Airbus DS Communications and West Collaborate, Streamline Text-to-9-1-1 Adoption for Public Safety Answering Points
Both companies decided that working together to help shoulder this demand is in the best interest of PSAPs and the communities they serve.
Airbus DS Communications, Inc., an entity of Airbus Defense and Space, and West, a leading provider of technology-enabled communications services, launched a collaboration designed to make it easier for public safety agencies to coordinate, obtain and implement the infrastructure necessary to accept SMS text messages within 9-1-1 call centers.
Prior to this collaboration, most public safety answering points (PSAPs) had to work with multiple, separate entities to request and coordinate the pieces needed for text-to-9-1-1 capabilities. Now -- for customers who want the Airbus DS Communications VESTA® SMS application and the West TCC (Text Control Center) TXT2-9-1-1® service -- one call to West or Airbus DS Communications links PSAPs to a tailor-built website where all needed information is gathered and then sent to the appropriate contacts in both companies to put the process in motion. This collaboration simplifies the process for PSAPs and illustrates the willingness of these key industry leaders to jointly serve the needs of public safety.
"Text-to-9-1-1 is too important for us to not to take every step possible to streamline its adoption across the country," said Bob Freinberg, CEO of Airbus DS Communications. "Establishing text-to-9-1-1 and other Next Generation 9-1-1 capabilities can be seen as daunting and with PSAPs facing more demands today than ever before.
Airbus DS Communications and West decided that working together to help shoulder this demand is in the best interest of PSAPs and the communities they serve.
In addition to streamlining the process, the collaboration also sidesteps another common issue faced by PSAPs. When coordinated independently, the pieces necessary for text-to-9-1-1 often were obtained one at a time or out of sync, delaying the roll out of text-to-9-1-1 service to the public.
"We are excited to collaborate with Airbus DS Communications to more efficiently deliver text messaging service for citizens in need of 9-1-1 help," said Steve Lowe, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Government Solutions in West's Safety Services Division. "Together, we can provide even more PSAPs the ability to accept and dispatch emergency text messages from those who may not be able to safely make a voice call."
