Text-to-911:%20Requirements%20

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Text-to-911 Requirements Options
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• Henning Schulzrinne
• FCC

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Goals
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• What have we learned so far?
• possibilities options
• What are requirements?
• What are the trade-offs?
• Long-term goals
• Short-term achievable
• Not an official FCC policy statement
• reflects comments, ex-partes, EAAC,

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The big picture
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cellular
SMS
voice
Internet (WiFi, 3G/4G)
RTT, SMS, IM
location ??PSAP capability
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General hard requirements
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• Work everywhere
• even without 3G/4G coverage
• end-to-end compatible (standards-based)
• All mobile devices
• smart phones feature phones
• with and without a data plan
• Basic automated location capability
• sufficient for identifying PSAP
• Path to NG911
• transition should be invisible to users

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Desirable likely feasible
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• Short code 911 for SMS
• Support for IP-based (app) solutions in
  addition to SMS
• can support RTT and IM-mode when PSAP is capable
  of receiving such
• System automatically chooses best option for user
• based on PSAP capabilities
• NG911 as soon as possible

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Hard constraints
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• Cant upgrade all PSAPs ?
• no money
• no FCC authority over PSAPs
• ??have to support fall back modes (see next)

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Acronyms and concepts
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• IMS (Internet Multimedia Subsystem)
• 4G approach to carrying multimedia calls
• SIP-based (like NENA i3)
• MMES (Multimedia Emergency Services)
• IMS extension
• details TBD
• ESInet (Emergency Services IP network)
• the (private) IP network that connects PSAPs in a
  region
• contains call handling and call routing equipment

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Acronyms and concepts

• OTT (over-the-top)
• communication services that use Internet (IP)
  services for voice or video
• rather than native services directly supported
  by cellular provider
• currently, voice SMS/MMS
• examples Google Voice, Skype, Vonage, Netflix,
  iMessage, AOL IM,

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PSAP text handling options direct
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Option Advantage Disadvantage
NG911 Direct communication RTT Cost of NG911 Time to deploy (8 years/95)
Pre-NG911 (text only IP) Direct communication CAD integration PSAP upgrade
Web-based Direct communication Cheap No integration with CAD Requires IP connectivity
TTY Direct communication Every PSAP has one No personnel costs Reliability untested TTY training and usage Who do you call when things go wrong?
TTY with human operator fallback as above may avoid catastrophic failures as above
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PSAP text handling options assisted
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Option Advantages Disadvantages
Telematics voice with direct routing Trained staff Works for every PSAP Not direct conversation delay Staffing cost Provider?
TRS voice Providers may be available (?) Leverage infrastructure Indirect Answer delay Staff not emergency-trained
Redirect to text PSAP Trained call taker Dispatch and handling delay Finding willing PSAPs?
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PSAP classes
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Who can use the system?

• Options presented
• everybody
• soft registration
• are you sure message for non-registered users
• e.g., TRS/VRS users get access to 911 app for
  smartphones
• hard registration
• error message for non-registered users
• Affects
• system cost (if telematics or relay operator)
• funding possibilities
• broader goals (text as fallback, Vtech scenarios)
• per-call cost

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Key questions

• What transition mechanisms are
• preferable
• acceptable for a transition period?
• How long should the transition period be?
• Any suggestions on mechanisms to encourage
  accelerate the transition to better mechanisms?
• Identify trade-offs and solutions, not just
  requirements