JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission launched an examination into technology that can more precisely route wireless 911 calls. The result would be faster response times during emergencies.
Based on current technology, 911 calls are typically routed to 911 call centers based on the cellphone tower that handles the call.
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The problem is if the 911 call is made near or on a county or a city border then that emergency call might get routed to the wrong jurisdiction. This can waste valuable time and resources.
In 2018, the FCC began looking at different options for routing 911 calls. The focus was to identify the location of the caller, not the location of the cell tower.
Since then, there have been several advancements in location-based routing technology.
While the FCC is still accessing its options to improve 911 location coverage, wireless providers such as AT&T and telecommunications company Intrado have launched their version of location-based routing.
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The new technology is called “Locate Before Route” and it can quickly and more accurately identify where a 911 call is coming from using device GPS.
The wireless provider is able to identify the 911 caller within a 50-meter radius. The call is located then routed to the correct call center for faster dispatch.
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According to a recent press release from AT&T, the nationwide rollout of this service is currently underway, but the routing feature will automatically work on AT&T mobile 911 calls across North Florida, including Jacksonville, on Tuesday.
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