Alianza Inc. today announced new developments for its cloud communications platform designed to help US-based service providers more easily comply with enhanced 911 (E911) federal regulations such as Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act, the latest requirement going into full effect on January 6, 2022. As noted by Alianza, "Together, these regulations were designed to ensure the public has greater access to emergency services and improve the potential for better emergency response outcomes — no matter what communications solution is used." The new enhancements introduced to the cloud platform include the capability of Alianza's Cymbus desktop and mobile softphone applications to leverage location services to dynamically route emergency calls to the nearest public safety answering point (PSAP).
As further explained by an Alianza statement:
"While location compliance for landlines is not new, the expansion of unified communication tools that allow users to make calls from personal computers, tablets, and other mobile devices has made location detection and 911 compliance more complex. As enterprises and organizations increasingly embrace digital and cloud transformation, E911 compliance is growing in importance and are evolving with technology adoption trends, making it more challenging for service providers to stay in compliance. Building upon Alianza's existing E911 features, our Cymbus softphone app is now capable of supporting dynamic E911 locations via the device's GPS or manual input from the user. When a user dials 911 from Cymbus, their call will be connected to the nearest PSAP based on the latitude and longitude provided by their mobile GPS."
The company adds that "with work from home (WFH) here to stay, employee locations can vary wildly, but their emergency location is no longer tied to the office. Regardless of the caller's location, all calls to 911 will transmit the caller's 'dispatchable' location so emergency responders can pinpoint the location where help is needed."
Alianza states that its cloud communications platform is now fully compliant with current E911 regulations, which require that any multi-line telephone system (MLTS) — like those used in office buildings, hotels, hospitals, and schools — be capable of the following:
• "Dispatchable" Location: Send the caller's dispatchable location to the nearest PSAP for all 911 calls, no matter what device they are dialing from. The dispatchable location includes details such as the calling party's street address, floor, and room number or any other information needed to precisely identify the caller's location to let emergency personnel know exactly where to go to find the caller.
• Direct-Dial 911: Enable any user to place a 911 call directly, without having to dial a prefix such as a "9" to get an outside line.
• Notification: Generate a notification to an on- or off-site central location, such as a front desk or a security office, when a 911 call is placed to advise the location from which the call was made and all on-site personnel to prepare for the arrival of emergency services.
"Of all of the communications services that a service provider offers, those related to the health and safety of their end customers are most critical," said Justin Cooper, EVP Product and Customer Success for Alianza. "The new enhancements to our cloud communications platform will ensure that our service provider customers can more easily get into and stay in compliance with important new federal E911 regulations. We are proud of the work our development team is doing in this area, which is becoming even more crucial as enterprises and organizations continue their digital and cloud transformations."
