When a construction crew inadvertently cut through fiber-optic cables in St. Louis Park, Minn., last summer, things could have been catastrophic. With the city’s public safety answering points (PSAPs) out of commission, it might not have been possible to field emergency calls — but service resumed rather quickly.
PSAP traffic was rerouted to neighboring Minnetonka with only a 30-minute lapse in service. “That’s fantastic for an unplanned event,” said PSAP Manager Lt. Lori Dreier.
St. Louis Park pulled off this save thanks to a decision a year earlier to convert its telecommunications infrastructure to voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). With its portability, cost savings and the promise of enhanced functionality, Internet-based telephony is becoming the de facto choice in jurisdictions whose PSAPs are approaching the end of their five- to seven-year life cycle.
The best reason to convert to VoIP may well be the obsolescence of existing 911 call centers. The technology driving these centers has not changed significantly in decades, and is now so far behind the times that upgrading existing infrastructure is impractical.
Go to Government Technology to read more about 911 call systems updating to VoIP.
Obsolescence of 911 Call Systems Leads Localities to Update to VoIP
By: Adam Stone on January 02, 2012
Flickr CC/amayzun
You may use or reference this story with attribution and a link to
http://www.emergencymgmt.com/safety/911-Systems-Update-VoIP.html
Featured Articles
CDC’s Solve the Outbreak App Turns People into Digital Epidemiologists By: Hilton Collins Jun 17, 2013
Latest Blog Posts 
Job: Legislative Affairs Specialist--FEMAJun 17 This is an opportunity for someone looking for a legislative affairs position.…
Cyber and Physical Security Special Report
This Special Report drills into these best practices, offers case study highlights of successful security policies across the country, reports additional details from the latest CDG research and provides a list of the top tools available today to defend against the shadowy community of domestic and international intruders.
Emergency Management News in Your Inbox
Subscribe to Emergency Management
Emergency Management is the award-winning, all-hazards publication of record for emergency management, public safety and homeland security stakeholders.
Subscribe | View Digital Issues