CRTC officially gives carriers 1-year to fix Emergency 911 services

The CRTC released an official statement that telling us consumers that our wireless service providers, current and upcoming, will have a firm deadline of 1-year to upgrade their 911 services. By February 1, 2010 the new 911 features will use GPS or “triangulation technology” where operators will be able to pinpoint a location within 10 to 300 metres.  Estimates that the cost of this will be $50-million.

Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC said “With more than 20 million wireless subscribers in Canada, it is imperative that emergency responders can quickly and accurately locate those who use their cellphones to call 911. I am pleased that the industry has come forward with a technical solution, and that there is now nothing standing in the way of the implementation of enhanced 911 features. The safety and security of Canadians will be greatly improved as a result.”