Basic 9-1-1 Service
“9-1-1” has been available as the telephone number to dial to request emergency assistance in Connecticut since the 1970’s. The first 9-1-1 service available was called Basic 9-1-1 service and it delivered 9-1-1 calls to a local police department, fire department or regional dispatch center based on the originating telephone exchange without the benefit of any location information. Technical limitations inherent in Basic 9-1-1 service made it impossible, at that time, to provide 9-1-1 service to everyone in the State.
Enhanced 9-1-1 Service
In 1984 a law was passed mandating Enhanced 9-1-1 service, commonly known as “E9-1-1” service be implemented statewide by the end of 1989. E9-1-1 service made 9-1-1 the only number to call for emergency assistance anywhere in the state from any type of telephone device (traditional wireline, wireless and voice over IP (VoIP) telephones). E9-1-1 service delivers 9-1-1 calls to public safety answering points via an SS7/ISDN network and provides automatic location information (ALI) with a display of the name, address and telephone number of the orignating telephone on a screen at the public safety answering point (PSAP). E9-1-1 has been serving Connecticut from 1990 to the present time.
Next Generation 9-1-1 Service
Next Generation 9-1-1 Service also known as NG9-1-1 will replace the existing E9-1-1 system during the 2013 – 2014 timeframe. The NG9-1-1 system will be Internet Protocol (IP) based, and will utilize the State of Connecticut Public System Data Network for call delivery and employ state of the art software and hardware at the PSAPs. It will provide an infrastructure to allow text to 9-1-1, the ability to send images/video with a 9-1-1 call, and to call 9-1-1 directly via the internet when telecommunication service carriers make these features available to the public.