emergency services

This document adds new assertion values for a Resource Priority Header ("rph") claim and a new SIP Priority Header ("sph") claim for protection of the "psap-callback" value as part of the "rph" Personal Assertion Token (PASSporT) extension in support of the security of emergency services networks for emergency call origination and callback.

Use of the Internet for emergency calling is described in RFC 6443, 'Framework for Emergency Calling Using Internet Multimedia'. In some cases of emergency calls, the transmission of application data is all that is needed, and no interactive media channel is established: a situation referred to as 'non-interactive emergency calls', where, unlike most emergency calls, there is no two-way interactive media such as voice or video or text. This document describes use of a SIP MESSAGE transaction that includes a container for the data based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). That type of emergency request does not establish a session, distinguishing it from SIP INVITE, which does. Any device that needs to initiate a request for emergency services without an interactive media channel would use the mechanisms in this document.

When an emergency call is sent to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), the originating device, the access network provider to which the device is connected, and all service providers in the path of the call have information about the call, the caller, or the location, which is helpful for the PSAP to have in handling the emergency. This document describes data structures and mechanisms to convey such data to the PSAP. The intent is that every emergency call carry as much of the information described here as possible using the mechanisms described here.

The mechanisms permit the data to be conveyed by reference (as an external resource) or by value (within the body of a SIP message or a location object). This follows the tradition of prior emergency services standardization work where data can be conveyed by value within the call signaling (i.e., in the body of the SIP message) or by reference.

For cases where location servers have access to emergency routing information, they are able to return routing information with the location information if the location request includes a request for the desired routing information. This document specifies an extension to the HTTP-Enabled Location Delivery (HELD) protocol that updates RFC 5985 to support this function. Allowing location and routing information to be acquired in a single request response exchange updates RFC 6881, as current location acquisition and route determination procedures are separate operations.

This document provides a problem statement, introduces terminology, and describes an extension for the base IETF emergency services architecture to address cases where an emergency caller is not authenticated, has no identifiable service provider, or has no remaining credit with which to pay for access to the network.

The trustworthiness of location information is critically important for some location-based applications, such as emergency calling or roadside assistance.

This document describes threats to conveying location, particularly for emergency calls, and describes techniques that improve the reliability and security of location information. It also provides guidelines for assessing the trustworthiness of location information.

After an emergency call is completed (terminated either prematurely by the emergency caller or normally by the call taker), the call taker may feel the need for further communication. For example, the call may have been dropped by accident without the call taker having sufficient information about the current state of an accident victim. A call taker may trigger a callback to the emergency caller using the contact information provided with the initial emergency call. This callback could, under certain circumstances, be treated like any other call and, as a consequence, it may get blocked by authorization policies or may get forwarded to an answering machine.

The IETF emergency services architecture specification already offers a solution approach for allowing Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) callbacks to bypass authorization policies in order to reach the caller without unnecessary delays. Unfortunately, the specified mechanism only supports limited scenarios. This document discusses shortcomings of the current mechanisms and illustrates additional scenarios where better-than-normal call treatment behavior would be desirable. We describe a solution based on a new header field value for the SIP Priority header field, called "psap-callback", to mark PSAP callbacks.

This document updates the registration guidance provided in Section 4.2 of RFC 5031, which allows the registration of service URNs with the 'sos' service type only for emergency services "that are offered widely and in different countries". This document updates those instructions to allow such registrations when, at the time of registration, those services are offered in only one country.

The IETF and other standards organizations have efforts targeted at standardizing various aspects of placing emergency calls on IP networks. This memo describes best current practice on how devices, networks, and services using IETF protocols should use such standards to make emergency calls.

The emergency services architecture developed in the IETF Emergency Context Resolution with Internet Technology (ECRIT) working group describes an architecture where location information is provided by access networks to endpoints or Voice over IP (VoIP) service providers in order to determine the correct dial string and information to route the call to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). To determine the PSAP Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), the usage of the Location-to-Service Translation (LoST) protocol is envisioned.

This document provides a problem statement and lists requirements for situations where the Internet Access Provider (IAP) and/or the Internet Service Provider (ISP) are only willing to disclose limited or no location information. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.

The IETF has standardized various aspects of placing emergency calls. This document describes how all of those component parts are used to support emergency calls from citizens and visitors to authorities. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.

This document describes an architecture for a global, scalable, resilient, and administratively distributed system for mapping geographic location information to URLs, using the Location-to-Service Translation (LoST) protocol. The architecture generalizes well-known approaches found in hierarchical lookup systems such as DNS. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document lists the essential requirements for real-time Text-over-IP (ToIP) and defines a framework for implementation of all required functions based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and the Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP). This includes interworking between Text-over-IP and existing text telephony on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and other networks. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document defines terminology and enumerates requirements for the context resolution of emergency calls placed by the public using voice-over-IP (VoIP) and general Internet multimedia systems, where Internet protocols are used end to end. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

The content of many communication services depends on the context, such as the user's location. We describe a 'service' URN that allows well-known context-dependent services that can be resolved in a distributed manner to be identified. Examples include emergency services, directory assistance, and call-before-you-dig hot lines. [STANDARDS-TRACK]

This document reviews the security threats associated with the marking of signalling messages to indicate that they are related to an emergency, and with the process of mapping locations to Universal Resource Identifiers (URIs) that point to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). This mapping occurs as part of the process of routing emergency calls through the IP network.

Based on the identified threats, this document establishes a set of security requirements for the mapping protocol and for the handling of emergency-marked calls. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document presents a framework discussing the role of various protocols and mechanisms that could be considered candidates for supporting Emergency Telecommunication Services (ETS) within a single administrative domain. Comments about their potential usage as well as their current deployment are provided to the reader. Specific solutions are not presented. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

RFCs 3689 and 3690 detail requirements for an Emergency Telecommunications Service (ETS), of which an Internet Emergency Preparedness Service (IEPS) would be a part. Some of these types of services require call preemption; others require call queuing or other mechanisms. IEPS requires a Call Admission Control (CAC) procedure and a Per Hop Behavior (PHB) for the data that meet the needs of this architecture. Such a CAC procedure and PHB is appropriate to any service that might use H.323 or SIP to set up real-time sessions. The key requirement is to guarantee an elevated probability of call completion to an authorized user in time of crisis.

This document primarily discusses supporting ETS in the context of the US Government and NATO, because it focuses on the Multi-Level Precedence and Preemption (MLPP) and Government Emergency Telecommunication Service (GETS) standards. The architectures described here are applicable beyond these organizations. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document defines two new Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) header fields for communicating resource priority, namely, "Resource-Priority" and "Accept-Resource-Priority". The "Resource-Priority" header field can influence the behavior of SIP user agents (such as telephone gateways and IP telephones) and SIP proxies. It does not directly influence the forwarding behavior of IP routers. [STANDARDS-TRACK]

This document presents a list of requirements in support of Emergency Telecommunications Service (ETS) within a single administrative domain. This document focuses on a specific set of administrative constraints and scope. Solutions to these requirements are not presented in this document. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document presents a framework for supporting authorized, emergency-related communication within the context of IP telephony. We present a series of objectives that reflect a general view of how authorized emergency service, in line with the Emergency Telecommunications Service (ETS), should be realized within today's IP architecture and service models. From these objectives, we present a corresponding set of protocols and capabilities, which provide a more specific set of recommendations regarding existing IETF protocols. Finally, we present two scenarios that act as guiding models for the objectives and functions listed in this document. These models, coupled with an example of an existing service in the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), contribute to a constrained solution space. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document presents a list of general requirements in support of Emergency Telecommunications Service (ETS). Solutions to these requirements are not presented in this document. Additional requirements pertaining to specific applications, or types of applications, are to be specified in separate document(s). This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document presents a list of requirements in support of Emergency Telecommunications Service (ETS) within the context of IP telephony. It is an extension to the general requirements presented in RFC 3689. Solutions to these requirements are not presented in this document. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document defines the topology naming conventions that are to be used in reference to Internet Emergency Preparedness (IEPREP) phone calls. These naming conventions should be used to focus the IEPREP Working Group during discussions and when writing requirements, gap analysis and other solutions documents. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document summarizes requirements for prioritizing access to circuit-switched network, end system and proxy resources for emergency preparedness communications using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). This memo provides information for the Internet community.