NENA Applauds FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Next Generation 9-1-1

On September 22, NENA praised Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski for the Commission’s adoption of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) focused on accelerating the development and deployment of Next Generation 9-1-1^(?) (NG9-1-1^(?)) systems. 

 

 

The NPRM asks practical, technical questions about how to enable text, photo, and video transmission to 9-1-1. As part of the proceeding, the FCC will examine interim solutions that could enable SMS text users to access 9‑1‑1 in the near future. This step is particularly meaningful in light of the Commission’s ongoing work to improve the accessibility of 9‑1‑1 to individuals with disabilities.

 

“On the heels of last month’s five-step action plan to deploy NG9-1-1, NENA applauds this action and the Commission’s continued dedication to advancing emergency communications into the broadband-era,” said NENA President, Rick Galway. “We thank the Commission for their continued leadership on this issue and their commitment to identifying and eliminating legal and regulatory barriers to NG9-1-1 deployment.”

 

The NPRM also asks whether and how 9-1-1 traffic should be prioritized in communications networks, an action that could improve outcomes for individuals struck by disaster who need help when communications networks are most stressed.

 

As consumers increasingly use converged voice, video, and data services to communicate with one another, and as emergency response entities work to deploy wireless broadband networks, it is increasingly important that 9-1-1 centers be equipped with the next generation technology required to seamlessly receive and distribute many forms of information. “NENA looks forward to working with the Commission and leaders at all levels of government to address the technical, operational, policy, and funding issues surrounding the deployment of NG9-1-1 systems,” Galway said.