TRS Changes Advance VoIP E911 Agenda

Geospatial Technology Enables Automatic Location Identification, But Obstacles Remain

Geospatial technologies – used to locate a person or place by pinpointing X and Y coordinates – have been around for some time, but they’re finally gaining traction among VoIP enhanced 911 (E911) services. That’s especially the case as a June 30 FCC deadline renews attention on how certain telecommunications relay services (TRS) are provisioned for deaf, hard of hearing and speech-disabled people.

Within three months, users of Internet-based TRS are to have 10-digit dialing at their fingertips so they no longer have to make and receive calls by first going through a relay provider. By extension, the FCC has ordered that the 10-digit capability improve how quickly Internet-based TRS users are connected to emergency services – those callers are to receive priority over non-emergency calls. But some Internet-based TRS users will have an advantage over others. If their TRS provider uses geospatial E911, automatic location identification kicks in, just as happens for wireless subscribers, and calls route to the nearest public safety answering point (PSAP).

Of course, for that to happen, a PSAP’s voice carrier has to offer geospatial coding. Companies including Dash Carrier Services and VIXXI Solutions are among those providing the feature. In fact, they’re trying to get more carriers to use their geospatial E911 platforms not only for greater accuracy but, more pressing in a recession, because they save money and consolidate operations. Dash and VIXXI also are working to help PSAPs understand that they stand to reap the same benefits, efforts that sometimes prove a tough sell.

That’s because there are some mental hurdles to overcome regarding geospatial E911 services, which require IP networks. PSAPs are interested in IP but they’re slow to implement it, said Bucky Wallace, senior vice president of sales for E911 provider VIXXI. That’s generally due to a lack of understanding about IP and a reluctance to spend money. The strange part is that IP infrastructure tends to be cheaper than wireline investments; VIXXI finds that carriers, then, such as Dash, are most interested because they know how IP can save them money.

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