This week’s TECHTip, brought to you by TECHtionary.com (now a free resource), is an introduction to the NENA (National Emergency Number Association) recommendations regarding IP and E911.

There are many open issues to be resolved such as:

• Users - stationary (fixed location), nomadic (user who can move) and mobile (user who is moving), etc.

• Media - wireline, wireless, infrared, game box, zigbee, etc.
• Format - voice, text/email, IM-Instant Message, SMS-Short Message Service (SS7), TTY, other data formats, language identifier, etc.
• Security - encryption, digital certificates, etc.
• Functional support - overflow ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) to PSAP agents and other PSAP sites and transfer back, PSAP VPN (Virtual Private Network) access and security, conference call, database queries, muting, etc.

Before reviewing next-generation E911 systems via IP, let’s explore one potential benefit. Here is an example of IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) application for public safety using SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) used for enhanced, multi-user, multi-media conferencing. Internet access or VXML (Voice eXtensible Markup Language) applications can be directed based on a exception-triggered instant conference such as a disaster.

In planning new 911 systems, there are many new considerations. For example, the NIST Report on VoIP, indicated “special consideration should be given to E-911 emergency services communications because E-911 automatic location service is not available with VoIP in some cases.” That is, IP and VoIP systems are, for the most part, designed to be location-independent.

In addition, there are many animations related to 911 services.

[Thomas B. Cross of TECHtionary]