Work Remains to Build Transformative Next-Generation 911: Starks

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said the FCC is making progress on emergency communications, but he favors going further to ensure a “transformation” to next-generation 911. An NG911 architecture with “broader support for all types of media and real-time communications -- text, audio, and video,” Starks said in remarks to an NG911 Institute dinner, posted Wednesday. NG911 should mean “better data and more sophisticated visualizations,” he said, and better integration with other systems, whether it’s the telematics in our cars and trucks or an intelligent transportation network. More accessible features for vulnerable communities, including the deaf and hard of hearing.” Starks said he’s aware of the challenges faced by 911 call centers, recalling a visit he made last year to a public safety answering point in his hometown of Kansas City. “When we talk about next-gen, we should be talking about a transition that doesn’t make life harder on the front lines, but rather equips our public safety professionals with the technology they need to do their jobs as effectively as possible,” he said.