Emergency Response and Wireless Location Systems

Converge! Network Digest
August 24th, 2010

In an emergency response scenario such as after a terrorist event, people are in critical need of immediate assistance. And that need cuts indiscriminately across technological and logistical factors such as a caller's environment of the moment or the capabilities and settings of the mobile device that person is using to call for help. When lives are at stake, public-safety agencies' first responders need the most reliable, most accurate location information for whoever happens to be in need, in whatever circumstance-and they need it in real time.

The standard for what constitutes a "good enough" capability for locating mobile devices in emergencies has risen. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has enhanced E911 rules to give public-safety dispatchers better location information more quickly and improve emergency response. In its E911 Phase II requirements, the FCC stipulates that wireless operators provide local public safety answering points (PSAPs) with the latitude and longitude of an emergency caller's mobile device to within 50 meters in some instances.

What wireless location technologies are best suited for mission-critical safety-of-life emergency services across all environments and for all types of mobile devices?

Technology Consideration

A number of technologies exist for locating mobile devices, but wireless operators must be well informed about the capabilities and limitations of the array of wireless location solutions in order to successfully meet the FCC Phase E911 II requirements and deliver the performance that first responders need to save lives

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