish advanced 9-1-1 systems and services. Public safety communications experts recognized that the nation's current 9-1-1 system was not capable of handling the text, data, images and video that are increasingly common in personal communications. The stated goal of the USDOT project is to: "To enable the general public to make a 9-1-1 “call” (any real-time communication – voice, text, or video) from any wired, wireless, or IP-based device, and allow the emergency services community to take advantage of advanced call delivery and other functions through new internetworking technologies based on open standards."The project is aimed at ultimately establishing a national architecture for an NG9-1-1 system that would meet these goals, and to create a transition plan for NG9-1-1.
The "Proof of Concept" phase of the DOT project was completed in 2008, and a report was issued on the results of a proof of concept demonstration conducted over the course of that year. That report has served as the basic blueprint for planning and implementation of these capabilities. Actual implementation of these capabilities is expected to take several years, and will require changes to existing communications infrastructure, as well as changes to the way PSAPs operate.
Enabling Technology
The NG9-1-1 vision relies on an Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet) to deliver voice, video, text and data "calls" to the PSAP. The protocol used for delivering these "calls" will be the Session Initiation ProtocolSession Initiation Protocol
The Session Initiation Protocol is an IETF-defined signaling protocol widely used for controlling communication sessions such as voice and video calls over Internet Protocol . The protocol can be used for creating, modifying and terminating two-party or multiparty sessions...
(SIP), or IP Multimedia Subsystem
IP Multimedia Subsystem
The IP Multimedia Subsystem or IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem is an architectural framework for delivering Internet Protocol multimedia services. It was originally designed by the wireless standards body 3rd Generation Partnership Project , as a part of the vision for evolving mobile...
(IMS, which incorporates SIP). The functional and interface standards developed by NENA describe general SIP and IMS-based architectures that allow responsible agencies flexibility in developing an infrastructure to support the envisioned features of NG9-1-1.
Statutory Authorization
The 911 Improvement Act of 2008 requires IP-enabled voice service providers to provide 9-1-1 service, allows state and tribal fees to pay for such services, and directs the Federal Communications Commission to gather information to facilitate these services. The Act also provides for grants to public agencies, and requires the E-911 Implementation Coordination Office to develop a national plan for migrating to a national IP-enabled emergency network.Today's 9-1-1 vs. Next Generation 9-1-1
In today's 9-1-1 environment, the public can primarily make only emergency voice calls and Teletype calls (by deaf or hearing impaired persons). Only minimal data is delivered with these calls, such as Automatic Number IdentificationAutomatic number identification
Automatic number identification is a feature of telephony intelligent network services that permits subscribers to display or capture the billing telephone number of a calling party. In the United States it is part of Inward Wide Area Telephone Service . ANI service was created by AT&T for...
, subscriber name and Automatic Location Identification, when available.
In the Next Generation 9-1-1 environment, the public will be able to make voice, text, or video emergency "calls" from any communications device via Internet Protocol
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
-based networks. The PSAP of the future will also be able to receive data from personal safety devices such as Advanced Automatic Collision Notification
Advanced Automatic Collision Notification
Advanced Automatic Collision Notification is also known as Advanced Automatic Crash Notification and is the successor to Automatic Collision Notification...
systems, medical alert systems, and sensors of various types. The new infrastructure envisioned by the NG9-1-1 project will support "long distance" 9-1-1 services, as well as transfer of emergency calls to other PSAPs—including any accompanying data. In addition, the PSAP will be able to issue emergency alerts to wireless devices in an area via voice or text message, and to highway alert systems.
Example scenarios
- Deaf and hearing impaired persons in the U.S. today sometimes use TTYTTYTTY may stand for:* Teleprinter or Teletypewriter or Teletype Printer, a typewriter paired with an electronic communication channel, used for telecommunications or as a computer terminal....
or TDD (Telecommunications Device for the DeafTelecommunications device for the deafA telecommunications device for the deaf is a teleprinter, an electronic device for text communication over a telephone line, that is designed for use by persons with hearing or speech difficulties...
) devices or interpreting services to contact 9-1-1. Many deaf people use text messaging and instant messages to communicate with others, but unfortunately, today's 9-1-1 is not equipped to accept this media. In the NG9-1-1 environment, they will be able to place such a call by sending a text message from their cell phone. They will be able to carry on a text conversation with a 9-1-1 operator, and even send pictures or video when necessary.
- In the event of a major highway accident involving multiple vehicles, including a hazardous material vehicle, the local 9-1-1 center may receive many calls from different motorists. This can cause the center to be overloaded with calls, leading to initial confusion of the locations of the multiple crashes. The confusion can delay response times for the necessary equipment and services, which can, in turn, cost lives and delay return to normal traffic flow. In the NG9-1-1 environment, everyone in the vicinity with an internet-connected device can be automatically notified to avoid the area. Highway message signs, and the 5-1-15-1-15-1-1, initially designated for road weather information, is a transportation and traffic information telephone hotline in some regions of the United States and Canada. Travelers can dial the three-digit telephone number 5-1-1 on traditional landline telephones and most mobile phones. It is an N11...
system can also display the warning. Any involved vehicle with an Advanced Automatic Collision NotificationAdvanced Automatic Collision NotificationAdvanced Automatic Collision Notification is also known as Advanced Automatic Crash Notification and is the successor to Automatic Collision Notification...
system automatically sends important crash data to the 9-1-1 center, which can dispatch Medivac helicopters even if the passengers are unable to respond.
Stakeholders and technologies involved
Many pieces of the existing communications and data infrastructure will require modification to make NG9-1-1 a reality. The private companies and public agencies that provide these goods and services will be significantly affected. Chief among these are:- Telecommunications equipment and service providers
- Information technology equipment and service providers
- TelematicsTelematicsTelematics typically is any integrated use of telecommunications and informatics, also known as ICT...
, including Advanced Automatic Collision NotificationAdvanced Automatic Collision NotificationAdvanced Automatic Collision Notification is also known as Advanced Automatic Crash Notification and is the successor to Automatic Collision Notification... - Hazmat (Hazardous materials) security alerts to or from commercial motor carriers or rail carriers
- Integration of Intelligent transportation systems with public safety communications systems
- Security alarm notification system providers
Other major stakeholders include:
- State and local 9-1-1 agencies
- Public safety and emergency management agencies
- Emergency services industry
- Federal departments, including Transportation, Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice and the Federal Communications Commission
- National organizations with active interests in 9-1-1
- IT research community
- Standards community
Major contributors and stakeholders in the standards community include:
- NENA (National Emergency Number AssociationNational Emergency Number AssociationThe National Emergency Number Association is an organization whose mission it is to foster the technological advancement, availability, and implementation of a universal emergency telephone number system in the United States. In carrying out its mission, NENA promotes research, planning, training...
) - NAED ([National Academy of Emergency Dispatch])
- APCO (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-InternationalAssociation of Public-Safety Communications Officials-InternationalThe Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International was founded in 1935 and is the world's largest organization dedicated to public safety telecommunications.APCO has developed several standards that bear its name...
) - IETF (Internet Engineering Task ForceInternet Engineering Task ForceThe Internet Engineering Task Force develops and promotes Internet standards, cooperating closely with the W3C and ISO/IEC standards bodies and dealing in particular with standards of the TCP/IP and Internet protocol suite...
) - TIA (Telecommunications Industry AssociationTelecommunications Industry AssociationThe Telecommunications Industry Association is accredited by the American National Standards Institute to develop voluntary, consensus-based industry standards for a wide variety of ICT products, and currently represents nearly 400 companies...
)
The DOT's NG9-1-1 Initiative looks to facilitate the involvement of all these stakeholders going forward in order to develop the architecture and migration plan necessary to make NG9-1-1 a functional reality.
Public network infrastructure impacts
In order for a useful connection to be made between the Public Safety Answering Point and person reporting the emergency, a number of changes need to be made to the existing infrastructure. For example, if a user is sending a text message, perhaps with video attached, the data needs to be routed to the PSAP that serves the area where the person is currently, and the location of the wireless device must accompany the message. The person's wireless carrier will receive the message first, then forward the message to the appropriate PSAP along with the location information. Since three different protocols may be used by the wireless device (SMSShort message service
Short Message Service is a text messaging service component of phone, web, or mobile communication systems, using standardized communications protocols that allow the exchange of short text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices...
for text, MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service
Multimedia Messaging Service
Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, is a standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile phones. It extends the core SMS capability that allowed exchange of text messages only up to 160 characters in length.The most popular use is to send photographs from...
) or Wireless Application Protocol
Wireless Application Protocol
Wireless Application Protocol is a technical standard for accessing information over a mobile wireless network.A WAP browser is a web browser for mobile devices such as mobile phones that uses the protocol.Before the introduction of WAP, mobile service providers had limited opportunities to offer...
for multimedia), translation to a common protocol may be required prior to forwarding. In the case of Advanced Automatic Collision Notification
Advanced Automatic Collision Notification
Advanced Automatic Collision Notification is also known as Advanced Automatic Crash Notification and is the successor to Automatic Collision Notification...
data, the service provider must be able to similarly route this data, along with location data to the PSAP serving the area where the collision occurred. For the PSAP to be able to send out automatic notifications to all wireless devices currently operating in the area of an emergency, a similar routing mechanism must exist in the opposite (outgoing) direction. Here again, the wireless carrier will be forwarding information.
Local PSAP network impacts
A High availabilityHigh availability
High availability is a system design approach and associated service implementation that ensures a prearranged level of operational performance will be met during a contractual measurement period....
IP infrastructure interface will be needed at the PSAP for it to be able to send and receive all this data. A key element of this will be equipment and software to support VoIP communications. Internal routing of the emergency communications to the appropriate systems (i.e. text, picture and video data to the Computer-assisted dispatch
Computer-assisted dispatch
Computer-assisted dispatch, also called Computer Aided Dispatch , is a method of dispatching taxicabs, couriers, field service technicians, or emergency services assisted by computer. It can either be used to send messages to the dispatchee via a mobile data terminal and/or used to store and...
system, and simultaneously to the communications recording system) will require modifications to the existing PSAP network equipment and software. Some of these changes will be non-trivial.
Local wireless infrastructure impacts
Since some of the emergency communications data will have to be forwarded to field units such as police and fire vehicles, changes will be required to the software running on the terminals that receive the data, and on those that transmit the data. If the existing wireless communications system is Project 25 compliant, little or no change will be required to the transmit/receive equipment itself, since it already supports transmission of any type of data.Communications recording system impacts
The NG9-1-1 test plan requires that these new types of emergency communications (text, pictures, video) be recorded along with the voice communications that have traditionally been recorded. Most existing communications recorders are not capable of recording anything other than audio, and major changes may be required to bring these devices into NG9-1-1 compliance. This may require a significant investment on the part of the PSAP if the existing equipment cannot be modified to support the new requirements.Human resource impacts
There will also be significant operational impacts on the PSAP "call takers", dispatchers (those who dispatch emergency vehicles and personnel), and on their managers. Workloads are expected to increase, and significant new training will be required for those responsible for responding to these new communication types. Similar impacts on both public and private emergency response providers, and on TelematicsTelematics
Telematics typically is any integrated use of telecommunications and informatics, also known as ICT...
and medical services providers are also anticipated.