Verizon connects to NYC 911 deal

Verizon Business won a seven-year, $195 million contract from New York City to implement an enhanced 911 system for the city's police, fire and emergency medical personnel to help them locate and communicate with 911 callers.

The agreement with the city has an option for four years' worth of extensions, including upgrades in network and equipment technology to ensure that the system remains state of the art.

The new system will enable New York City's police, fire and Emergency Medical Services division for the first time to share redundant, dual-dedicated switches to receive and process E-911 calls.

Verizon Business is overseeing implementation of a turnkey, fully managed E-911 service for the city that includes a new fiber optic network, dedicated switches, routers, Centrex voice services and Ethernet Private Line data network services.

Once the new system is operational, Verizon Business will provide around-the-clock network monitoring and technical support.

Implementation of the first phase of the new E-911 system has begun and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. All operations are currently planned to be migrated to the new system in 2008.

Verizon Business is a unit of Verizon Communications Inc. of New York. The parent company ranks No. 19 on Washington Technology's 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.