The 911 Emergency Number Can Now Receive Text Messages
References: transition.fcc.gov & gizmodo
Up until this week, the only way to contact the 911 emergency respond team if you were need of assistance was through a phone call, but now the emergency hotline has extended its availability to texting.
In many dangerous and life-threatening situations, making a phone call to the police isn’t always the safest option. Now cellphone users with the providers Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint are able to text the 911 emergency line in times of crisis, for example if someone is robbing your house. Unlike a phone call, 911 operators won’t be able to use a call locator to determine your exact location so you’ll have to remember to let them know where you are. The next step after texting is to allow users to send photos to 911 operators.
In many dangerous and life-threatening situations, making a phone call to the police isn’t always the safest option. Now cellphone users with the providers Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint are able to text the 911 emergency line in times of crisis, for example if someone is robbing your house. Unlike a phone call, 911 operators won’t be able to use a call locator to determine your exact location so you’ll have to remember to let them know where you are. The next step after texting is to allow users to send photos to 911 operators.
Trend Themes
1. Text-to-911 - The rise of text-to-911 technology allows emergency responders to receive urgent messages from individuals who are incapable of making a phone call.
2. Photo Sharing for Emergencies - The incorporation of photo-sharing capabilities for 911 emergency calls enhances the ability of emergency responders to assess and respond to different types of crisis situations in real time.
3. Smartphone Apps for Emergency Response - As mobile devices continue to play an increasingly large role in our daily lives, the development of new emergency response apps that leverage the unique capabilities of smartphones has strong disruptive innovation potential.
Industry Implications
1. Telecommunications Industry - Telecommunications companies are at the forefront of developing and improving technology that enables text-to-911 emergency response capabilities.
2. Emergency Response and Public Safety Industry - Emergency response and public safety organizations can leverage text-to-911 messaging and smartphone app technology to make their services more accessible and user-friendly to a diverse array of individuals.
3. Mobile App Development Industry - The rise of text-to-911 and other emergency response smartphone apps creates new business opportunities in the mobile app development industry.
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