About the State 911 Department

“Save a Life, Stop a Crime, Report a Fire”

In 1990 Massachusetts enacted legislation providing for Enhanced 9-1-1 on a statewide basis in the Commonwealth. This legislation established the Statewide Emergency Telecommunications Board (SETB) as the state agency responsible for coordinating and administering the implementation of Enhanced 9-1-1 and for promulgating standards  to ensure a consistent statewide approach for Enhanced 9-1-1.

The Enhanced 9-1-1 system automatically displays the address and telephone number of the emergency caller on a screen at all 9-1-1 communications centers in Massachusetts, commonly referred to as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). There are approximately 270 PSAPs in the Commonwealth, some of which are regionally-based to answer calls for multiple communities.

The Enhanced 9-1-1 program in Massachusetts is funded by a surcharge on all wire-line and wireless telephones. Our program is considered one of the best in the country because of its coordinated approach and the redundancy and diversity required of our service provider, Verizon New England. All dispatchers and call-takers that answer Enhanced 9-1-1 calls are required to be certified through the SETB’s training program.

In 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an order requiring implementation of a new Enhanced 9-1-1 system for wireless phone carriers nationwide.  This order changed the SETB mission from focusing primarily on wire-line 9-1-1 to the new phase of wireless communications. As an estimated 50% of 9-1-1 calls are made from wireless phones nationwide, Massachusetts and other states recognize the significance of implementing this program.  In 2002, the state created a Wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 Fund for this purpose, with a surcharge of $.30 per month.  This surcharge and fund are used solely to fund the implementation and administration of wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 in Massachusetts. 

Phase I of the FCC’s plan requires all wireless carriers to provide an emergency dispatcher with both the telephone number of the person calling and the location of the closest cell site or base station transmitting the call; this phase was accomplished in Massachusetts in April 2003. Phase II requires wireless carriers to begin providing a more precise location to the dispatcher including the latitude and longitude of the caller (information must be accurate within 50-300 meters); this was completed in Massachusetts in February of 2006

The newest communications technology is Voice over the Internet Protocol(VoIP), which allows voice quality calls to be made over Internet connections. The appeal of VoIP includes the cost savings associated with making long distance calls over the Internet and the ability to take your phone service with you anywhere in the world.  However, these advantages could prove to be a major disadvantage in the case of an emergency.

Providers of traditional wire-line telephone service in Massachusetts are required by state law to provide their customers with access to Enhanced 911 (E 9-1-1).  This system automatically displays the address and telephone number of the emergency caller on a screen at all 9-1-1 communications centers in Massachusetts, commonly referred to as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs).  Because VoIP is regulated at the federal level, VoIP service providers (VSPs) are not subject to the Commonwealth's E 9-1-1 requirement.  In June of 2005 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an Order, (FCC 05-116) mandating that all VSPs deliver E 9-1-1 services no later than November 28, 2005. 

The SETB has worked with our E 9-1-1 service provider and VSPs serving Massachusetts to integrate the technology into our E 9-1-1 system.  Before a VSP can be approved to provide VoIP service in Massachusetts they must go through a testing process with the SETB to ensure the calls are delivered with complete and accurate information.