2018 was a watershed year with respect to high-accuracy vertical location technology. What was once thought of as a science experiment—the ability to locate someone’s wireless device in real time, indoors, and in three dimensions—was proven to be not only technically possible, but ready for use in commercial and public safety applications. With a 3D location standard about to be established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) are wondering how and when this new technology will be integrated into their systems to improve the way they handle and respond to emergency calls. In this article, I review the various types of 3D location technology available in the market today, provide practical advice on how to best integrate it with existing public safety infrastructure, and highlight how deploying 3D location technology will improve public safety key performance metrics. Read more.
