AT&T is enhancing its Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency communications platform, AT&T ESInet™, to seamlessly support picture and video messaging and automatic vehicle crash alerts – the latest milestone in AT&T’s commitment to building the future of 9-1-1.
These advancements, which also include security enhancements that enable 9-1-1 call centers to more securely access public safety data from the cloud, will improve first responders’ access to real-time, detailed information – ultimately helping them react faster and better understand each situation they encounter.
“Public safety is our top priority, and the new features of ESInet represent a major advancement in transmitting and protecting critical emergency data,” said Matt Walsh, AVP – FirstNet and NextGen 9-1-1 Products, AT&T. “By providing a dedicated, secure connection to leading cloud providers, we are enhancing PSAPs’ ability to deliver fast, effective emergency responses while safeguarding against cyber threats.”
AT&T has long been a trusted leader in the shift to NG9-1-1 – a shared effort from public safety, communications providers, and state and local governments to modernize PSAPs’ traditional analog connections with fiber-based IP networks. Since launching ESInet in 2018, we have upgraded 1,700 emergency call centers to NG9-1-1 technology, enhancing safety for over 75 million people.
Forthcoming ESInet updates will allow AT&T Mobility subscribers to send picture and video messages to PSAPs just as effortlessly as they text family and friends. Eliminating the current, more complicated process for sending multimedia to PSAPs more quickly gives 9-1-1 dispatchers a better understanding of the emergency and improves first responders’ situational awareness. While AT&T will be the first nationwide carrier to enable this feature for its cellular customers, it is designed to be interoperable with other cellular providers and will be accessible more broadly as other providers integrate it. It’s just one more way AT&T is leading the industry for public safety and paving the way to create safer communities.
Additionally, ESInet enhancements will enable select model year 2026 Toyota vehicles with the built-in AT&T Connected Car SIM to send crash data to AT&T-served PSAPs, thanks to a collaboration with Intrado. Providing beneficial information like airbag status and precise vehicle location, this capability will be the first fully integrated and standards-based wireless transmission of crash data in the industry and enable first responders to more effectively respond to the scene.
The update will also enable PSAPs to access public safety data from cloud computing environments through a trusted, dedicated private internet connection, thereby helping avoid cyberthreats more prevalent on the public internet.
AT&T is the only carrier offering end-to-end emergency communication solutions from the moment a 9-1-1 call is placed till the final first responder leaves the scene. In addition to supporting first responder communications as the only wireless network built with and for public safety, FirstNet®, Built with AT&T can also be used as a wireless backup for PSAPs so 9-1-1 call centers can maintain their network connectivity in the event their primary wired connections are disrupted for any reason.
“When Hurricane Helene struck last September, the Statewide ESInet enabled calls to be automatically and seamlessly rerouted, ensuring that citizens who were able to access provider dial tone could call 9-1-1 and have their calls answered,” said L. V. Pokey Harris, executive director of the North Carolina 911 Board. “We eagerly look forward to the enhancements and improvements of the ESInet, ensuring our citizens and public safety continue to benefit from the latest NG9-1-1 technology.”
These new capabilities will be available to existing and new ESInet customers starting in October.
