Next Generation 9-1-1 Testing: What’s standing between Canada and NG9-1-1 readiness?

End-to-end (E2E) testing is essential to ensuring that Canada’s Next Generation 9-1-1 ecosystem is ready to handle real-world emergency situations. But before NG9-1-1 goes live nationwide, several complication factors relating to E2E testing must be considered. Multiple technical, operational, and regulatory factors make E2E testing one of the most complex, yet critical aspects of Canada’s NG9-1-1 transition. Read on to learn about some of the key challenges:

Multiple Stakeholders = Complex Coordination

NG9-1-1 involves a wide range of stakeholders – each with its own systems, priorities, and timelines. When every call relies on interaction across multiple organizations, one delay can stall or invalidate the entire validation process. Without strong coordination, testing becomes a fragmented effort where only portions of the system are ever validated in unison.

Lack of Interoperable Testing Environments

There is no single, unified testing infrastructure for NG9-1-1. Instead, isolated environments exist but they often may not be compatible with others. This fragmentation limits the ability to simulate a real-world NG9-1-1 call and the full sequence of communication handoffs. Without a shared environment, validation of more complex scenarios becomes much more difficult.

Gaps in System Readiness

While some parts of the NG9-1-1 ecosystem are relatively mature, others are still catching up today. In some cases, systems are not yet fully configured for more advanced features, which can hinder testing and leave potential issues undetected.

Limited Access to Realistic Testing

Accessing a true-to-life NG9-1-1 environment for testing purposes is a significant hurdle. While simulated systems do exist, they often lack the depth and realism needed to fully evaluate system behavior under real-world loads and conditions. The result is that many tests occur in overly simplified setups that don’t replicate actual emergency responses, especially under sub-optimal network conditions.

Procurement, Policy, and Legal Barriers

Legal agreements, regulatory requirements, and procurement rules can slow down testing and rollout tremendously. Even when all parties are willing and need it to happen, cutting through the red tape involved requires planning, structure, and experience.

How COMsolve Supports E2E Testing

End-to-end testing isn’t just a technical exercise, but rather a reflection of how well the NG9-1-1 ecosystem can operate under real-world conditions. For NG9-1-1 to deliver on its promise, stakeholders must treat testing not as a one-time checkbox, but as an ongoing, collective responsibility that requires shared effort in collaborative test environments, and a shift towards cross-sector cooperation.

COMsolve works directly with carriers, PSAPs, and technology vendors to bridge the gaps that make NG9-1-1 end-to-end testing so difficult. Our independent testing lab is equipped to replicate real-world NG9-1-1 calls, ensuring a true end-to-end testing process. We also offer scenario-based testing that goes beyond individual network elements to validate complete functionality under a wide variety of conditions.

Our experienced team brings together their experience managing multi-stakeholder NG9-1-1 projects, and can serve as a neutral coordinator to align schedules, facilitate data sharing, and ensure each participant is test-ready. We also help organizations navigate procurement and legal requirements by providing structured test plans, controlled environments, and clear reporting that meets regulatory expectations.

By providing both the technical environment and the project governance expertise needed for effective collaboration, COMsolve enables meaningful E2E testing by helping stakeholders identify issues early, reduce deployment risk, and build confidence in Canada’s NG9-1-1 readiness.

Are you NG9-1-1 ready? Find out: comsolveinc.com/ng9-1-1