ATIS ESIF Releases Suite of IP-based Emergency Services Standards

December 4, 2006, Washington – ATIS today announced the availability of its newly developed suite of IP-based Emergency Services Network Interface (ESNI) standards that will enable the expansion of E9-1-1 services and functionality within the Next Generation Network (NGN).

The ESNI suite of standards includes an overall emergency services framework for the ESNI applications and protocols such as the Emergency Information Services Interface (EISI) that provide access to emergency services within or external to the Emergency Services Network (ESNet). The ESNI standards suite also includes the Emergency Services Messaging Interface (ESMI), released in September 2005, which provides managed interconnections between next generation public service answering points (PSAPs) and the ESNet.

The current protocol and network architecture between the PSAP and the ESNet that provide Automatic Location Identification (ALI) are largely unchanged since the introduction of modern emergency calling services in the 1970s, presenting significant barriers to introducing new features and advanced emergency services. The future ESNet consists of multiple standard protocols to support responses from various emergency events -- including basic call management, location information delivery, and enhanced emergency services. The ESNI framework and protocol suite will enable flexibility, additional emergency services and more advanced interaction models on the ESNet that will enhance the reliability and survivability of national emergency services and will allow for management and distribution of enriched data types such as graphics, images, and video. A typical scenario enabled by an ESNet that utilizes the ESNI protocols would be a national weather notification service that can deliver weather alarms by geographic area, graphically, and real-time to PSAPs.

The ESNI standards suite is currently made up of four documents from ATIS: the Emergency Services Network Interfaces Framework (ATIS-0500008), an ATIS Technical Report that defines the framework and structure of the ESNI; two Draft American National Standards for Trial Use for the Emergency Information Service Interface (EISI) that address the EISI ALI service delivery (ATIS-PP-0500006.200X) and the EISI network implementation with web services (ATIS-PP-0500007.200X); and the Draft American National Standard for Trial Use, Emergency Services Messaging Interface (EMSI) (ATIS-PP-0500002.200X), which was published in September 2005.

About ATIS

ATIS is a technical planning and standards development organization that is committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Participants from more than 350 communications companies are active in ATIS’ 23 industry committees and Incubator Solutions Program. www.atis.org

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