Public Safety Communication Networks: What “Connected” Actually Means

Georgia’s 911 system has operated on essentially the same underlying technology since the state’s first 911 call was placed in 1968 a circuit-switched network built for landline telephones tied to a fixed address. That’s changing right now, not as a future proposal but as an active, funded, legally mandated statewide project. In 2025, Georgia’s General Assembly unanimously passed House Bill 423, signed by Governor Brian Kemp and effective July 1, 2025, requiring all new 911 systems in the state to meet Next Generation 911 (NG911) standards. As of 2026, this transition is underway across Georgia’s emergency communications centers, and understanding what “connected” actually means in this context requires understanding the specific technical architecture Georgia is building, not just the general concept of modernized 911.

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