New Bell Atlantic Service Helps Emergency Workers Pinpoint 911 Calls from Campuses, Office Parks, High-Rises
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New Bell Atlantic Service Helps Emergency Workers
Pinpoint 911 Calls from Campuses, Office Parks, High-Rises
Businesses, Colleges, Hospitals Can Buy Service to Load
911 Data Bases with Location of Each Line on Their Private
Phone Systems
August 27, 1998
Media contact: | Jim Smith , |
NEW YORK -- Whether loading freight in the far reaches of a warehouse
or burning the midnight oil in a college dormitory, callers who need
emergency assistance can get the help they need more quickly, thanks to a
new 9-1-1 system feature now available to Bell Atlantic customers in New
York.
The new feature solves the problem of identifying the location of phones
served by private phone systems used in large businesses. Businesses and
institutions can purchase the enhancement. It is not provided through local
9-1-1 system operators.
Without the automatic location identification, emergency operators may
see only the street address of a main building when callers dial 9-1-1 from a
telephone served by a Private Branch Exchange (PBX), Centrex, or other
multi-line telephone system. Emergency personnel could lose precious
time searching for the precise location of the emergency -- time that could
mean the difference between a rescue and a tragedy.
Since the 1970s, 9-1-1 service has provided the public with a quick
connection to emergency services. In recent years, improvements were
made to provide emergency personnel with the address of residences and
small businesses.
"With this latest improvement, rescuers will be able to find the exact
location of emergencies in college dorms, hospitals, hotels, office parks and
the many other locations with multi-line telephone systems," said Bob
Jacobs, Bell Atlantic product manager.
Private Switch/Automatic Location Identification uses software that
enables organizations to maintain specific location information in the 9-1-1
database for each telephone number on its phone system. The organization
that subscribes to the service is responsible for inputting all the necessary
telephone numbers, location information and updates.
"Private Switch/Automatic Location Identification gives PBX and Centrex
users direct, secure access to Bell Atlantic's 9-1-1 data base. Customers
merely sit at their PCs and input the specific location information into the
9-1-1 system," Jacobs said. "The intelligence of the system automatically
triggers location information as soon as emergency personnel receive a call
for help."
One of the advantages of this 9-1-1 enhancement is flexibility. With
workers and residents moving frequently, subscribers can make changes at
any time.
There are monthly and one-time charges for the new enhancement. One-
time charges include $3,000 for database set-up and access and $750 per
trunk (minimum of two) for network trunk installation. Recurring monthly
charges include $10 for each block of 100 records on file to cover database
maintenance and management, and $39 per network access trunk
(minimum of 2) for accessing the database. Database and trunk rates are
subject to state tariffs.
With additional hardware and software, security personnel in the building
or on campus where the emergency occurs also can receive simultaneous
emergency notification when callers dial 9-1-1.
PBX, Centrex or multi-line telephone system users can get additional
information on the new Private Switch/Automatic Location Identification
by contacting their Bell Atlantic account representative.
Bell Atlantic's Large Business Services offers an extensive suite of
communications solutions. Whether for voice, data, images or video,
Bell Atlantic's® All@once® Solutions represents a tailored approach for
customers. Account team members work closely with information and business
managers, combining a keen understanding of their business requirements
with professional consulting skills, guiding customers through the
complexities of network analysis, product selection, installation, and
migration paths. To learn more about All@once® Solutions -- a perfect fit
for business -- visit www.bellatlantic.com/largebiz, or call 1-800-846-
1200, ext. 7299.
Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 41 million telephone access lines and
more than seven million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic
companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data
services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest
publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also
among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications
markets, with operations and investments in 23 countries.