America's 911 System Changing Forever
America's 911 System is About to Change Forever
Published: March 27, 2025
On March 23, 2025, the FCC quietly set a ticking clock—a new milestone in the nationwide transition to Next Generation 911 (NG911) when the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approbated rules the FCC passed last November. Originating Service Providers (OSPs) now face mandatory compliance with FCC mandates detailed under 47 CFR 9.29, effective as of last November. Today, they validated that clock by proposing rules that address resilience and interoperability regulations to any supplier of a Next Generation Core Service (NGCS) functional element that is part of supplying a location or direction on the routing of a 911 call.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr noted "One of the most important things we [FCC] can do on this front is to make sure that calls to 911 always go through and that is why our 911 reliability rules are so important."
This isn’t just another bureaucratic box-checking exercise. It’s a seismic shift that promises to reshape public safety and telecom industries alike.
The problem is that many NG911 solution providers aren’t ready. Some are betting heavily on reconfiguring transitional location solutions that weren’t designed for the modern regulatory era or are not fully i3 standards-based. Others have struggled to invest or embrace standards-based interoperability, acquiring legacy technology rather than innovating it, which will have to be adapted just to be visible in the rear view.
Why does that matter? Because true NG911 data interoperability isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s now mandated by the FCC.
Standards-based technology ensures that every piece of the emergency response puzzle fits together seamlessly, no matter who built it. And without genuine interoperability, emergency systems could fail exactly when they’re needed most.
Here at 1Spatial, we saw this turn coming—and we didn’t pump the brakes; we steered into it. Our solution, 1Locate, was engineered and launched in June 2024, months before regulators even finalized these rules. Designed explicitly around NENA i3 standards, our LIS-as-a-service solution already addresses legacy requirements and the future NG911 ecosystem simultaneously.
How? Because 1Spatial didn’t just follow these standards—we helped write them.
The Bottom Line
Today, the FCC proposed expanding who qualifies as Covered Service Providers (CSPs)—a crucial designation for those responsible for the backbone of emergency communications. Providers of core NG911 functions like GIS, Emergency Call Routing (ECRF), and Location Information Servers (LIS) will need annual FCC certification.
1Spatial is uniquely positioned for this moment. Unlike our competitors, we engineered our technology from scratch—fully standards-compliant and specifically tailored for OSPs navigating this complex regulatory landscape but with an eye to the need for legacy support during transition. We understand where our competitors have stumbled, the limitations of their approaches, and precisely what public safety demands.
If you’re an OSP or telecom provider, the choice has never been clearer. You could gamble on transitional technology from vendors who acquired rather than innovated—or you could partner with a company that anticipated this shift, built the right solution from the ground up, and knows exactly where the industry is headed.
The FCC advancements aren’t just another regulatory update—it is redefining the future of emergency communications across America. At 1Spatial, we’re ready. Are you?
Join 1Spatial at Network X Americas - the premier gathering for industry stakeholders eager to stay at the forefront of telecom innovation - on May 20-22 in Dallas, TX. Whether over coffee or in our booth, engage directly with our team to discover why true NG911 data interoperability matters.