Location! Location! The Need for Emergency Wireless Enhanced 911 Services and Comparative Policies in Canada, the United States, and Europe

This IDC study examines emergency wireless enhanced 911 services (E911) and approaches to implementation in several jurisdictions. Canada is "late in the game" in adopting new regulatory rules to implement emergency wireless enhanced 911 services. Although public safety officials applaud the CRTC for releasing its policy on Phase II of wireless E911 in February 2009, it has left important features to further study in a second stage.

"This lag in adoption will continue to impede the provision of effective location-based emergency dispatch services to wireless users by Canadian public safety bodies," said Lawrence Surtees, vice president of communications research at IDC Canada. While the CRTC must urgently establish the timelines for the second stage, "There is also a compelling need for the commission to take the lead to establish ongoing national emergency wireless E911 policies and standards for the public safety community," Mr. Surtees said.