Telecom Officials Urge Caution For Orderly Transition to Internet Protocol Networks
Panelists highlighted the remaining challenges for bringing next generation 911 call centers online
WASHINGTON, Feb 4, 2026 – Three telecommunications companies cautioned against discontinuing copper telephone service without a coordinated effort between providers – and better incentive structures to ensure continued service.
Speaking at the INCOMPAS Policy Summit here on Wednesday, each member of the panel noted that most emergency calls still rely on copper technology to connect those in need with 911 dispatchers.
“911 traffic still depends on local interconnection, so while not a high quality connection, you have to have it in order to successfully deliver 911 calls,” said Greg Rogers, head of global policy and regulatory affairs with telecom provider Bandwidth. “As much as people want to be as aggressive as possible to move into an all-IP environment, you can’t do it so fast that you forget everything that goes into delivering emergency calls.”
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