November 30, 2023

ZP Better Together (ZP) announced today that it has launched an innovative mobile app solution that makes E911 geolocation services available to the deaf and hard of hearing community. ZP, a leading provider of video relay and interpretation services, is among the first providers to deliver E911 geolocation services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

To view an American Sign Language interpretation of this press release please visit ZP.

“I am so proud to announce the launch of our new E911 geolocation solution,” said Sherri Turpin, CEO of ZP better Together. “This is so much more than a solution, this is a lifeline. For far too long, the deaf community has been overlooked when it comes to having full and equal access to emergency response services. With the Federal Communications Commission’s recent decision, ZP is now helping to change that and ensure that the safety and wellbeing of the deaf community are prioritized the same as everyone else’s.”

E911, known as Enhanced 911, automatically relays a person’s address and phone number to emergency services when they dial 911 from a mobile device.

ZP’s new E911 geolocation solution is offered as a feature on ZP’s Z5 and P3 mobile apps Z5 Mobile and P3 Mobile. The E911 geolocation feature allows 911 emergency responders to automatically pinpoint a customer’s exact location through Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities of the person’s mobile device, allowing responders to arrive at the scene faster.

Turpin noted, the launch of ZP’s E911 geolocation solution comes soon after the FCC’s September 2023 decision to increase support for Video Relay Service and following the company’s multi-year and multi-faceted national advocacy campaign to ensure the deaf community’s fundamental right to communications access. Building on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network’s foundational work with the FCC to advance functional equivalency, ZP’s advocacy campaign focused on educating consumers, business and policy leaders about the gross inequities that deaf and hard of hearing individuals face with respect to their daily communications.

“ZP’s commitment to ensure communications equity for the deaf and hard of hearing community remains unwavering,” added Turpin. “I firmly believe that our E911 geolocation solution is just the beginning of many new and innovative solutions soon to come from ZP.”

About ZP Better Together
ZVRS and Purple Communications (ZP), divisions of ZP Better Together, LLC, are communications solution-makers dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and most innovative communication services to meet the unique needs of each Deaf and hard-of-hearing individual. Our commitment extends across hardware, software, and in-person solutions within these four areas of service: Video Relay Service (VRS), Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART), and On-Site Interpreting. These four pillars of service are the foundation of our commitment to the belief that every conversation matters. Whether it is at home, on the go, at school, or in the workplace, our mission is to grow and bridge two worlds with innovative, accessible communication solutions, creating more opportunities in our Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. For more information please visit ZP.