Google, T-Mobile team up to help 911 operators

Nearly a week after Apple’s big reveal of its new smartwatch, which can detect a user’s fall, track irregular heartbeats and call and pinpoint locations of emergencies, Google announces plans of its own.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the news that the tech giant has struck a deal with T-Mobile to send Google Maps-like location data to emergency call centers from Android operating systems.

According to the report, T-Mobile has been working with Google on the issue for about four years and the duo partnered with RapidSOS, just as Apple did in June, to help them send location information quickly to call centers.

Locating callers has become a growing problem for 911 operators in recent years. While landlines can deliver an address, cellphones can typically register only an estimated location.

RapidSOS, which was founded in 2012 and backed by three former Federal Communications Commission leaders, said its technology will now send faster, more accurate 911 caller location information to call centers nationwide.

To date, its technology is active in over 1,000 of the more than 5,700 911 call centers nationwide, and is available to users at no additional charge.