By AP
Nashville, TN – Tennessee will be one of the first states to launch a digital 911 system to allow text messages, photos and videos from cell phones, though it won't be available for 12 to 18 months.
The Nashville Tennessean reports dispatch centers have begun upgrading equipment through the state's $25 million Next Generation 911 project, the largest overhaul of state emergency communications since 1998.
Tennessee Emergency Communications Board director of government and external affairs Andy Spears says every 911 district in the state will receive at least one digital Next Generation 911 receiver. The technology should allow dispatchers to locate cell phone users much quicker than the current analog system.