NEW YORK (AP) — Text-to-911 service, an increasingly important option in an era of mass shootings and other catastrophes, is still hard to find in the U.S.
The service is especially important at times when a phone call could place someone in danger.
Although it's slowly expanding its reach, the emphasis there is on "slow." Limited funds, piecemeal adoption and outdated technology at call centers have all helped stymie growth.
More than 1,600 emergency call centers across the nation have configured systems to receive text message requests for 911 services, up from about 650 two years ago. But that's barely a quarter of the roughly 6,000 call centers across the U.S.
