WirelessWERX Participates in Next Generation 9-1-1 Initiative Proof of Concept
SiteWERX Provides Critical Location Information
Anaheim, Calif., November 18, 2008 — WirelessWERX, a leader in delivering in-building precise location technologies for mobile devices, is participating in a Proof of Concept test for the Next Generation 9-1-1 project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation. WirelessWERX’s SiteWERX platform is being used to collect and transmit location information from Bluetooth enabled mobile devices. The SiteWERX location information can give a caller’s precise location, down to the exact floor and room that the call is coming from.
This technology can also support text messaging and give the 911 center the location that the person is texting from. This is critical in hostage or campus gunman situations where a person is unable to make a call, but can send a text to 911 centers.
“WirelessWERX offers breakthrough precise location technology via SiteWERX that helps bring the 911 centers into the 21st century,” said project Director Dr. Walt Magnussen, “For the first time we can get exact location information and know what floor and what room someone is calling or texting from. That allows us to get help to people much faster Mobile device location is a significant issue that had to be resolved in the NG 9-1-1 Proof of Concept project. Wireless WERX provided a real world solution to this problem.”
The Proof of Concept started June 16, 2008 and will run through November 2008. Three testing laboratories and five Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) began transmitting data as the Proof of Concept (POC) portion of the U.S. DOT’s NG 9-1-1 Initiative. The three participating laboratories are housed at Booz Allen Hamilton, Texas A&M University and Columbia University. The five PSAPs are:
- City of Rochester – Emergency Communications Department, Rochester, NY
- King County E-911 System, Seattle, WA
- Metropolitan Emergency Services Board – Ramsey Co. Emergency Communications Center, St. Paul, MN
- State of Montana – Public Safety Services Bureau, Helena, MT
- State of Indiana – Office of State Treasurer, Indiana Wireless 911 Board
- The objective of the Proof of Concept is to test selected requirements including:
- The ability of PSAPs to receive voice, video, text (IM, SMS) and data
- Improving 9-1-1 access for deaf/hearing-impaired (e.g., Video Relay Services, text messaging)
- Caller’s location identification for landline, wireless and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) 9-1-1 calls
- Transmission of telematics data directly to the PSAP (Advanced Automatic Crash Notification) like crash location, speed, vehicular rollover, crash velocity
- 9-1-1 Call routing and call transfer based on caller’s location
- Internet Protocol (IP) networking and security
Following completion of the demonstration, data gathered during the POC will be analyzed and used to revise and complete the project’s preliminary system architecture and transition plan.
The US DOT NG 9-1-1 Initiative is an R&D project funded by the Intelligent Transportation Joint Program Office. To see all the planning and reference documents published as part of the NG 9-1-1 Initiative and for more information on the effort, go to www.its.dot.gov/NG911.
About WirelessWERX, Inc.
Established in 1998, WirelessWERX is headquartered in Anaheim, California. WirelessWERX is a leader in delivering in-building location information via Bluetooth enabled mobile devices. The company has a long history of developing and deploying end-to-end solutions for the deployment of Mobile Resource Management and Tracking solutions as well as Location Based Services Systems. WirelessWERX is a privately held venture funded company. For more information visit www.wirelesswerx.com or call +1-714-685-9776.
Media Contact:
Julie Vlahos
WirelessWERX
Phone: +1-415-298-4225
Email: JVlahos@wirelesswerx.com