Illinois is on track to get an upgrade to the statewide 911 network.
Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly and Statewide 911 Administrator Cindy Barbera-Brelle announced today that a Notice of Intent to Award was issued to AT&T for development and implementation of a statewide Next Generation 911 network.
The new network will be Internet based. The upgrade will allegedly make the network more reliable, reduce response times, and provide greater accuracy in delivering calls to the proper responding agency. It will also provide more functionality, eventually allowing residents to text 911, send pictures or video to callers.
The network is expected to cost about $109 million over the next decade. Work on the project is expected to begin in the last quarter of the state’s fiscal year in July.