VoIP E911 technology provider TeleCommunication Systems Inc. (TCS) announced on Tuesday the integration of a Master Street Address Guide (MSAG)-based routing feature in its existing VoIP Positioning Center (VPC).

TCS’ new MSAG-based routing feature will route 911 calls that are made from a VoIP Service Provider (VSP) subscriber to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) emergency call centers. This solution applies to static and nomadic VoIP emergency calls.

“With the introduction of this new call routing feature, TCS demonstrates a commitment to improving the quality of E911 service for VoIP providers and PSAPs,” said Roger Hixson, NENA technical issues director, in a press release. “This development also supports the intent of NENA’s recent VoIP Position Statement on use of MSAG-based call routing.”

The ability to route calls using MSAG can help PSAPs that have previously delayed deployment of VoIP service due to concerns over accuracy of the ESZ mapping system handle such calls. The MSAG database contains street names and house numbers that are associated with ESNs. By comparing a caller’s specific street address to the specific street name and house number in the MSAG, the ESN can be determined directly, and the call can be routed to the correct PSAP without further analysis. This technique has the potential to facilitate the deployment process and speed the nationwide roll-out of VoIP E911 service.

“The use of MSAG tables to determine proper call routing eliminates any routing errors that result from the lack of a national standard for GIS data,” stated Dan Allen, senior vice president, Service Bureau Operations for TCS. “It simplifies the GIS maintenance requirements for both the PSAPs and TCS. This solution reflects TCS' continuing commitment to NENA i2 standards.”

TCS made news back in March when it announced it teamed up with Covergence, a SIP applications developer, to provide mobile enterprise customers with access to emergency services. The integration of TCS and Covergence technologies will enable enterprise customers to provide the caller's mobile location identification info to public safety call and dispatch centers via TCS' VoIP E911 service.

Through the new partnership, TCS will integrate its location and presence capabilities for static, nomadic and mobile VoIP users to the Eclipse system. TCS enables the routing and delivery of the VoIP caller's registered location info to the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). TCS delivers Automatic Location Identification (ALI) steering, call routing, call center and other services, enabling TCS to deliver the essential E911 requirements for interconnected VoIP Service Providers (VSPs).

TeleCommunications Systems Inc.

http://www.telecomsys.com

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Johanne Torres is contributing editor for TMCnet and Internet Telephony magazine. To see more articles by Johanne Torres, please visit Johanne Torres' columnist page.