Next Generation 9-1-1 - Standards, Transitions and Challenges

Brian Rosen

Senior Director, Neustar

Chair, Long Term Definition WG, NENA

We’re redesigning the 9-1-1 system• It’s a complete redesign, top to bottom

» All new network, protocols, data structures• Moving from a telephone network to an IP network• The project is called “Next Generation 9-1-1”• The initial technical standards are often called “i3”

• NG9-1-1 is multimedia: voice, video, text• NG9-1-1 handles new devices & services easily• NG9-1-1 responds better to overload and

disasters (and deliberate attack)

NENA 08-003 Public Review • Detailed Functional Element and External

Interface specifications (“Stage 3”) NENA 08-003 is out for public review

• This is the final technical review, and we expect to publish 08-003 this year

• This document provides a complete technical standard for the public safety side of the ESInet, and the service provider interfaces to it

• The technical standards for NG9-1-1 are colloquially called “i3”

i3 is based on IETF emergency standards• NENA does NOT define what origination networks

do, but references IETF standards• Single international standard for emergency calling• IETF “framework” and “phonebcp” (still a draft, but

on its way through IETF approval process) defines what endpoints and networks do

Emergency Services IP Network• The network that connects all public safety

agencies together» Not just a 9-1-1 network» Public Safety is broadly defined

• Managed, private, routed IP network, but not a walled garden

• Origination networks connect to it, and it’s connected to the global Internet

• Bottom up county-state-national network design

Some details about location• New representation for location: PIDF-LO

» RFC4119 updated by RFC5139» Based on SIP Presence (PIDF)

• XML data structure accommodates both a civic (street address) or geo (lat/lon)

• Location can be passed by value (the PIDF itself) or by reference (a URI which when “dereferenced” yields a PIDF

• New “Location Configuration Protocol” for an endpoint to learn it’s own location

• New SIP Geolocation header to send location with the call• Dereferencing protocols can be SIP (Presence

subscription) or HTTP (HELD protocol)

Key fundamentals• All calls (without exception) enter the ESInet as SIP, with

location, routed by ECRF (LoST server)» Anything that isn’t native SIP is gatewayed to SIP

outside the ESInet or on its border• Location comes from the ACCESS NETWORK, which may

or may not be the calling network• Since the ECRF is available from the local 9-1-1 Authority,

and calls are accepted over the Internet, costs to service providers are minimal

• All service providers are affected, everything is changing

Compared to the existing E9-1-1 system:• New form of location: “PIDF”

» Carries either geo or civic» Handles location in a building» Can be sent as a “value” or a “reference”

• New form of routing database “ECRF”» Inherently point in polygon with geocode from civic» Driven by PSAP map (provisioning of ECRF is directly from their GIS system» Used to route calls, but also used to route to responders

• New form of routing engine “ESRP”» Direct location based routing (uses ECRF)» Can be multilevel (state, county, PSAP)» Policy Routing Function uses PSAP management written rules to control routing for

all normal and abnormal conditions: edit the rule, store the ruleset, and routing changes immediately

Transition from E9-1-1 to NG9-1-1

• Starts with the current E9-1-1 system• Ends with all PSAPs and origination networks on

ESInet» Some origination networks could be on Legacy

Network Gateways» Some unupgraded PSAPs could be on Legacy

PSAP Gateways• When Transition is finished, the Selective Router,

and ALI are decommissioned

Legacy Selective Router Gateway

• Interface between an existing Selective Router/ALI and an ESInet

• Allows calls originated on one side to terminate on the other

• Allows calls to be transferred between PSAPs on either side of the LSRG regardless of where the call originated

• Handles location queries when calls transit the LSRG

Example Call Flow Origination network on SR to i3 PSAP

ALI

SRDB

``

ECRF

ESRPSelective RouterLegacy

SRGateway

NG9-1-1 PSAPs

SS7 1

2

3

4

5

6End Office

Transition begins with ESInet and LSRG

• One PSAP is upgraded to i3» All origination networks are still on the SR/ALI» All calls transit the LSRG

• We then can upgrade PSAPs to i3 or move them to LPGs

• We can upgrade origination networks to i3 or move them to LNGs

• When the last PSAP and origination networks are transitioned to the ESInet, the SR and ALI are decommissioned

Transition Characteristics• Everybody moves, one way or another• Moves happen in any order, LSRG allows calls to

be answered regardless of who migrated when• No fork lift upgrades required – SR/ALI don’t

change at all, LNGs and LPGs allow origination networks and PSAPs to migrate without system upgrades, although some data and process upgrades are needed.

• Of course, if you migrate a PSAP via LPG, you don’t get many NG9-1-1 benefits

Challenge #1 Education• PSAP management education

» Lots of things change, but the basics of answering calls and helping people don’t

» NG9-1-1 is complex, and different, but not hard» There are very significant benefits to NG9-1-1» It’s happening, and it’s happening now. Head in

the sand won’t work• State 9-1-1 Authority education

» Bigger roles for states» Not optional

Challenge #1 Education (cont)• Origination Network Education

» It’s happening now» It’s not optional» Except for legacy wireline, it costs less for voice

9-1-1• Regulator Education

» Existing regs often prohibit NG9-1-1 deployment» New origination networks and the access

network vs origination network issues are complex

Challenge #2 Speed of Transition• We can’t take a decade to do transition in an area• It’s not clear we can take more than a year• Once transition starts, either the 9-1-1 authority

has to pay for both the old and new systems, or the current SR/ALI operator has to continue to operate them with declining revenue and customers

• Neither is sustainable for several years – we have to get transition over quickly

Challenge #3 – Existing Origination Nets

• 9-1-1 is an expense with no revenue• 9-1-1 is regulated• 9-1-1 was built for voice, and the network support

for 9-1-1 was built for voice. Adding support for text/video is expensive» See bullet 1 above

• Most existing wireless origination networks are also access networks, operators can’t get their head around providing location for other origination networks riding on their raw IP packet service

Challenge #4 Data

• Location infrastructure is all GIS based – everyone needs a good map

• Lots of new data sources – need implementation of mechanisms and population of databases

• Lots of new data means new processes and new user interfaces

• Special challenge: location accuracy will often be <1m uncertainty within several years» GIS systems need much more accurate data» Lines and points WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT

Challenge #5 Regulation• The simple part is fixing existing regs that inhibit NG9-1-1

deployment• Access networks must supply location. Broadband

networks must supply location. Wireless networks that are broadband networks must supply location

• How do you get a MUCH larger constellation of origination networks to implement 9-1-1? How much is regulated vs how much is voluntary?

• How can we get PSAPs and origination networks to move? Who can compel what?

• What standards for critical infrastructure is required?• Can we PLEASE have a uniform standard for PBXs (and

note that enterprises are often access network operators)

Challenge #6 Cost

• New networks, new equipment, new data = new costs

• It’s an opportunity for vendors to increase profit margins

• It’s also an opportunity for new vendors, business models and relationships to lower overall costs

Next Up: Dispatch

• New data, new processes and new call sources mean changes in dispatch systems

• This effort is already started• Entirely new data interfaces between 9-1-1 and

dispatch (CAD) systems• Will then affect MDTs (mobile data terminals in

responder vehicles).