Major Progress for NextNav in Battle for 9-1-1 Location
NextNav announced an agreement with a major US mobile network operator to deliver vertical location for Enhanced 911 (E911) calls using the NextNav Pinnacle 911 solution. With the solution, the location of a calling party to 9–1–1 will include the device’s height above the ellipsoid (HaE). This data element enables 9–1–1 call forwarding systems to send the caller’s vertical location, the Z-Axis, to a receiving Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).
Details of the announcement include:
- Augmented Device Barometric Pressure Readings: NextNav Pinnacle provides local weather stations tracking accurate atmospheric pressure readings across more than 4,400 cities and towns. With access to a precise reading close to a calling party's location, NextNav Pinnacle processes translate a device's reported pressure reading into an accurate calculation of the height above the earth's curve.
- Handset OS Support Required: The function of correlating device barometric pressure readings with local pressure readings generated by Pinnacle 911 sensors deployed across a region depends upon support in mobile handset operating systems. The OS must transport the device's pressure reading during the 9-1-1 emergency call processing operation. As such, device suppliers must upgrade future handsets with the necessary support. We can expect the un-named MNO to add a requirement for NextNav Pinnacle support as part of the operator's device approval process. With that requirement in place, handsets may appear as soon as summer 2022. Still, consumer device refresh cycles are getting longer, and it will be several years before the capability is ubiquitous for a critical mass of handsets in customers' hands.
- Meets or Exceeds FCC Requirements for E911: When implemented on devices, the calls to 9-1-1 will include Z-Axis data that provides floor-level accuracy of plus/minus three meters. That support enables the MNO to conform to FCC requirements established in the Sixth Report and Order in PS Docket 07-114, Wireless E911 Location Accuracy Requirements.
- Leverages FirstNet Z-Level Infrastructure: NextNav completed a significant build-out of atmospheric pressure sensing stations at AT&T cell sites supporting FirstNet. The build supports accurate first responder device Z-Axis location reporting for situational awareness applications.
NextNav Impact
- Significant Progress Proofpoint: NextNav has toiled for years as the company deployed a terrestrial GPS alternative in a select set of demonstration cities. Acceptance has been slow, and the company adapted to create a market-ready capability based on granular atmospheric pressure sensing. NextNav Pinnacle first supported the first responder community through its FirstNet partnership that enables Z-Axis reporting through situational awareness applications. Now, the value extends to support the 9-1-1 call initiation use case. A top-tier US mobile operator win gives NextNav a claim to substantial and long-lasting market traction.
- Sets Stage for Broader Market Penetration: Because one major US MNO will require that device suppliers integrate information flows to NextNav Pinnacle, NextNav is likely to gain support from all three MNOs. NextNav can show that adopting its capabilities is the path-of-least resistance for meeting stringent FCC requirements. Realistically, Z-Axis is not a competitive differentiation factor for operators. As such, there should be little motivation for costly bespoke approaches when NextNav is off-the-shelf ready with device suppliers already compelled to support.
- Facilitates Other Use Cases: NextNav's data for 9-1-1 support can also have value in software for delivery services, enterprise workforce tracking, and other applications. This flexibility helps NextNav expand its relevance to a variety of growth markets.
Ecosystem Impact
- Smartphones and Other Mobile Devices Must Signal Atmospheric Pressure on 9-1-1 Calls: Legacy E911 call processing by mobile operators did not take advantage of advanced device functionality. To gain access to advanced location information, PSAPs relied upon companies such as RapidSOS and RapidDeploy to access data held by Google and Apple. With at least one major operator using NextNav Pinnacle to satisfy FCC requirements, all mobile phones with 9-1-1 call support will have to incorporate atmospheric pressure data into the call flow for 9-1-1 emergency call initiation. This move impacts Apple, Samsung, and many other suppliers.
- Core Network and 9-1-1 Call Handling Systems: Mobile call processing equipment suppliers such as Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung must incorporate support for the added atmospheric pressure data. The mobile core network that receives the call request must ensure that the data is passed on to the call handling system used by the PSAP. Industry players should initiate standards efforts in ANSI and NENA to ensure consistency across network equipment providers and call handling systems.
- Polaris Wireless May Have Lost Battle: With a significant operator forcing device suppliers to send device pressure data, a major argument for Polaris Wireless may now be negated. Polaris Wireless offered a flexible deployment model that worked with commercial off-the-shelf devices. If workable, that approach should have been an easy win. The NextNav announcement suggests that the approach was too limited.
- Other Z-Axis Approaches May Get Enabled: The NextNav agreement should result in a standard mechanism to transmit essential device sensor information at the time of 9-1-1 call initiation. While NextNav has deployed a network of correlation sensors that deliver additional information required to translate pressure into a height, alternative approaches may exist. The universal availability of the data created by this agreement can open the door for new techniques that may compete with NextNav. Polaris Wireless, for example, may be able to leverage the device data to enhance the company's approach to Z-axis reporting.
End User Impact
- PSAPs Must be Patient: While the agreement is a very positive step forward, the process of getting the information flowing into the PSAP systems will take several years for full nationwide adoption. Once devices have the needed software support and 9–1–1 call handling systems are upgraded to ingest the data, expect a long wait as consumers upgrade devices. Only the newest devices will initially support the new data. With device replacement cycles extending beyond two years, that could result in a five to ten-year span.
- HaE is not a Floor Location: A data point of height above the earth's ellipsoid is tough to translate into a location identified by a specific building structure's floor address system. As an example, a building on a slope may have the first floor labeled as a sub-floor (e.g., -1), with the main entrance located on a higher floor. Local authorities should begin collecting data on building floor number systems for future correlation with an HaE reading. Tools provided by First Due and One Hundred Feet can potentially help create those data sets.
- Do Not Give Up Apple/Google Location Dips: RapidSOS and RapidDeploy provide PSAPs with access to additional device data held by Apple and Google. The Z-Access information that flows in from the 9-1-1 call can be helpful but gaining an accurate in-building X and Y coordinate is also vital. The sophisticated Apple and Google mechanisms build upon Wi-Fi radio signals and an enormous base of sensing devices. These services will remain an essential tool in the PSAP arsenal.
Bottom Line
Securing an agreement from a major US mobile operator that forces mobile devices suppliers to integrate support for the Pinnacle 911 solution is a major win for NextNav. The win represents a major proof point for the company's Z-axis approach. While it will take years to realize the benefits, the new Z-Axis functionality will help boost 9-1-1 location accuracy and complement the solutions available today from RapidSOS and RapidDeploy.