Tech & Biz

CRTC Set to Upgrade 911 System for Cellphone Industry

by Geneva B | January 7, 2009 at 10:30 am

225 views | 0 Recommendations | 5 comments

In a move that will surely have Canadians feeling a lot more safe and secure, industry regulator CRTC has announced plans to upgrade Canada's increasingly outdated 911 system for the cellphone industry.

Government officials said they would impose a February, 2010, deadline to install the necessary equipment to give 911 dispatchers the ability to locate cellular calls in an emergency.

The decision comes after a recent investigation by Globe and Mail noted fatalities and near-death incidents attributed to 911 dispatchers being unable to trace the location of mobile callers.

The regulator is giving the industry a year so that wireless companies will have time to put a working system in place “throughout the country,” Mr. Godin said.
More than half of all 911 calls in Canada come from cellphones.

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jessy0501

at 11:53 on January 7th, 2009

jessy0501 has contributed a photo to this story.

Tomedic

at 20:25 on January 7th, 2009

This is "X-Ray One," the Bomb Squad unit of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, placed in service in 2008. The department's Explosive Ordinance Technicians ("bombers") are all firefighters and attend continious, intensive training. They work with the
Metro Arson Strike Team ("MAST") fire and arson investigators.

Photo credit for Duane Kudlow, AMR San Diego

Tomedic has contributed a photo to this story.

lukegetsno

at 22:29 on January 7th, 2009

Always prepared

Luke_GETSNO has contributed a photo to this story.

LewLegacy

at 19:35 on January 8th, 2009

we have been able to see cell caller locations automatically when we answer the phone on an map for several years.

LewLegacy has contributed a photo to this story.

eastvanray

at 11:26 on January 10th, 2009

Interesting and frightening. Who are you referring to when you say "we have been able to see caller location"? Are you with the police or fire or are you a private citizen?