Emergency response is currently undergoing a major shift as the US and the rest of the world continue to build out the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) system. NG911 allows callers, emergency dispatchers, and responders to share voice, images, videos, and other data across the 911 system, enabling Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) or Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) to better manage emergencies and quickly dispatch the right resources.

This new paradigm places high demands on Internet connectivity to allow massive amounts of high-bandwidth, low-latency traffic to flow seamlessly between all connecting nodes of the public safety 911 system. Lost or delayed internet packets, which routinely happen on public WANs, can have dire consequences. Best practices require multiple, redundant connectivity routes that can intelligently manage and prioritize all types of traffic, monitor real-time line conditions for each WAN link, and immediately adjust and optimize the network connection in real-time for various applications.

5G and dedicated wireless networks exclusively reserved for public safety, such as AT&T FirstNet and Verizon Frontline, will significantly help implement NG911. However, the unpredictability of emergency locations means that LTE and 5G network performance will also be unpredictable. Broadband bonding technology that intelligently combines several wireless SIM cards creates a more predictable and higher-performance connectivity solution for emergency response teams on the go.