Apple Location Based Routing White Paper for Public Safety

Apple devices can often provide a fast, device-based location estimate when a user dials a 9-1-1 call. This allows networks to route more calls to the local 9-1-1 center responsible for the user’s location on the first try.

Apple devices contain a variety of location sensors. When a user initiates an emergency call, supported Apple devices can “fuse” information from various sensors, such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) and Wi-Fi. This process takes advantage of proprietary methods and network-provided assistance data (if available), to quickly calculate a low-uncertainty, high-integrity estimate of the device’s location. Apple calls this capability “Hybridized Emergency Location” or “HELO.” Technologies such as HELO are often referred to as “Device-Based Hybrid” or “DBH.”