WASHINGTON, DC – July 24, 2013 —Today, Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) and Intrado announced a strategic partnership that affords CCA carrier members the opportunity to provide text-to-9-1-1 services to subscribers. TXT29-1-1® from Intrado enables wireless carriers to provide this lifesaving service to subscribers, and the CCA/Intrado program will help competitive carriers meet the FCC requirement that all carriers have a “bounce back” message in place by September in areas where the service is not yet available.
While a voice call is the preferred method for making an emergency call, the ability to text 9-1-1 can be an essential lifeline in situations where a voice call cannot be made safely. Texting to 9-1-1 is also a critical form of communication for the 36 million deaf and hard of hearing individuals when using a mobile phone. Intrado TXT29-1-1 is a proven, production-deployed service with the flexibility to operate in multiple public safety environments.
“We are pleased to partner with Intrado, a CCA member, to bring text-to-9-1-1 solutions to our carrier members,” said CCA President and CEO, Steven K. Berry. “Intrado has been an industry leader in the development and deployment of TXT29-1-1 services and has the experience, expertise and relationships with public safety agencies to make this a smooth transition for carriers. Our members understand the importance of providing consumers with the tools they need in emergency situations, and we are pleased to partner with Intrado on this important initiative.”
“The capability to text-to-9-1-1 is essential to the safety of the public and we support wireless carriers nationwide in adopting and deploying this lifesaving technology,” said John Kearney, Vice President and General Manager, Intrado. “We are thrilled to partner with CCA to help carriers meet the growing expectations of subscribers and provide emergency communication capabilities when speaking to 9-1-1 is not an option.”
