The technology currently available for location reporting from a variety of devices only allows a limited amount of mobility on the part of the general public, which indicates a change is needed. Consumers and business professionals today are on the go, making necessary for 911 staff to ask of every caller their specific location.

In fact, according to this Avaya (News - Alert) blog, some estimate that the callers are asked this question 340,000 times a year as most 911 systems are based on a correlation of physical addresses tied to the telephone number.

As telephone users become increasingly mobile and are making calls from devices not tied to a address that is applicable to the emergency at hand, this has become a problem that E911 hosted solutions aim to solve.

E911 hosted solutions are true and solid offerings from quality providers, not mere applications provided by unknown developers. Avaya warns users to be leery of apps that offer more than they can deliver. These “solutions” are actually offering a false sense of security that can cause a setback that E911 hosted solutions are trying to resolve.

Take, for instance, the recent fuss over the CrimePush, an app available through iTunes that supposedly helped victims report crimes to police with the “push of a button.” The problem with this app is that it was reported to have the capability to send data such as text, photos, and audio/visual to the authorities. But if a 911 network supports voice only, users in that area will not have full advantage of the app, and thus a false sense of security.

Users testing the app noticed fairly quickly that a distress message meant for first responders got lost in space rather than getting to the appropriate agent. 911 agents are anxious to get this information out to their public who might think they are covered by an app that is actually not of any use to them in their current 911 district.

E911 hosted solutions, however, are the next generation 911 network that can offer connectivity between PSAPs and carrier networks that can provide the coverage on which mobile users can rely.

There are several reasons that a next generation E911 hosted solution is needed today. To start, enterprise networks need to connect with intelligent data. Users need to be connected with intelligent data, not from a fixed location, but from automatic crash notifications. People with disabilities need to be able to connect to 911 services with the same ability that those without disabilities have, and this often requires a mode of communication that is not widely used.

Finally, the public requires connectivity to new technology as it comes on the market that allows first responders to get the information they need to get to the people who need their services. Without this capability, the public is at risk and the blame often falls on those dedicating to providing the help. With E911 hosted solutions firmly in place, it really can be the difference between life and death.

911 ETC (News - Alert) is offering a webinar to explore the importance of E911 hosted solutions. Mark Fletcher of Avaya will join Michael Anderson, national sales director for 911 ETC, to clarify what questions organizations should really be asking when it comes to implementing E911 hosted solutions.

This webinar will explore what really matters when it comes to E911, how organizations can address the topic while also keeping it simple and cost-effective, and just how granular they need to get to be effective.

If you’re a telecom director, risk management director, small business owner, IP telephony manufacturer sales staff, IP telephony reseller or consultant or a voice service provider, this is one webinar you won’t want to miss. Take the time to register today!