Out with the old, in with the automated: Transforming emergency services management

While many companies have been automating the provisioning of emergency services for decades, many others have remained stuck in the past—doing it the old-fashioned way with remarkably cumbersome manual processes. 

For example, communications technology and services companies that operate their own VoIP Core Switch or UCaaS platform and serve widely distributed markets typically incorporate numerous automated processes. One key automated process is handling emergency services.

Whether a company is automating the experience into its own platform to give the user the ability to update their address themselves or making a bulk migration less of a manual headache, automating the process creates a more accurate, hands-free approach. 

In contrast, legacy Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) and Cable Companies, which cover densely populated areas, often adhere to more traditional processes for managing emergency services. These processes typically involve legacy TDM (Time-Division Multiplexing) interconnections with Selective Routers—an increasingly outdated setup. 

Such providers may find it challenging to transition from traditional MSAG (Master Street Address Guide) provisioning methods to the more contemporary ALI (Automatic Location Identification) databases and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) management systems for customer records. But we’ll explore this topic further in a second.

If your system is already fully automated, harnessing the power of a single, multi-threaded API connection for emergency services—capable of providing address corrections and seamlessly covering your global operations—then read no further. You’ve already got this down pat. 

For everyone else: Let’s talk about automation.

The end of an era: Transitioning from S/R and ALI to NG911

Historically, ILEC and cable companies have “dense” regional service footprints. This has traditionally allowed them to connect to a limited number of emergency services Selective Routers (S/R) for emergency services within their specific regions and directly provision emergency records into a few select Automatic Location Identification (ALI) databases.

In fact, the entire S/R and ALI infrastructure was originally designed for these exact circumstances. For most of the remaining S/R and ALI infrastructure in the US, the original FTP-based provisioning methods still exist and are used by the same parties as was done decades ago. The business processes surrounding customer onboarding and provisioning of emergency services have become so ingrained within these organizations and their business systems that any change is painful. 

But times are changing. 

With the publication of the FCC Report and Order 24-78, the industry is finally moving towards Next Generation 911. The days of S/R and ALI are numbered, implying that ILECs and cable companies will finally have to retire legacy provisioning for emergency services and consider new methods. 

Traditional file transfer vs. modern API solutions

Let’s face it, provisioning for your emergency services isn’t sexy.

Typically, as companies start to establish their business, emergency services are viewed, at best, as an inconvenient compliance requirement—at worst, they’re just a significant hindrance to the provisioning process. Addresses for each phone device must be collected, and the data must be entered into a file, a spreadsheet (or even an e-mail), and then sent off for “validation” in a painstakingly manual process. The response time for the FTP service or Portal where data is submitted is usually hours or even days later.

If this sounds familiar, we’ve got (very) good news: there’s a better way. 

Today, you can manage all your emergency services across the 40 countries and territories Bandwidth offers emergency services with a single Unified Emergency Services Provisioning API. 

Let’s say it again if you missed it: there’s just one API regardless of what country you are provisioning emergency endpoint records and addresses in. Simple…just how we like it. 

Eliminate MSAG for US coverage

For those who operate in North America, the Bandwidth solution also covers Master Street Address Guide (“MSAG”) address validation requirements. In fact, the global Unified ES Provisioning API goes one step further and eliminates MSAG validation from your process requirements. 

With Bandwidth’s approach, emergency services provisioning is streamlined. We validate the credibility of the dispatchable address through a GIS-based verification system, bypassing the traditional MSAG requirements. If, at any point, public safety entities require the address to be translated into an MSAG-compatible format, we handle the conversion internally and supply it to the designated authority. 

This process removes the burden from you, allowing you to kick back, and remain entirely uninvolved in this aspect of provisioning. (You’re welcome!)

There are over 50 MSAG Directory authorities in the US and a score of Next Gen 911 systems (“ESInets”) with shifting requirements regarding address format, validation, and MSAG. Bandwidth simplifies the entire process for our customers through a single API. 

Here, 911 service addresses are provisioned in civic format rather than the traditional MSAG, abstracting away complex requirements. The interface is built upon a state-of-the-art GIS database for validation, and we perform all downstream address format changes (for ALI’s and ESInet’s) and validations (such as MSAG) for our customers.

Our typical client who performs their own address validation today can improve fallout performance from ~10% to less than 0.5% by using Bandwidth.

Harnessing the power of a modern API

Still struggling with CSV files, legacy PSALI portals, or encrypted e-mail data exchange?

The Bandwidth Unified Emergency Services Provisioning API is asynchronous, SOAP-based, secure, and allows multiple orders to be processed in parallel. The API allows you to perform add/change/delete and order management actions on all Bandwidth emergency services accounts you may hold in any of our 40 covered countries and territories.

The bottom line is that our “connect once” emergency services solutions suite elegantly handles full automation for provisioning and validating emergency services data. 

The result? Significant savings in time, resources, and operational efficiency.

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Automation is the endgame

Is automation worth it? Yes. 

Between evolving regulations, technological advancements, and operational efficiency, it’s a no-brainer. Plus, with a single Unified Emergency Services API, you’ve got total automation at your fingertips, and you only have to deal with the dev once.

While the road to automation may seem like a long one, it’s a worthy destination. And we’re here to help you get there. Reach out to one of our experts for individualized advice.