NextNav & Hot Pepper Mobile Partners to bring Vertical Location Technology to upcoming Device on Tier-One National Carrier
Hot Pepper Mobile and NextNav announced a new agreement that will bring NextNav’s Pinnacle Vertical Location Technology to Hot Pepper Mobile’s upcoming feature phone on a tier-one carrier’s network, scheduled for release in 2023. The partnership will bring z-axis geolocation capabilities, which are increasingly critical for 911 emergency services, search and rescue, and lone worker safety, to an accessible and affordable consumer device. The license will also allow Hot Pepper Mobile to supply phones equipped with z-axis 911 technology to all major wireless US carrier partners.
Traditional 2D location technology is often insufficient or ineffective, particularly in dense, urban areas, which can be especially dangerous in time-sensitive emergency situations. NextNav Pinnacle leads the industry in providing precise, highly secure vertical location data – in independent tests conducted by CTIA to measure z-axis capabilities, Pinnacle delivered “floor-level” accuracy in 94 percent of test calls, a level unrivaled by any other available technology. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has required that all wireless carriers deploy these capabilities across the country to ensure accurate, floor-level vertical location data on 911 callers.
“Since Hot Pepper Mobile first released our competitively-priced consumer phones, we’ve recognized the growing importance of incorporating technology like NextNav Pinnacle to address the US E911 mandate,” said Shawn Sun of Hot Pepper Mobile. “We are thrilled to partner with the industry’s clear leader, and look forward to our upcoming feature phone release that will provide life-saving vertical location technology to a wide audience of our customers.”
“We’re excited that with today’s announcement, Hot Pepper Mobile’s new feature phone will include the z-axis capabilities that help save lives and keep communities safe, and that fulfill the FCC’s requirements for carriers,” said Dan Hight, Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships at NextNav. “Our partnership will help emergency services respond faster and better to 911 calls made from Hot Pepper Mobile phones, and we look forward to continued success and collaboration as we expand the 3D geolocation ecosystem.”
NextNav’s Pinnacle Vertical Location Technology
The Pinnacle network delivers precise vertical location in 4,400 cities and towns – covering more than 90% of buildings greater than three stories in the United States. NextNav Pinnacle powers applications across the public safety community to support stronger situational awareness for first responders. Earlier this year, a tier-one wireless carrier selected NextNav Pinnacle to bring z-axis capabilities to wireless 911 phone calls to enhance caller geolocation and emergency response outcomes.
