• May 20th, 2014

In a big step toward moving the nation’s emergency dispatch system out of voice-only technology that dates to the 1960s, four major wireless sphone companies are now providing text-to-911 services to local governments that want it.

Sprint, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile began offering the service to local governments this month and it’s being used in 16 states, including New York and Pennsylvania. The FCC has required all wireless providers to offer the service by the end of the year.