Canadian Wireless Carriers to Implement Enhanced 911 Service

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Canadian Wireless Carriers to Implement Enhanced 911 Service

1:43 pm on January 28, 2010 | Category: Wireless Technology, Telecom Services, Wireless, Cellular, Regulation

Beginning on Monday (February 1), Canadians will benefit from enhanced 911 service on cellular phones, allowing emergency dispatchers to pinpoint callers’ locations more accurately.

The enhanced 911 service, which was ordered by the CRTC last year, will use cell tower triangulation, as well as GPS satellite technology. It’s still not always possible to determine a caller’s exact location, however, according to the president of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, Bernard Lord.

“It’s question of time. The work is being done. It’s an evolving situation,” Lord cautioned. “I think it’s important to realize there have been significant improvements but the technology is not in place and does not exist to pinpoint every individual in every case. This is not like in the movies. It can be as accurate as within three metres, but in other cases it could be hundreds of metres.”

In other words, if you’re making a 911 call from your mobile phone, you’ll be moderately safer. But it’s still important to provide the dispatcher with details about your exact location.