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Frequently Asked Questions

PS/ALI works fine for us today. Why change?

It works for legacy 9-1-1. It may not once the 9-1-1 authority where you have offices moves to NG9-1-1, or once you leave TDM. The FCC has pointed to cases where PS/ALI records weren’t available to route calls directly. The question is what a 9-1-1 call without your location would cost you.

Why do this now? Nothing has changed for us yet.

Two things are happening at once: 9-1-1 is moving to NG9-1-1, and carriers are retiring TDM, with some exiting PS/ALI altogether. Either can force a change with little warning. Moving your records now may avoid doing the work twice.

Our state isn’t on NG9-1-1 yet.

NG9-1-1 happens state by state, and each authority sets its own timing. Offices in more than one state may cut over at different times. Carriers are also targeting the end of 2028 to retire the networks PS/ALI runs on. Whichever date comes first sets your deadline.

Our carrier handles our 9-1-1.

Has your carrier shared its plan for your PS/ALI records? Some carriers don’t have a current plan. Carrier E9-1-1 is often a basic feature of your phone service, while ERS is a dedicated enterprise 9-1-1 solution.

Is the FCC requiring this?

No. The September 2026 notice (DA 26-1043) is guidance, not a mandate. It does highlight real risk: delayed or repeatedly transferred 9-1-1 calls and added compliance exposure. You remain responsible for location under Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act.

Will this be a big project?

Intrado’s team supports the move, and the ERS portal makes record management easier than legacy PS/ALI portals. A sales engineer can walk your team through scope and timeline. A planned move is a much smaller job than fixing 9-1-1 after a call goes wrong.

We already use ERS. Does this apply to us?

Possibly. If desk phones or remote sites are handled by a separate PS/ALI service, you are managing two 9-1-1 setups and one may not survive NG9-1-1. Moving the rest to ERS puts every location on one platform with one administration.

What do these terms mean?

TDM: older, pre-IP phone technology on copper lines. PRI / CAMA: older trunks that connect a PBX to the carrier; CAMA carries 9-1-1 calls specifically. Centrex: carrier-hosted business phone service on TDM. ALI: the database a 9-1-1 center checks for a caller’s location. ELIN: a phone number tied to a fixed location, such as a floor. 9-1-1 authority: the state or local body that decides when to cut over to NG9-1-1. ECRC: Intrado’s Emergency Call Relay Center.