From reb@ritz.mordor.com Fri Apr 1 23:25:03 EST 1999
Article: 37199 of comp.dcom.telecom
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 1999 09:01:56 -0500
From: Richard Baum
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: 911 Chatline
New service to pay for cost of enhanced 911
Date: Fri, 1 APR 99 8:20:19 EST
NEW YORK (AP) -- Century Communications announced today plans for an
exciting new 900 service, with profits to go to help defray the cost
of installing and maintaining enhanced 911 service across the country.
Called, 'The 911 Chatline,' it allows callers to choose an area of the
country, and to listen to 911 emergency calls from it.
When asked what prompted this unusual foray into the 900 business,
Century spokeswoman Fawn Lebowitz said, "In recent years we've seen a
dramatic increase in the popularity of reality-based television
shows. The 911 Chatline allows callers to experience real-life drama
while it is going on, all from the comfort of their own home."
While listening to the emergency calls going through, callers to the
Chatline have a number of options. They can listen to just the 911
calls for the area they select, switch their call to a different area,
or, probably the most interesting option, connect their call to the
'911 Chatline' to discuss the details of the emergencies with each
other as they happen, and before the police have even arrived!
Thanks to new voice recognition software from AT&T, callers with a
high speed modem can even participate in the 911 phone call. This will
allow a level of interaction between police authority, victim, and
casual listener to undreamed to levels. Listeners will be able to ask
questions of the victim and get to know them on a personal level.
Listeners may ask the police operators questions as to why specific
procedures have been developed allowing the public at large to gain
a better understanding of law enforcement agencies.
As 911 centers sign up to recieve their share of the profits, they are
connected to the Chatline network. Century says it has already wired
up over 50 centers, and that it has coverage in most major
metropolitan areas. They plan to have the whole nation wired by April,
1998.