FOX GROUP Launches NG9-1-1 Advisory Division
FOX GROUP Launches 9-1-1 Advisory Division focused on NG9-1-1 (www.911techadvisors.com)
Over the past sixteen years, we have been involved in helping hundreds of organizations evolve to next generation IP-based communications solutions for the corporate, mobile and contact center requirements.
Since 2009, we have helped dozens of enterprise and government organizations develop plans and procure next generation unified communications solutions. These solutions have enabled them to leverage voice, messaging, video and collaboration applications across time and distance to improve productivity and customer service.
Delays in moving to IP-based communications
We have been waiting and watching government first responders and public safety organization to see when they were going to move to next generation IP based voice and UC solutions for internal non-9-1-1 communications. While some have moved to IP telephony, many have not, primarily to lack of funding and support.
We were particularly waiting to see when, and how, they would be developing strategies and migration plans to move to their 9-1-1 communications solutions for their command centers and corporate communications away from legacy digital solutions to IP-based UC oriented environments integrated into their dispatch and command center 9-1-1 oriented applications.
Unfortunately, the majority of the US and Canadian 9-1-1 oriented organizations have lagged enterprise, education, non-profit and other sectors in moving away from legacy telecom.
Telecom Sector investments in 9-1-1 lag contributions paid by subscribers
As we delved into this area further, we were also dismayed to identify that the North American carriers and cablecos continue to NOT invest in next generation 9-1-1 solutions that would enable them to deliver the required information to the public safety/first responder organization, even if they did have the capabilities.
What is needed to support NG9-1-1
All of these factors made us realize that something had to be done, and someone was going to have to push everyone forward if we were ever going to be able to safely and reliably make and receive IP-based 9-1-1 calls across any device from any location.
FOX GROUP responds to the NG9-1-1 call
During one of our internal strategic planning meetings, we realized that we had already professionals on the team that had not only gone through the challenges on bringing telecom competition to Canadian business customers in the mid-1990s with the CRTC, (and also worked on the number portability saga).
We also had multiple folks that have helped build and support Bell Canada’s carrier 9-1-1 infrastructure, as well as design, deploy and support communication dispatch centers for a variety of public safety/first responder organizers. We even discovered our customer projects related to design and vendor selection for 9-1-1 capabilities for large and medium enterprises, involving equipment signaling, selection of carrier services, policies and training to make sure employees could reach 9-1-1 from within corporate offices.
What will be doing in NG9-1-1
Our new division 9-1-1 Tech Advisors (www.911techadvisors.com) will help organizations design and acquire next generation 9-1-1 voice, video and unified communications technology solutions
that improve 9-1-1 response times that save lives!
We will help prepare your future 9-1-1 design and RFP technical specifications, analyze the vendor results and prepare total cost of ownership to help you select the appropriate vendors for your next generation 9-1-1 solutions.
Our clients include Police, Fire, Emergency Service and Public Safety organizations that require experienced experts to help them acquire and project manage the future next generation 9-1-1 solution(s) integrated into their GIS, RMS and CMS applications.
We will be customizing our ePROcurement applications for the 9-1-1 unique business and technical capabilities in order for public safety organizations to gain support and funding to migrate to NG9-1-1 unified solutions.
This funding is critical for these organizations in order to enable them to integrate the various responder applications together with updated IP carrier information to take 9-1-1 contacts from the public, whether they are contacting them from a smart phone, a PC VoIP app, a video call, a text or email contact.
This is particularly important as the public continues to move away from analogue carrier land lines to mobile IP-based devices and use multi-mode communications more and more as their preferred communications method.
Research, Advisory Services, Insight and Advice on NG9-1-1 Technologies
We will also be expanding our information for 9-1-1 best practices, benchmarking, as well as vendor services and offers in order for us to help our clients successfully acquire and deploy NG9-1-1 technology solutions.
We are proud to be able to bring our past 9-1-1 experience, our current leading edge technology expertise and our regulatory reach and understanding to this important area that affects all of us.
We will be updating our new 911 web site on a regular basis and encourage you to sign up on our web site to gain access to the latest 9-1-1 information.
Changes with Technology Dispatch and NG9-1-1
We will be migrating our Technology Dispatch ezine to a new technology platform associated with our FOX GROUP consulting offers in the near future. This means that you will have to subscribe to the new environment separately in order to receive the 9-1-1 information.
Who to Contact at FOX GROUP
FOX GROUP services: Roberta J. Fox or call +1.289.648.1981
9-1-1 Practice Leader: Bill Elliott, ENP, or call +1.289.648.1985
We hope that you will read our evolving 9-1-1 material as we continue to provide you with current, relevant content via evolving digital media, i.e. video, blogs, podcasts, etc.
As always, we appreciate your thoughts, comments and feedback. We look forward to sharing updates and success stories in future posts.
