Accelerate Next-Generation 911 Infrastructure

The Problem

When a caller dials 911 from a smartphone in 2026, the call enters the most modern communications network ever built — then immediately gets handed off to infrastructure designed in the 1960s. Legacy selective routers use static tabular databases to determine call routing. They cannot process text messages. They cannot receive photos or video. They estimate caller location from cell tower triangulation rather than using the precise GPS coordinates the caller's device already knows. When a legacy PSAP goes down — from a storm, a cyberattack, or simple equipment failure — calls do not automatically reroute. They drop, or they queue, or they route to the wrong jurisdiction.

Approximately 6,000 public safety answering points operate nationwide. Only 7 to 13 states have reached substantial NG9-1-1 completion, depending on how completion is defined — the Congressional Research Service uses a stricter "jurisdictional end" standard that puts the number at 7. The remaining states operate some mix of legacy and transitional infrastructure, with many rural PSAPs running equipment for which replacement parts are no longer manufactured.

The human cost is difficult to quantify precisely because 911 system failures are not systematically tracked at the national level. The documented record includes selective router failures causing multi-county 911 outages lasting hours. Text-to-911 — a capability that would allow a domestic violence victim to request help silently, or a deaf person to communicate with emergency services — remains unavailable in many jurisdictions. Location accuracy in rural areas remains poor enough that first responders report spending critical minutes searching for callers whose devices know their location to within three meters, but whose 911 system cannot read that data.

The Context

The NG9-1-1 transition has been a recognized federal priority since 2004, when Congress first commissioned studies on next-generation emergency communications. In the two decades since, the federal government has appropriated approximately $109 million in dedicated NG9-1-1 funding — roughly one percent of the estimated $9.5 billion to $16.1 billion transition cost documented in the congressionally mandated 2018 National NG9-1-1 Cost Study.

The policy environment in March 2026 has created the first realistic federal funding pathway for NG9-1-1 at scale. Bipartisan eligible-use frameworks for BEAD remaining funds include NG9-1-1 planning, implementation, and maintenance as an explicit category — the only eligible-use category with its own dedicated certification requirements and oversight through the NTIA Associate Administrator for Public Safety Communications. Critically, NG9-1-1 subgrants under these frameworks are exempt from the 25% match requirement that applies to all other project categories. This match exemption recognizes that 911 authorities — funded by per-line surcharges typically ranging from $0.25 to $2.50 per month — lack the capital reserves to match large federal grants.

The FCC has been tightening the regulatory pressure on NG9-1-1 simultaneously. The 2024 Report and Order (PS Docket No. 21-479) established requirements for originating service providers to deliver calls to NG9-1-1 infrastructure. A 2025 Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposed additional rules for PSAP-side upgrades. The regulatory direction is clear: NG9-1-1 is not optional. The question is whether states fund it proactively through the largest available federal resource, or scramble to comply with mandates using only declining surcharge revenue.

Meanwhile, dedicated NG9-1-1 funding was omitted from the House budget markup in March 2026, despite bipartisan support. The NG911 Act of 2025 advanced through the House Energy and Commerce Committee but stalled without appropriations. BEAD remaining funds — estimated at $20–22 billion nationally — represent potentially the largest single funding source ever available for NG9-1-1 deployment.

The Demand Signal

The demand signal for NG9-1-1 funding through broadband infrastructure dollars is coming from multiple directions simultaneously. Industry associations including USTelecom have publicly encouraged states to use BEAD remaining funds for NG9-1-1. The congressional interest is bipartisan — both chambers have advanced NG9-1-1-specific provisions in broadband legislation.

At the state level, 911 authorities have been requesting a federal funding pathway for years. The NTIA's $1 billion Enabling Middle Mile program — which received $7.47 billion in applications — demonstrated that states will aggressively pursue federal infrastructure funding when available. NG9-1-1 represents a comparable infrastructure gap with even more explicit federal authorization.

The FCC's annual 911 Fee Reports document a structural fiscal problem: 9-1-1 surcharge revenue is declining as landline subscriptions drop, while multiple states divert surcharge revenue to non-911 purposes. The CRS has identified this funding gap as a central policy challenge. States that move first to integrate NG9-1-1 into their remaining-funds action plans will have certified governance frameworks in place when NTIA releases final guidance — a competitive advantage in what may be an oversubscribed funding window.

Internationally, the EU has set a 2035 target for full NG112 deployment across member states, and Romania's Special Telecommunications Service has begun deploying NG112 infrastructure at scale. The U.S. transition is neither unprecedented nor premature — it is overdue.

The NG9-1-1 transition replaces three layers of legacy 911 infrastructure with IP-based equivalents, plus adds two new capability layers that legacy systems never had.The first layer is the Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet) — the transport backbone connecting PSAPs to each other, to originating service providers (wireless carriers, VoIP providers), and to data sources. This network replaces legacy selective routers and tandem switches with IP-based routing infrastructure. A statewide ESInet consists of geographically diverse fiber paths connecting all PSAPs in the state, with Border Control Functions (BCFs) managing traffic at network boundaries. Emergency Call Routing Functions (ECRFs) direct calls based on real-time GIS data. Dual-redundant ESInet designs — with two geographically separated routing paths for every PSAP — are the minimum standard for production deployments. The ESInet requires carrier-grade fiber connectivity to every PSAP, which in rural areas may require new fiber construction or dark fiber activation. This is the direct broadband infrastructure nexus that makes NG9-1-1 a legitimate use of broadband deployment funds.The second layer is Call Handling Equipment (CHE) at each PSAP — the hardware and software operators use to receive, manage, and dispatch emergency calls. Legacy CHE is analog or circuit-switched. NG9-1-1 CHE is IP-based and capable of processing voice, text, images, video, and data feeds simultaneously. A medium PSAP (10–30 operator positions) requires $300,000 to $750,000 in new call handling equipment. Large PSAPs (30+ positions) can exceed $2 million.The third layer is the GIS/Location Services infrastructure that replaces legacy tabular databases (ALI/MSAG) with dynamic geospatial routing. Instead of looking up a caller's address in a static table, NG9-1-1 systems use the device's GPS coordinates and a geospatial database to route the call to the correct PSAP in real time. Statewide GIS implementations cost approximately $5 million to $20 million and require ongoing maintenance as political boundaries, PSAP service areas, and road networks change.The fourth layer — new to NG9-1-1 — is cybersecurity infrastructure. Legacy analog 911 systems were effectively immune to cyber threats because they were not connected to IP networks. NG9-1-1 systems are IP-based and therefore require intrusion detection and prevention systems, encryption for call signaling and media, network segmentation, 24/7 security monitoring, and incident response capability. Cybersecurity adds approximately 5–10% to total system cost.The fifth layer is system integration — the most complex and time-consuming component. During the transition period, legacy and NG9-1-1 systems must operate in parallel. Calls from carriers still using legacy interconnection must be converted to IP at gateway points. PSAPs at different stages of transition must be able to transfer calls between legacy and IP systems. This dual-stack operation can last 2–5 years per state.