24 Mar California’s Next Gen 911 Rollout Delayed to 2030 Amid Cost Overruns, Other Concerns

(Photo and graphic by Denis Perez-Bravo / The CC Pulse)

By Denis Perez-Bravo

Emergency response systems in Richmond and across Contra Costa County remain stable, as California’s long-delayed transition to Next Generation 911 technology continues to stall amid multimillion-dollar cost overruns and oversight questions and other delays.

Next Generation 911 is designed to replace the legacy copper landline-based system in the U.S. and Canada with an internet protocol network capable of handling voice, text, photos, video and enhanced location data.

The project, which began in the early 2000s, was slated for completion in California by 2022. In 2025, the state rollout was halted to address design flaws.

Now, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or Cal OES, has pushed the full transition date to 2030.

“The Richmond Police Department has begun preparing for the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1,” Richmond Police Department public information officer Lt. Donald Patchin said. “The transition is not expected to significantly change our current operations.”

Richmond is evaluating upgrades to portions of its phone system while maintaining existing capabilities, he said, but for now, the system is stable.

There are currently no concerns about how emergency calls are routed, Patchin said, noting Richmond, a primary Public Safety Answering Point, already receives most 911 calls directly through GPS and cell tower data. Calls rarely need to be transferred to outside agencies, he said.

Patchin said the department does not plan to use features such as photo or video sharing.

“Those features require additional funding, and at this time we are not planning to implement them,” he said.

The department already supports text-to-911, meaning residents will not see changes to that service or require additional staff training.

At the state level, however, the rollout has been marked by challenges.

“Cal OES is strengthening its oversight of the NG 9-1-1 implementation as we move forward with transitioning to a statewide service provider,” said Matt Notley, deputy director of the Cal OES Office of Crisis Communication and Public Affairs.

A recent state budget analysis found California has spent more than $450 million developing the system, far exceeding earlier projections.

Legislative Analyst’s Office Director Gabriel Petek published a report recommending the Legislature direct OES to pause implementation of the statewide approach until it can answer key questions.

“And if not possible by May, the Legislature could consider halting the project to allow an independent third-party to evaluate the state’s options,” the report read.

The report also recommended ongoing monthly project updates, quarterly fiscal reports and a new governance structure to provide greater oversight of the 911 system.

Between 2021 and 2024, 23 dispatch centers across the state began transitioning voice calls to NG 911. Some reported technical issues, including call routing problems, outages and dropped calls. Those concerns prompted state officials to pause further implementation in early 2025 and reevaluate the system’s design.

As of early 2026, only 23 of roughly 450 public safety answering points in California are operating on NG 911, a small fraction of the system the state aims to replace. Most are in smaller or rural jurisdictions, including the Bakersfield, California City, Cal State L.A., Delano, McFarland, Placerville and Shafter police departments, California Highway Patrol’s El Centro office, and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.

Most agencies — including Richmond Police — continue to rely on legacy infrastructure.

OES initially planned a regional rollout model but has since shifted to a single, statewide system with one primary provider and a backup. State officials say the change is intended to reduce complexity and improve reliability.

“Californians deserve a 9-1-1 system that works for everyone,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom. She said the state is working toward a “renewed vision” focused on reliability, transparency and public safety.

Still, key questions remain.

In the legislative report, Petek outlined several that must be answered: What is the nature and scope of the problem? Will the new plan solve it? What other options were considered? How do those options compare?

Despite the uncertainty at the state level, Patchin said residents should not expect disruptions.

While the promise of a more advanced, multimedia-capable emergency system remains on the horizon, the day-to-day experience of calling 911 is unlikely to change anytime soon.