9-1-1 in Connecticut

Basic 9-1-1 Service

"9-1-1" has been available as the telephone number to dial to request emergency assistance in Connecticut since the 1970s.  The first 9-1-1 service available was called Basic 9-1-1 service and it delivered 9-1-1 calls to a local police department, fire department or regional dispatch center based on the originating telephone exchange, without the benefit of any location information. Technical limitations inherent in Basic 9-1-1 service made it impossible at that time to provide 9-1-1 service to everyone in the State.

Enhanced 9-1-1 Service

In 1984 legislation was passed mandating that Enhanced 9-1-1 service, commonly known as "E9-1-1", be implemented statewide by the end of 1989.  E9-1-1 service made 9-1-1 the only number to call for emergency assistance anywhere in the state from any type of telephone device.  E9-1-1 service delivered 9-1-1 calls to public safety answering points (PSAPs) using a SS7/ISDN network, and provided automatic location information with a display of the name, address and telephone number of the originating telephone on a screen at the PSAP.

Next Generation 9-1-1 Service

The next phase in the evolution of 9-1-1 in Connecticut is Next-Generation 9-1-1 (NG911).  This new system utilizes West Safety Services' "VIPER NG911" platform for the PSAP equipment.  The deployment of the VIPER NG911 system to our PSAPs began in January of 2017, and was completed in November of 2017.  NG911 is internet-protocol (IP) based, utilizes the State of Connecticut Public System Data Network (PSDN) for call delivery, and employs state of the art software and hardware at the PSAPs.  It provides the infrastructure to allow text to 9-1-1, and the future ability to send images or video accompanying a NG911 call when telecommunication service carriers make these features available to the public.