Excerpts from Fox2now.com:

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly and Statewide 911 Administrator Cindy Barbera-Brelle announced Wednesday the state’s intent to move forward with a new 911 system known as Next Generation 911 network.

The announcement of an intent to award a contract to AT&T is expected to lead to a system that will allow for video sharing and text messages to be sent to 911 tele-communicators. The ability to share video could help first responders emergency personnel better prepare for what they’re about to encounter when responding to a 911 call.

Another key upgrade will be the ability of bordering counties to quickly share information with each other.

State officials believe the upgrade will result in greater accuracy, reduced response times, and will be more reliable. The initial cost is expected to be $109 million over 10 years. Work on the project is expected to begin at the end of the 2021 fiscal year.