Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (Nasdaq: CMTL) and LaaSer Critical Communications announced today they are partnering to deploy an enhanced solution to 911 emergency response in the mobile age. Together, Comtech and LaaSer will deliver supplemental location data and any rich media associated with an emergency call to the correct 911 dispatch center.

Comtech is a pioneer in this field, having deployed its first wireless 911 solution in 1998. LaaSer’s patented, award winning solution ingeniously solves the problem of wireless caller location determination by leveraging many of the hardware components and software tools already built into modern connected devices, such as GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Operators at 911 call centers can see a caller’s location just as quickly and accurately as calls placed from landlines. And just as importantly, LaaSer’s solution requires no overhead in the form of new equipment and is rapidly deployable.

“This partnership combines Comtech’s extensive experience delivering 911 calls to the nation’s first responders with LaaSer’s innovative technology,” adds Fred Kornberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Comtech Telecommunications Corp. “Together, we are committed to leveraging the latest technology to provide 911 dispatchers with the information that can save more lives.”

“We started LaaSer to address some of the issues we saw in the existing 911 system,” says Fred White, cofounder and CEO of LaaSer. “And now, by partnering with Comtech, we'll be able to expand LaaSer’s life saving technologies and enable entirely new ways to provide emergency services with accurate location and supplemental data.”

The current 911 system was designed when landlines were the most common mode of communication, and the system hasn’t kept pace with the rapid pace of mobile innovation and adoption. The FCC is certainly aware of the issue and the toll it’s taking in lives. The agency estimates that improving the average emergency response time to mobile callers by just 60 seconds could save over 10,000 lives annually.

Source: Comtech Communications media announcement