Intrado launches next-gen 911 migration solution
Leading 911 systems provider Intrado today announced the ‘Great Migration,” an offering that is designed to help public-safety answering points (PSAPs) make the transition from legacy 911 platforms to next-generation systems without large capital expenses.
To date, Intrado has deployed or is making deployments for NG- 911 platforms for about 300 PSAPs, according to Joe Hernandez, senior vice president. Some of the issues that have arisen during these experiences have centered on perceived risks in trying to meet next-generation standards and the lack of funding available to many PSAPs for some of the significant infrastructure, he said.
With its Great Migration package, Intrado will provide hosted, cloud-based, NG-911 services to PSAPs without the need for large upfront expenses, while guaranteeing that the solution will be compliant with NENA’s i3 standards, Hernandez said.
“We wanted to provide a solution that was proven, where there was technological expertise, and to show cost effectiveness, and essentially overcome these top concerns without making the public-safety community a guinea pig in the process,” Hernandez said during an interview with Urgent Communications. “All of this is being hosted by Intrado. We maintain it, we deploy it, and we assure that it’s tested and turned up in a very methodical way that public safety would appreciate.
“We provide this service on a monthly-fee basis, so there’s no large capital upfront money that’s required. We’ve actually developed a pricing solution that’s predictable year over year, so it’s easy to budget for. So, we’ve addressed a lot of those top concerns that the industry has had to date, and we’re excited to be one of the very few companies that can offer this type of solution.”
Intrado’s solution can address myriad 911-related issues and services, including call-handling, training and security, Hernandez said. PSAPs need to have proper connectivity to enable next-generation applications, but Intrado is willing to work with partners for that, as well, he said.
“It includes any upfront equipment you may need to get started, and it includes any work that needs to be done to meet the standards,” Hernandez said. “And, it’s for all the products and services that Intrado’s providing—probably the most comprehensive list from any vendor—are the ones we will ensure will meet the standards.”
Plaquemines Parish Government in Belle Chase, La., was the first PSAP to purchase the comprehensive Great Migration package after considering other options, according to Jeff Boone, telecommunications manger.
“We looked at several alternatives for next-generation 911 capabilities,” Boone said in a statement. “Intrado’s solution made the most sense to us, because we can start with the network and call-handling components and then add on next-gen functions as we’re ready. And, it complies with the NENA i3 standard, which was very important to us.
“They have really simplified the process and made it easy to get started.”
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