Snohomish/Island Counties Enhanced 9-1-1 Project
submitted by Marj Williams 425-388-3886
Snohomish County Enhanced 9-1-1 and Island County Communications are partnering to form the North Puget Sound Regional 9-1-1 Cooperative. The partnership will support current and future 9-1-1 callers with more efficient call delivery, automatic display of ANI and ALI for wireless and landline callers, expanded capacity, efficient call management architecture, network and database redundancy.
Key benefits of the network design, engineered by GTE Northwest are dual CML ECS 1000 Selective Routers and HP3000 ALI database computers. Located in Everett and Mount Vernon. 9-1-1 traffic will be split on diverse facilities and, in the event one selective router or database computer is destroyed, the other will process calls. Also, the new selective router and SS7 signaling will speed call processing time, support ten-digit ANI, Feature Group D, and ISDN connectivity to the PSAPs. ALI retrieval will be accomplished via primary dedicated digital data circuits and secondary frame relay connections to the HP3000 ALI database computers.
Snohomish County will also improve telephone equipment at its four PSAPs. A single ANI/ALI controller will process and route calls, improving transfer functionality and statistical management. PSAP personnel will be involved in the functionality of their answering equipment by participating in design discussion meetings with the vendor. Several representative will attend the APCO conference to see the latest in technology, platforms, and work station configurations.
The 9-1-1 Cooperative hopes other counties in the region will establish connectivity to the network for more efficient call management capability. This is of particular benefit for wireless callers, whose call may not terminate at the appropriate PSAP for their location.
ADA/TTY Update
CTIA is hosting a E9-1-1 Workshop in Washington, DC on September 17, 18 and 19th. The workshop is focused on TTY/TDD requirements established by the FCCs E9-1-1 order and how best to support TTY communications over digital wireless air interfaces. Wireless digital interfaces currently dont support the standard Baudot transmission. For more information contact Bob Montgomery at CTIA, phone: 202-736-3258 or email: [email protected].
Wireless Update
submitted by Jane Bissonnette, 206-674-1030
At the National NENA conference in Baltimore the state of New Jersey released their report entitled “The First 100 Days” which provides a comprehensive discussion on the wireless trial in that state. This trial is distinguished from other trials in that it was a “live” trial meaning real 9-1-1 calls from wireless users were processed. It was a very successful demonstration of both Phase I and Phase II compliance with the FCC order. The report concludes that wireless 9-1-1 call volume is growing, TDOA is a viable location technology,. there are other location technologies available, development issues were minor, 9-1-1 impacts were manageable and implementation of wireless E9-1-1 becomes a business issue – not a technical one. Copies of the report can be obtained from Bob Miller, Executive Director of New Jersey 9-1-1 system.
Other notes from the NENA National include:
- An SCC survey that show 80% of subscribers would change carriers if location technology were available by one carrier and not another. 70% of the subscribers would pay more for location technology and 60% stated that they would pay up to $10/month extra.
- The state of Texas is indicating they will build a state location system and resell interconnection to the wireless carriers.
Number Portability Update
submitted by Doug Gehrke, 206-224-1127
After reviewing the article on LNP I wrote earlier and other information, I determined there was not a lot to add. There is a Local Number Portability trial going on right now in Chicago. Also, NENA has published recommended standards for LNP. The standards are essentially methods on how the incumbent provider should pass data to a subsequent provider. The major point is that each provider needs to have a company ID on each ALI record. Information on LNP can be found on the World Wide Web at the NENA home page and also at www.net-times.com/portability/ and www.connect.net/busdev/standard/stanjune.htm.
Also, the Telecommunications Industry Association committee on wireless intersystem operations, TR45.2, is working on an Interim Standard PN-3980 which addresses Wireless Number Portability.