As part of our ongoing efforts to improve safety and compliance, we have implemented changes to the 911 (Dynamic 911) emergency calling functionality in Microsoft Teams. This update introduces dynamic location services, which will more accurately determine and share your location during emergency calls, whether you're on campus, working remotely, or at home. This aligns with regulatory requirements for accurate emergency routing and ensures faster response times from Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs).
How Dynamic 911 Works in Teams
Microsoft Teams uses Dynamic Emergency Calling (Dynamic 911) to automatically detect and share your location when you dial 911. This feature ensures that emergency responders are provided with the most accurate location possible, whether you are on campus, working remotely, or traveling.
Location Detection
When you place a 911 call, Teams follows a layered approach to determine your location:
- Device-based location:
- If enabled, Teams uses your computer’s or mobile device’s GPS, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth signals to detect your physical location. This is enabled automatically on college-owned computers.
- This is the most precise option, especially for mobile users.
- Network-based location:
- If device services are unavailable or restricted, Teams attempts to determine your location based on the network connection (e.g., the IP address, Wi-Fi access point, or wired network switch/port you’re connected to).
- On campus, Teams can map your connection to a predefined emergency location (such as a building and floor) configured by IT.
- Fallback to registered address:
- If neither device nor network-based detection succeeds, Teams uses the assigned office location on file in IT telephone records.
- Manual entry prompt:
- If Teams still cannot detect a valid location, you’ll need to manually enter your location . Refer to Your Location in Teams below.
Call Routing
Once your location is determined:
- Teams sends the detected civic address or GPS coordinates to our telephone provider PureIp’s emergency calling service.
- Your call is then routed to the correct Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) based on your real-time location, not just your phone number.
- This ensures your call reaches the local 911 center wherever you are whether on or off campus.
Emergency Notifications
In addition to routing the call:
- Campus Police receive an immediate alert containing your location and call details.
- This applies whether you’re on campus or off campus, ensuring a timely response and coordination with local emergency services.
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First Time Teams Launch
Employees with phone numbers will see a consent popup the first time they launch Teams. At Stonehill, location sharing is only for emergency calls, so you can choose either option:
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Your Location in Teams
When employees with a phone number are on-campus, the location is automatically set in Teams.
When employees with a phone number are off-campus, they should verify that their location is correct in Teams:
- Open the Teams app and navigate to the Calls section.
- Below the dial pad, look for the "Emergency location" dropdown (it may say "Location not detected" initially).
- Click it to add, edit, or confirm your address. Use the map search for precision.
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Enabling Location Services on Your Personal Devices
To allow Teams to access your location for emergency purposes, we'll remotely enable location services on college-managed devices via IT policies. If you use Teams on a personal computing device, you can adjust settings following these instructions:
- On Windows: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location. Ensure "Location services" is On, and allow Teams under app permissions. Select "Allow apps to access your location" and choose "While using the app" or "Always" for Teams.
- On Mac: Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Enable it globally and specifically for Teams.
- Once enabled, Teams can use your device's GPS, Wi-Fi, or IP to pinpoint your location dynamically.
With Teams Phone on a mobile device, the emergency location is determined only if you have allowed the app to know your location. If you use Teams phone on a personal computing device, you can manually enable location services.
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