FCC Chairman Thomas Wheeler used a House subcommittee hearing on FCC oversight to tell lawmakers again about “the urgent need to improve our 9-1-1 system” through next-generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) technology and funding.
He said Congress has the unique ability to accelerate the transition to NG 9-1-1 through a clear national call to action and timely application of resources. Wheeler pointed out three ways Congress could help.
- Congress could authorize and fund the FCC in collaboration with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a national 9-1-1 map that would be available to every PSAP and would eliminate the seams between commercial communications network infrastructure and emergency response dispatch systems.
- To enhance cyber security, Congress could bring PSAP IP networks under the protective umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Einstein program by funding the deployment of intrusion detection sensors for NG 9-1-1 networks.
- Congress could also establish a nationwide NG 9-1-1 implementation date – to complete the transition by the end of 2020, for example – and authorize matching funds to help state and local communities achieve this goal. Congress can further jump-start this effort by ensuring that federally run PSAPs and emergency operations centers make NG 9-1-1 capability a funding priority.
Excerpted from Mission Critical Communications News – http://mccmag.com/News/NewsDetails/newsID/14461