SAN ANTONIO — Next-generation 911 (NG911) introduces innovative features and functionality that will significantly improve and expand public safety capabilities, according to Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis. NG911 allows end users to efficiently relay text, data, video, and IP-based voice calls to emergency communication centers. The proliferation of the IoT is a prominent factor in triggering opportunities for NG911 systems. As a result, the market for NG911 in the U.S. is expected to grow from $888 million in 2021 to $1.19 billion by 2026, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1%. The expansion of NG911 will support a surge in IoT-initiated 911 notifications coming from connected security systems, vehicles, homes, buildings, smart city infrastructure, wearables, and other connected assets.
“Public safety answering points (PSAPs) must be equipped to keep up with disruptive technologies and advanced networks that have altered the way consumers and businesses communicate,” said Brent Ladarola, vice president of research at Frost & Sullivan. “NG911 represents an industry transformation that proactively enhances public safety by acknowledging and catering to the rapidly evolving demands of citizens. It enables connected assets to provide first responders with auxiliary incident intelligence to enhance the preparation, speed, and precision of an emergency response.
“The recent escalation of crime and active shooter incidents in the U.S. has elevated pressure on states and counties that have not yet initiated NG911 to accelerate deployments,” he continued. “The ability to provide first responders with supplemental, real-time data that enhances situational awareness and illuminates the context of an emergency event can literally be lifesaving.”
Pioneering and cutting-edge technologies and service models in the NG911 market will enable several growth opportunities, including the following.
- The integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies with PSAP solutions will facilitate the ability to manage, organize, and analyze the massive amounts of new data sources enabled by NG911.
- The migration of premise-based call-handling systems to NG911 cloud-based platforms will accelerate software/security upgrade cycles, enable neighboring jurisdictions to share resources, and ensure operations are not dependent on the physical conditions at a given dispatch center.
- A platform-centric “as a service” approach to public safety has emerged as the optimal architecture to support NG911 and presents a framework to capture lucrative growth opportunities across tangential vertical markets dedicated to digital transformation.
