July 5, 2005

CTIA and the Rural Cellular Association said their members that have chosen handset solutions to meet the wireless enhanced 911 rules will not be able to meet the December 31st deadline to have 95 percent of the handsets in use on their networks to be location-capable.

"Carriers are meeting the Federal Communications Commission requirements for new activations, but we believe enforcing the deadline for handset conversions disadvantages consumers by forcing them to replace equipment they are satisfied with and aren't ready to replace for a variety of reasons," said CTIA President Steve Largent.

CTIA and RCA asked the FCC to waive the deadline. Rural carriers have long complained about the handset requirement, noting that many customers prefer their 3-watt analog phones compared to digital phones.

Nextel Communications, which is merging with Sprint Corp., another carrier that chose a handset solution, has said it is worried about the deadline, but last January the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau said it expected all carriers would meet the deadline.

John Muleta, former wireless bureau chief, held an informal meeting in December with 911 stakeholders, including carriers and public safety, to get a status check. Based on that meeting, Muleta said at a later FCC meeting that the bureau "expects no surprises" as the Dec. 31 handset location capability deadline approaches.

When the FCC allowed carriers to choose a handset solution to meet the wireless E911 Phase II rules, it said that 90 percent of all handsets in use must have location capability by Dec. 31.

Some carriers previously had indicated that it may not be possible to meet that deadline. Some rural carriers unsuccessfully tried to get the Senate to amend the recently passed E911 bill to delay the deadline.

Handset-based solutions must be able to locate the caller within 50 meters 67 percent of the time and within 150 meters 95 percent of the time.

Source: RCR News