Verizon Business is offering an IP-based platform designed to integrate emergency-response radio systems, along with voice and data services, into a common network.

The new system, known as the Verizon Communications Interoperability Solution, uses routers, interfaces and other customer-premises equipment to convert all designated radio signals within the emergency response system to IP. Thus, police, firefighters and emergency medical service providers will be able to communicate, even though they use different radio frequencies to talk through their individual devices.

Verizon says the platform also can link the IP-based radio communications with wireline and wireless voice calls, as well as with e-mail and text messages. The service also will be able to use a preprogrammed list of phone numbers and radio frequencies to alert government officials of a crisis automatically.

"Essentially, we're using IP technology that extends the radio communications into the voice and wireless networks," says Chuck Vick, Verizon Business' manager for emergency-communications product marketing. "The most benefit is expected to be seen from first-responder agencies such as fire, police and EMS, since in a crisis you'll have multiple agencies responding at once."

Verizon Business uses Cisco's IP Interoperability and Communications System devices to deliver its interoperability platform, and the company says it is the first carrier in North America to offer Cisco's platform over its IP network. The company plans on introducing managed and hosted versions of the interoperability platform service for public safety agencies in 2009.

Jimmy Gianato, director of the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says his state was eager to sign up for the Verizon interoperability service because it "solves a long-standing critical need . . . to better communicate with other critical first responders during times of crisis."

Communications interoperability has been a big issue for emergency-response agencies, because many police, fire and EMS departments cannot communicate with each other during emergencies because they use incompatible systems with different radio frequencies. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently released a national emergency-responder communications plan that mandates, among other things, that "90% of all areas designated as high-risk of international-terrorist attack demonstrate response-level emergency communications within one hour for routine events involving multiple jurisdictions and agencies" by 2010.