Verizon Business Unveils IP-based Emergency Services Solution

Offer Can Bring Public Safety Units onto Same Frequency

Nearly seven years after the World Trade Center buildings fell, Verizon Business has announced it is the first North American service provider to offer an IP-based service that enables emergency services personnel to communicate instantly and seamlessly regardless of agency or technology.

Verizon Communications Interoperability Solution integrates first responder communications networks, including radio, voice, data and wireless, so that they can operate as a single network. The need for this kind of interoperability came center stage following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, when New York City’s police and fire departments could not communicate with one another during rescue efforts because their radios operated on different frequencies.

The state of West Virginia has signed up to use the new service, which is now available throughout the U.S. Verizon Communications Interoperability Solution also addresses the needs of business customers with large campuses or widespread facilities, such as universities and manufacturing plants, according to Verizon Business.

The Verizon Business interoperability service works by identifying police and fire departments, emergency medical services and other public safety organizations identified as primary points of contact during a crisis. Each sets aside a channel on its radio systems. And, when activated, the service – using Cisco Systems Inc. routers, interfaces and other equipment placed at the customer premises – links up all of the set-aside channels and converts them into IP. This enables all of the participating public safety organizations to communicate directly with one another, regardless of radio frequencies or other communications platforms.

Related Articles

Intrado Expands Public Safety Activities

Cisco IPICS 2.0 Allows for Policy-based, Any-to-Any Communications

Consortium Adopts InfiNet Mesh Platforms

Security Plays Key New Role in Managed Services

Share this article: Email, Slashdot, Digg, Del.icio.us, Yahoo!MyWeb, Windows Live Favorites, Furl
Add this article feed to: RSS, My Yahoo, Newsgator, Bloglines