Council Approves $317K Grant to Upgrade MetroCom 9-1-1

City of Corpus Christi

CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) – The Corpus Christi City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance accepting a grant from the Commission on State Emergency Communication for $317,845.60 for the implementation of the NexGen 9-1-1 s (NG9-1-1) system. NG9-1-1 is a digital, internet protocol (IP)-based system that will replace the analog 911 infrastructure that the Corpus Christi Police Department has used for decades.

The evolution of emergency calling beyond the traditional voice 9‐1‐1 call has caused the City’s current Emergency 9‐1‐1 system to no longer be able to support the needs of the future. The new NG9-1-1 system, once implemented, will allow a caller to send information to dispatchers about an emergency through videos, text messages, or photos.

The City’s current 9-1-1 network must be upgraded to high-speed broadband to take advantage of the NG9-1-1 system. The NG9-1-1 transition should take one year to complete. 

MetroCom 911 services all of Nueces County and will continue with the upgrade to NG9-1-1. The second reading of the ordinance will be on October 25.