On 2020-05-14 14:23, Aaron C. de Bruyn via VoiceOps wrote:
One possibility would be to go old-style and transmit the data in-band over the voice circuit similar to modems or DSL. We're only talking a few bytes for GPS coordinates, elevation, and accuracy information. Burst the data at the beginning of the call, or every 30 seconds, etc...
My motorola HT-1250 from two decades ago would transmit something like an 8-character radio identifier when you keyed up. It only delayed the conversation by a third of a second.
Maybe the phone server could even add in some additional information (i.e. "123 West Main St / 3rd Floor / Room 42").
W00T for the OG in-band location relay methods! Because the first question the PSAP operator asks is: *WHERE* is your emergency ? I was struggling with automating the answer to that question, and I considered Morse Code, but that requires the dispatcher to understand... and bursting a couple bytes of data would require the dispatcher's equipment to understand... I think the common denominator -- even in worst-case scenarios eg. GPS satellites offline, CAP system at PSAP is down, etc. -- is the phone audio path. No Phone == No 911. So, I started cobbling together some dial plan configuration for Asterisk, that uses Text-To-Speech to relay locations with in-band audio, announcing info eg. the GPS, Plus Codes, and more, at the start of the call (and then again when anybody presses *.) It also allows conferencing in security and front desk phones, which potentially gets even more useful in the worst-worst-case scenario eg. external phone lines to PSAP are all down or busy. It came from a business conferencing solution, thus the odd name, but please give it a whirl -- Always Be Conferencing on GitHub: https://github.com/chrsmj/always-be-conferencing Currently, it includes FreePBX integration examples, some IVRs for IT to program desk phones on a per-phone basis (and help them train users to do it themselves), lots of Caller ID manipulation options (subnet based for branch offices, rotate from temporary pool for lobby phones, reverse Caller ID to help walk through the settings.) There's also focus on storing the location information locally in encrypted formats on the PBX itself instead of assigning a DID for each home office user and the associated risks of publishing all of those previously private whereabouts (until it is absolutely needed eg. emergency.) Kind Regards, -- ? C. Maj, Technology Captain @ Penguin PBX Solutions ? USA Toll Free 1-833-PNGNPBX (1-833-764-6729) ? International & SMS Texting +1.720.32.42.72.9 ? Visit on the World Wide Web at PENGUINPBX.COM