For Immediate Release
ATIS 1200 G Street, NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005	Contact: Trish Gessner Phone: 202-434-8851 E-mail: tgessner@atis.org www.atis.org

ATIS Supports Department of Transportation’s Next-Gen 911 Initiative

Urges Coordination with Existing Industry Activities

May 5, 2005, Washington – ATIS has responded to a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Request for Information pertaining to the Next Generation 911 (NG911) component of USDOT’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Program.

The ITS program provides for the research, development, and operational testing of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) aimed at solving traffic congestion and safety problems, among other issues. According to the ITS website, the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) initiative will establish the foundation for public emergency communications services in a wireless mobile society.

“Next-generation 911 cannot be developed outside of the context of the overarching next generation network,” said Susan Miller, president and CEO of ATIS. “USDOT should promote the development of NG911 through existing organizations that have the requisite expertise and existing NGN and E-911 programs in place. At ATIS, we have a strong program of activities addressing 911 as an important component of the deployment of NGN services. The real critical drivers for the deployment of advanced 911 services are network reliability, call routing, and technology interoperability – all areas the telecommunications industry is already addressing.”

Several ATIS committees are working on issues pertinent to NG911 services:

• The ATIS Technology and Operations (TOPS) Council Next Generation Network (NGN) Focus Group has proposed common architecture and service interfaces that support the seamless delivery of new applications to customers while ensuring continued support for existing services. The NGN Focus Group is coordinating with standards bodies from around the world to ensure global consistency and interoperability in NGN.
• The ATIS Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF) is a technical and operational forum that facilitates the identification and resolution of technical and operational issues related to the interconnection of wireline, wireless, cable, satellites, Internet and emergency services networks.
• As part of its focus on the performance and reliability of communications networks and services, ATIS’ Network Performance, Reliability, and Quality of Service Committee (PRQC) examines security- and emergency communications-related aspects and coding (e.g. video and speech) of carrier-to-carrier and carrier-to-customer interfaces.
• The ATIS Packet Technologies and Systems Committee (PTSC) coordinates and develops standards and technical reports related to the services, architectures, and signaling of telecommunications networks in the United States and reviews and prepares contributions on such matters to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and other standards organizations.
• The ATIS Telecom Management and Operations Committee (TMOC) develops standards and other documentation for communications network operations and management areas, such as: Configuration Management, Performance Management (including in-service transport performance management), Fault Management, Security Management (including management plane security), and Common/Underlying Management Functionality/Technology.
• The ATIS Wireless/Mobile Standards (WTSC) develops and recommends standards and technical reports related to wireless and/or mobile services and systems, including service descriptions and wireless technologies.

“ATIS applauds USDOT’s interest in the evolution of these technologies and would be interested in participating in a public-private partnership for this initiative,” Miller said. “However, ATIS strongly urges the USDOT to minimize the unnecessary duplication of existing industry efforts and streamline, to the extent possible, the operations of any such partnership with the industry.”

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’ 22 industry committees and Incubator Solutions Program. www.atis.org

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