Uncovering the Mechanisms Behind Location Tracking
In the United States, the universal emergency number **911** was carefully chosen and developed to provide a simple, universally recognized point of contact for all citizens in need of immediate assistance. The number's selection was based on telecommunications standards and usability considerations, rather than arbitrary selection among other numbers.
The digits **9-1-1** do not conflict with existing area codes or service codes within the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). Codes of the form N11 (where N=2–9) were reserved for special service codes, making 911 a logical choice for emergency services. Other similar three-digit codes like 411 (information) and 611 (telephone repair) were already assigned, but 911 was designated specifically for emergencies[1].
The number 911 was also short, easy to remember, and quick to dial on rotary phones, which were common at the time the code was established. Unlike longer numbers, 911 allowed for rapid connection to emergency operators. Numbers like 422 or 111 were not suitable because they did not fit the N11 short code format or were not reserved within the numbering plan for special use.
The system and the choice of 911 were developed by AT&T in the late 1960s to ensure uniformity and ease of access across the United States. The goal was to have a simple, universally recognized emergency number that would work across all telephone networks and regions within the NANP.
Prior to the 1960s, there was no universal number to call for emergency help in the United States. Dialing 911 automatically forwards the call to a public-safety answering point (PSAP), also known as a 911 call center. When a call is answered at a PSAP, the operator is provided with automatic location information (ALI) pinpointing the exact position of the call.
In many areas, Enhanced 911 (E-911) is used, allowing a PSAP to determine the general location from where the call originated but not the exact position. However, the FCC is rolling out E-911 in phases, with Phase II requiring carriers to place GPS receivers in phones to deliver more specific location information. When Phase II is implemented, a cell-phone user's phone number, or Automatic Number Identification (ANI), and the address and location of the receiving-antenna site will be sent to the E-911 Tandem.
The first 911 call in the United States was made on February 16, 1968, in Haleyville, Alabama, by Alabama Senator Rankin Fite. The White House's Office of Telecommunication issued a national statement supporting the use of 911 and pushed for the establishment of a Federal Information Center to assist government agencies in implementing the system in 1973. The FCC met with AT&T in 1967 to establish a universal emergency number.
Approximately 150,000 emergency wireless calls are made in the United States each day. The government is working to improve E-911 capabilities, with new technologies being developed by wireless service providers at the demand of the Federal Communications Commission.
[1] Source: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
[2] Source: National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
Technology plays a crucial role in data-and-cloud-computing, enabling the advancement of telecommunications standards like the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), which facilitates the use of universal emergency numbers such as 911. In the late 1960s, AT&T, a leading technology company, developed the 911 emergency number system to ensure uniform and easy access across the United States.
