by AllThingsECC.com | Apr 14, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
It is common knowledge that over the past five years the FirstNet Authority and FirstNet (Built with AT&T) have built the only nationwide public-safety broadband network and made it available to all first-responder agencies that opt in to FirstNet. Many new communications tools for first responders have come about as the network has matured but these advances seem to have been taken for granted and they have not received as much attention as they deserve. (Here, “Tools” obviously does not refer to hoses, axes, side-arms, or the like. These tools are hardware and software used primarily on FirstNet.)
Some of these tools began as ideas that were hatched at either the Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) facility that is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) located in Boulder, Colo., or they were first reviewed and tested at the FirstNet Innovation and Test Lab, also in Boulder…
by ECC Editor | Apr 12, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
More than 35,000 people die each year in traffic crashes, and there’s no doubt that number would be higher if there was not 911 to call when a crash happens. This is one of the reasons that the National 911 Program is housed in NHTSA’s Office of Emergency Medical Services. Another reason: when you call 911, it’s just not about 911 telecommunicators providing help over the phone, but often getting help to your location.
Speaking of 911 telecommunicators, now is the time to tell them thanks — it’s National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. This year’s celebration starts April 10 and runs through April 16. National 911 organizations and federal agencies are all recognizing the role of 911 with a variety of ideas, like 911 Tree of Life, CISA, and sending messages on social media… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Apr 9, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
WALL, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / April 7, 2022 / 911inform, the nation’s leading emergency management platform for Enterprise, announced today the launch of its Location Discovery Solution (LDS) for Panasonic. The 911 inform solution for Panasonic allows Panasonic to protect the investment in their legacy communications systems by providing RAY BAUM’S Act 506 compliant functionality for the existing installed base of Panasonic telephone systems. The 911 inform solution was built off of 911inform’s innovative, and award-winning Location Discovery Solution (LDS) and as integrated into the Panasonic PBX systems, it now provides owners of the existing Panasonic phone systems with the RAY BAUM’S Act compliant functionality as now required under federal law… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Apr 8, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
Multi-line telephone system (MLTS) owners and operators have several options for implementing Enhanced 911 (E9-1-1) and Next Generation 911 (NG9-1-1) technology. Whether the MLTS is on-prem, cloud-based, or hybrid, the organization’s responsibilities are the same. Every physical phone, softphone, call center application, videoconference application, etc., issued or in use and provided by the organization or connected to the organization’s network must be accounted for in the project plan. It is important to consider the most appropriate way to comply with FCC rules and regulations without sacrificing future options for NG9-1-1 service… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Apr 8, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
A decade ago, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) was authorized under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 as an interoperable broadband network designed exclusively around the needs of public safety organizations. It was conceptualized in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks, which laid bare communication shortcomings.
At first, given the massive scope of the undertaking, its completion wasn’t certain. Today, however, with upwards of 95 percent of the network completed ahead of schedule, city and county organizations are signing on… READ MORE
by AllThingsECC.com | Apr 7, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
I am disappointed that I cannot find the archived article I wrote a number of years ago and published on April Fool’s Day. I had described how I was at a restaurant in Silicon Valley and at the table next to me were some Microsoft and FCC executives. I reported that they were discussing how Microsoft could buy the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and have access to all the spectrum the FCC controlled. The article went into detail and some readers fell for it. This year I will be sticking to facts and truth!
More IWCE 2022
As I said last week, it was great to be able to attend IWCE again. Yes, the number of attendees and exhibitors were down from pre-Covid years but I am confident that next year, unless there is yet another outbreak of the virus, IWCE should be back where it was a few years and perhaps larger…
