How to Find the Right NG9-1-1 Vendor
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3 minute read
The upgrade to IP-based Next generation 9-1-1 is here, and with any new generation, making decisions on how to move forward into a new era can be some of the most critical decisions you can make. This blog will cover what you should expect from your selected NG9-1-1 provider in addition to the solutions they provide.
Let’s dive in.
Every state and county infrastructure is different, and for you to consider working with an NG9-1-1 vendor they should first provide a strategy plan that fits your specific needs and addresses your goals.
The first thing a vendor should do is dive into the discovery phase. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your current system, and the opportunities and threats to the implementation of next generation 9-1-1 solutions. What issues need to be addressed and what will be the future demand of the system? Data should be analyzed and used to improve system functions and response capabilities.
Next comes developing the strategy, building the plan and managing the project. Your partner should help you determine things such as mission, vision, competitive advantage and long term objectives. Budgeting and benchmarking is next. Setting realistic KPIs is important to track the progress of your plan.
Lastly comes project management, training and optimization. Your vendor should manage the implementation and help train your staff. Your commitment to flexibility when faced with unexpected circumstances and optimization efforts will lead your team to success.
The best scenario is that your NG9–1-1 partner is active and experienced in policy making. Involvement in organizations such as NENA and APCO showcase an expertise in policies, systems and processes. These organizations will also help support your transition from legacy to NG9-1-1 with federal and state resources and events throughout the year.
Without involvement in policy, your PSAP may miss out on important information about funding, interoperability, and changes to legislation critical to your upgrade from a legacy network to NG9-1-1.
An approach to implementation that’s structured and communicated is non-negotiable when selecting a partner to lead your upgrade. Be sure you are clear on their implementation process so you can poke holes and ask the right questions.
In a recent blog post, we created a checklist for the migration to NG9-1-1 that gives you seventeen questions to ask your vendor about the upgrade process and plan. Use it to your advantage and get clear answers on the implementation plan of an NG9-1-1 solution.
In another blog post, we discuss the importance of the non technical transition to next generation 9-1-1. While your NG9-1-1 vendor leads the team implementing technical solutions, you have an obligation to your PSAP and its employees to upgrade your system in a sustainable way, with everyone on board.
System sustainability generates sustainable results. Results that can be analyzed and improved over time. Continued improvement to our 9-1-1 network saves lives.
Ask your NG9-1-1 partner how they ensure network reliability after implementation. What measures are put in place to reduce downtime? Ask about network response times. Get educated about the ESInet. While you don’t need to be the expert, understand the routers, data security systems, and core services that meet NENA standards. This is another action you can take to assure you are selecting the best provider for your PSAP and community.
Network reliability can also mean additional network flexibility. How flexible are the systems and solutions your NG9-1-1 provides? Are they built to be agile and sustain function through upgrades? Ask about things like sharing data with various softwares, connectivity for text-to-9-1-1, routing calls to other PSAPs, and the sharing of real-time crime scene media.
For over 25 years, Synergem Technologies has pioneered the advancement of technology in the 9-1-1 industry. First to market with an i3 Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet), our mission is to provide an easy, seamless, and efficient process for communities to upgrade their legacy systems to the NENA-i3 standard.
We have partnered with Oracle Communications and other network providers to build a highly-reliable and fault-tolerant virtual infrastructure for Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services. The result of these partnerships are our i3 NextGen9-1-1 Core Services with the security, capacity and resiliency that is unrivaled in the industry.