Blogs

FCC Says PSAPs Must Be Able to Receive 9-1-1 Texts

By Keri Losavio posted 11-23-2010 19:11

  
“It’s time to bring 9-1-1 into the digital age,” Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said on Nov. 23 to public safety officials at the Arlington County Emergency Center in Arlington, Va. Genachowski announced that in December he will launch a proceeding, as recommended in the National Broadband Plan, to get public input on how to transition the current system to broadband-enabled, Next Generation 9-1-1.

Click here to read the full story: http://psc.apcointl.org/2010/11/23/psaps-must-be-able-to-receive-9-1-1-texts
2 comments
44 views

Permalink

https://www.psconnect.org/blogs/keri-losavio/2010/11/23/fcc-says-psaps-must-be-able-to-receive-9-1-1-texts

Comments

Sharyn Pachnek
02-24-2011 15:52

Am I the only person who thinks this is the FIRST place to make budget cuts? I dread the loss of key info, such as caller demeanor, background sounds, and clues to the age and sex of the caller that are key factors in determining what is REALLY going on, and if the call is on the level. What is the next step? Will we provide every individual with a cell phone, so that we can be sure they can text 911? This is a huge expenditure, digging us into a deeper hole of debt, with rare true benefit.

Nathan McClure
11-24-2010 15:01

It’s interesting to note that the Chairman didn’t mention that the estimated cost of this was $82-87 billion over the next 20 years according to the US DOT. Nor did he mention the estimated $18-20 billion required to upgrade the public safety radio systems.
The question really becomes how are we (you and I) going to pay for it – taxes, increased phone bills or something else? Make no mistake, we will have to pay for it one way or another.