The current 911 system can't handle text messages, multimedia messages or streaming video.

(WIRED) -- In a bid to bring the life-saving emergency service 911 into the 21st century, the FCC is looking at letting citizens report crimes through text messages and even stream video from their mobile phones to emergency centers.

Established as a national standard in 1968, 911 handles more than 230 million calls a year -- 70 percent of which now come from mobile phones.

The last real overhaul of 911 by the FCC came in 2001, when mobile carriers were required to allow 911 to identify the location of callers either through GPS or cell-tower data.

In the middle of the decade, some internet telephony companies were also required to implement 911 calling that would route emergency calls to the appropriate local center -- a non-trivial task given the mobility of laptops and equipment using voice-over-internet protocol (VOIP).

But the 911 system still can't handle text messages, multimedia messages or streaming video, all of which could be very helpful to first responders.

WIRED: 911 calls fall on helpless ears

A system that could handle those messages would also allow people to report crimes without being overheard, which could be useful in situations ranging from kidnapping to seeing someone being robbed on the street.

In a press release announcing Tuesday's changes, the FCC pointed to the now-infamous shooting rampage at Virginia Tech as an example of how a more modern system could be useful.

"The technological limitations of 9-1-1 can have tragic, real-world consequences," the release said. "During the 2007 Virginia Tech campus shooting, students and witnesses desperately tried to send texts to 9-1-1 that local dispatchers never received. If these messages had gone through, first responders may have arrived on the scene faster with firsthand intelligence about the life-threatening situation that was unfolding."

WIRED: 'E911' turns cell phones into tracking devices

The FCC also plans to allow automated pinging of 911 by sensors, including chemical detection sensors, alarm systems, medical devices and systems like On-Star in automobiles.

It's not clear yet where the money will come from for the upgrades, whether they will be federal requirements states and cities must carry out or if they will simply be suggestions.

It's also unclear whether Facebook's new Messages service will let you send a note to 911 straight from your Facebook page or mobile app (that's a joke, sort of).

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• 
  RolinCode3

  This is not a good thing...it's going to open up more of an abuse of the 911 system than a benefit. As a career dispatcher, I cringe whenever I hear this topic brought up. WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IF YOU ARE CALLING FROM A CELL PHONE. The best we can do is come within a couple hundred feet...... more

  This is not a good thing...it's going to open up more of an abuse of the 911 system than a benefit. As a career dispatcher, I cringe whenever I hear this topic brought up. WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IF YOU ARE CALLING FROM A CELL PHONE. The best we can do is come within a couple hundred feet...what are the police supposed to do, knock on all the doors in an apartment copmplex looking for the idiot teenager that thought it would be fun to text 911? If you're moving (like in a car) we may know about where you were when the call was connected, but not where you are now...especially if you had to wait for someone to answer because the dispatch center is busy. Very few dispatch centers have automated maps built into their CAD, especially not the smaller ones. The technology is not all that great, and this idea needs to be shelved until they figure out how to make it better. less
  0 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  FauxNewz

  .
  Get ready for a new federal surcharge on your phone.
  7 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  bailoutsos

  What good will it do? Read an article last month that you need to have programmed in THE LOCAL 911 POLICE NUMBER for the city you are in at the time of the emergency call, otherwise it is sent to the Highway Patrol.
  10 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  dapperma

  We already have people calling 911 for non-emergency issues which takes up valuable time in case there is an emergency as specifically happening with customer dissatisfaction at fast food restaurants. (man in Oregon, who called 911 after a rude McDonald's employee didn't give him the orange juice he... more

  We already have people calling 911 for non-emergency issues which takes up valuable time in case there is an emergency as specifically happening with customer dissatisfaction at fast food restaurants. (man in Oregon, who called 911 after a rude McDonald's employee didn't give him the orange juice he ordered; Another man in Florida called 911 over a similar complaint: He was hungry after work, went to Burger King and ordered a value meal with a lemonade, and when he drove up to pay, they were out of lemonade. They offered him a Coke, but he opted to call the police; even another - boy calls 911 for help on his homework as his mom told him as she left him alone - if you need any help call 911 - although mom meant in case of emergency child took 'help' in this case his homework, and countless other non-emergency calls). It is calls like these that result in delayed assistance or people dying from neglect. I would like to see if this texting does materialize then after the individual texts to 911 they need to confirm that they are having a criminal issue and hold them to it. If it is not deemed criminal in nature they would be charge for the 911 employees time and for any responders -- the phone number would be recorded and on record. This would be one way to weed out unnecessary texts for non-emergency issues. less
  24 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  BigBill8517

  This would certainly be helpful to the deaf.
  39 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  BigBill8517

  This would certainly be helpful to the deaf.
  40 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  Vignesh

  I think despite the joking, this can save lives in situations where you control your phone but you can't be overheard. Say something bad happens at a party: Fight, rape, etc. If you Dial 911 and talk you are in danger. If you send a text message you can save your life and the other person as well.
  1 hour ago | Like (3) | Report abuse
• 
  dudicus

  idk, my bff jill is bng msscred by ppl. k thx, bye
  1 hour ago | Like (4) | Report abuse
• 
  AwesomeBob

  like omg! idk wut 2 do!
  1 hour ago | Like (1) | Report abuse
• 
  cybernight

  LOL can you imagine this, Example: txt to 911- help im being robbed txt from 911: Can you please tell me your name, address, and more details about your situation: 5 minutes later, alright we are sending cops on the way over. Hopefully texting to 911 won't be a disaster ^. I do like the video p... more

  LOL can you imagine this, Example: txt to 911- help im being robbed txt from 911: Can you please tell me your name, address, and more details about your situation: 5 minutes later, alright we are sending cops on the way over.
  Hopefully texting to 911 won't be a disaster ^. I do like the video part though. but if you try that on the iPhone, it automatically goes to speaker and you can hear the person talking. which would be a dead giveaway to anybody robbing you. less
  1 hour ago | Like (1) | Report abuse
• 
  njsokalski

  It's a nice idea, but I've noticed that most of the people that use text messaging still use "feature phones" (rather than smartphones or phones with built-in keyboards). This includes me, and I have nothing against this (until the price of data transfer for smartphones comes down, I actually suppor... more

  It's a nice idea, but I've noticed that most of the people that use text messaging still use "feature phones" (rather than smartphones or phones with built-in keyboards). This includes me, and I have nothing against this (until the price of data transfer for smartphones comes down, I actually support it), but it does bring up the point that entering text messages is not an especially fast task for most people. Identifying the location using GPS that they added in 2001 was definitely an improvement, since some people aren't exactly good at giving directions, but I think texting will slow things down. I guess it could be useful for deaf people, but why would a deaf person have a phone to begin with? As for the using of the phone's camera, I think that could be useful, but I guess it would depend on how easy it is to send the picture to 911 (my phone is a feature-phone, but it has a camera, but I've never sent the pictures anywhere, because I didn't want to pay the extra fees, so I don't know if it would be usable with 911 or not). But my general opinion on text messages for 911 is it will usually slow things down, and until the other features (pictures, etc.) become more standard and available on all cell phones, I'm not sure if they will help very much or not. less
  1 hour ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  Starglider79

  gush... texting 911??? it isn't more efficient to just pick the phone and dial? you're so dependent on technology that the same technology has dumbed you waaaaaay to much.
  1 hour ago | Like (3) | Report abuse
• 
  whiskeylover

  Unless you're trying to hide from someone by staying silent.
  1 hour ago | Like (12) | Report abuse
• 
  Oklahoma29

  This would be so cool!
  2 hours ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  njsokalski

  Do you want to need to contact 911 or something? This is an attempt to make something easier and more efficient, not make it desirable!
  1 hour ago | Like (1) | Report abuse
• 
  cocolopez

  hlp m bng rpd srsly
  2 hours ago | Like (17) | Report abuse
• 
  njsokalski

  That's another good point. People can't even spell correctly when they have their computers and use forums, post comments, and send emails anymore! How are we supposed to expect 911 to understand their text messages when their trying to do it fast and without a keyboard?
  1 hour ago | Like (2) | Report abuse
• 
  Webspy

  I think its a wonderful idea progress that was to come anyways!
  2 hours ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  KeaauRich

  Texting 911 will also help people who are deaf get assistance when needed (car crashes, medical emergencies, etc.).
  2 hours ago | Like (8) | Report abuse
• 
  BigBill8517

  TDD's are a thing of the past.
  35 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  bhmhrex

  The deaf already have this available to them. It is called TDD. Almost all cell phones now have this capability as well. Look in your phone settings, you will see a tdd setting in your phone. If you change your phone to tdd and dial 911, you can type with your keyboard and the 911 operator will see ... more

  The deaf already have this available to them. It is called TDD. Almost all cell phones now have this capability as well. Look in your phone settings, you will see a tdd setting in your phone. If you change your phone to tdd and dial 911, you can type with your keyboard and the 911 operator will see what you are typing, and can even type back. Of course right now, the operator would have to recognize the call as a tdd call and then initiate the proper program to get the tdd call going. less
  2 hours ago | Like (5) | Report abuse
• 
  Webspy

  My cat jumped spilled my coffee knocked the receiver off, as I was scrambling to get every thing I heard a voice from the receiver it was 911 I explained but they sent 2 cars anyway, I explained to the police and took offense when the lady cop brushed past me to search my house, then they charged me... more

  My cat jumped spilled my coffee knocked the receiver off, as I was scrambling to get every thing I heard a voice from the receiver it was 911 I explained but they sent 2 cars anyway, I explained to the police and took offense when the lady cop brushed past me to search my house, then they charged me for abusing 911!!! less
  2 hours ago | Like | Report abuse
• 
  dudicus

  Didn't Alf eat cats?
  1 hour ago | Like (1) | Report abuse
• 
  amandapee

  So your cat called 911 by knocking the receiver off? Or are you a moron and have 911 on speed dial? If it's the latter, that's abuse and I hope the fine was hefty
  1 hour ago | Like (1) | Report abuse
• 
  Homer10

  I don't own a cell phone, and now I never will. Their Byzantine complex legal documents that they make you sign, now adding the specter of being able to track everybody is scary. I'm ot so concerned about the gov (although that's bad enough). It's the fact that if the gov can track you, then the ha... more

  I don't own a cell phone, and now I never will. Their Byzantine complex legal documents that they make you sign, now adding the specter of being able to track everybody is scary. I'm ot so concerned about the gov (although that's bad enough). It's the fact that if the gov can track you, then the hackers can penetrate this system, and then track anybody they want themselves using the gov system. One way to stop this is to get one of those metalized pouches that you can store your phone in. Keep the phone in the pouch, and they can't track you. Better yet, turn off the phone. If the phone is off, what good it it? Better yet, don't buy one. Track this! less
  2 hours ago | Like | Report abuse

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