Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety 911 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hocking County authorizes switch to fiber optics to enable next-generation 9-1-1
Summary
The Hocking County commissioners approved county staff to sign a Spectrum service order to replace legacy analog lines with fiber optics so the county can move to Next Generation 9-1-1 service; commissioners also authorized interim technical steps to maintain pump monitoring as carriers retire analog circuits.
Hocking County commissioners on Feb. 13 authorized county staff to sign a Spectrum service order to upgrade legacy analog circuits to fiber-optic lines so the county can move to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).
County staff told the commissioners the service order is needed because the county’s current analog lines must be replaced before NG9-1-1-capable infrastructure can be installed. “This is the Spectrum service order, in coordination with the state's moving to the, next generation 9 1 1,” a county staff member said during the meeting.
The commissioners voted by voice to give staff the authority to sign the service order. The decision came as part of routine business after the board left executive session; commissioners indicated the motion carried with an affirmative voice vote.
Commissioners also discussed related carrier changes affecting county monitoring systems. A commissioner said AT&T and other providers are phasing out legacy wired circuits and that the county received notice the service could be discontinued as early as March. The board authorized staff to pursue short-term technical adaptations — including a cellular adapter trial — to maintain visibility of sewer pump telemetry while the fiber work proceeds.
The county did not specify a contract amount, a firm installation timetable beyond the March notice, or which specific circuits will move first. Commissioners asked staff to investigate interim connectivity options and return with details if additional funding or longer-term arrangements are needed.
Why it matters: NG9-1-1 replaces legacy, circuit-based call-routing and data paths with IP-based systems that can carry text, images, and richer dispatch data. Upgrading trunk lines is a prerequisite for that service; the county’s authorization lets staff begin contracting for the physical line replacements and short-term adapters to avoid immediate monitoring gaps.
The board next handled several budget and personnel matters later in the meeting.
