Next Generation 911 (NG911) is an advanced emergency response system designed to enhance the capabilities of traditional 911 services. Unlike the traditional 911 emergency response system, which primarily supports voice calls from landlines, NG911 integrates modern communication technologies. This allows it to receive and process various types of data, including text messages, images, videos and location information from mobile devices.  

By leveraging these advanced technologies, NG911 improves the accuracy, speed and effectiveness of emergency responses, ensuring that critical information reaches the appropriate responders promptly. This modernized system is essential for meeting the evolving needs of public safety in an increasingly digital world, Mark Fletcher, vice president of public safety at 911inform, tells SDM.  

Although many states have developed statewide NG911 plans, implementation remains incomplete, with numerous 911 systems still relying on outdated landline-based infrastructure. This has created a significant gap in capturing crucial information from sources like wireless devices, text messages and video calls, leaving communities exposed during emergencies. 

To learn more about NG911, Fletcher addressed the following questions.  

How does NG911 differ from the traditional 911 system?

NG911 uses an all-IP architecture, offering flexible and scalable approaches to emergency response. This modern system utilizes extensible data structures to determine routing based on precise geospatial location information, ensuring emergency calls are routed more accurately to the appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP), even when callers are mobile.  

In contrast, legacy networks use fixed-length data fields, making it difficult to expand without causing disruptions. Routing in legacy systems is static, based on telephone number tables sourced from billing records, which makes the system inaccurate for open spaces like parks or rural areas without street addresses. Additionally, mobility is a challenge, as the static nature of legacy routing cannot accommodate the dynamic locations of modern mobile users, often resulting in slower response times and less effective emergency assistance. 

What challenges do legacy 911 systems face, and how does NG911 address these limitations?

The aging infrastructure of copper circuits crisscrossing the nation is the primary challenge for legacy systems. These circuits are old and expensive to maintain, especially as revenues for traditional telephony services plummet. NG911 networks address these issues by utilizing new technologies, like high-capacity fiber optics and wireless 5G and 6G networks.  

These technologies provide point-to-point connectivity and large mesh networks that are resilient, redundant and more reliable than ever before. Outages are minimized, and the time required for repairs is significantly reduced, increasing the overall use and popularity of NG911 deployments. This transition improves reliability and ensures emergency services keep pace with technological advancements, offering better service to the public. 

How does NG911 handle real-time texts, photos and videos? What are the protocols and platforms used for seamless communication?

NG911 is built on open standards-based protocols widely used in commercial applications, ensuring interoperability and compatibility with most devices. Individual protocols for all modalities of communication are SIP-based and regularly evolve with industry standards. For example, Google and Apple recently agreed on a common protocol for multimedia messaging.  

Traditional text-based SMS (short message services) and its media counterpart MMS (multimedia message services), both based on voice telephony technology, are being replaced with the data network-based RCS (rich communications services). This shift will allow Apple and Android devices to communicate over a common interoperable protocol for the first time. This ensures NG911 can handle real-time texts, photos and videos efficiently, providing first responders with more immediate and richer information to assess and respond to emergencies. 

What role does cloud-based infrastructure play in NG911 in terms of system advantages?

NG911 solutions are built for the cloud and based on a standard cloud-based IMS (internet multimedia subsystem) architecture. IMS is a standards-based architectural framework for delivering multimedia communication services such as voice, video and text messaging over IP networks.  

The IMS specifications, originally created by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), standardize the implementation of these services on next-generation mobile networks using the SIP (session initiation protocol). This cloud-based approach offers several advantages, including scalability, flexibility and resilience. By leveraging cloud infrastructure, NG911 can provide robust and scalable services that can easily adapt to increasing demand and evolving technology. This enables a unified global emergency services ecosystem that is more efficient and responsive to the needs of the public. 

How can NG911 improve emergency response times and overall public safety?

NG911 will connect citizens anywhere on any device with the most relevant public safety response teams during an emergency. Using data derived from personal IoT devices or wearables, coupled with vehicle telemetry, environmental measurement devices and building sensor technology, first responders will receive incredibly detailed, timely and actionable situational awareness.  

This information allows critical decisions to be made before initiating a response. Immediate updates will be provided as situations evolve, enabling neighboring agencies to assist and contribute during mass casualty events with full data sharing. This streamlined response enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency services, resulting in quicker victim recovery and faster medical aid, ultimately reducing the time to advanced care for patients. 

What steps are necessary for transitioning from legacy 911 to NG911?

Transitioning from legacy 911 to NG911 requires a comprehensive overhaul rather than a simple upgrade. The endpoints of the two systems are incompatible, with different communication protocols and core network architectures. To transition, a new NG911 ESInet must be constructed and PSAPs must upgrade their CPE equipment to be compatible with both networks. This allows for a transitional phase where originating networks can migrate their services to next-generation networks.  

As most originating networks transition, the remaining networks can use legacy to NG911 adapters on their CPE, utilizing a diminished set of NG911 features until they fully upgrade their legacy equipment. This phased approach ensures a smooth transition without waiting for all legacy systems to be decommissioned. 

What are the nationwide initiatives or guidelines driving NG911 adoption?

NENA, the National Emergency Number Association, recognized as an ANSI Standards Development Organization, is responsible for the NENA i3 Next Generation 911 Standard in the U.S. This standard has been adopted in Canada with minor localized modifications and remains fully interoperable with the U.S. standard.  

Interworking with the European IETF-based 112LTE standard has also been demonstrated, and Mexico is on track to adopt core interoperability standards. These initiatives cover a wide range of services across the ecosystem, ensuring NG911 systems can communicate and operate seamlessly across regions. New initiatives and standards are regularly discussed and added, driving the continuous improvement and adoption of NG911 technologies.