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Jun. 4, 2007

On Friday, the Federal Commmunications Commission voted to move forward on greatly improved E-911 technical requirements.

Previously, location accuracy and reliability standards were averaged on a statewide or even multistate basis, meaning that a wireless carrier's positive statistics in an urban area could offset poorer results in rural areas.

However, the FCC's notice of proposed rulemaking would require accuracy and reliability standards to be largely based on performance within each PSAP (public safety answering point) service area.

Overall, the FCC's decision also moved to include VoIP service providers under the E911 requirement standards.

The FCC's position overwhelmingly supports the APCO (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials), which recently released a report that tested seven sample areas and concluded that if accuracy were measured at the community level, about 71 percent of the areas would have received a failing grade.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said in a statement "multistate or statewide averaging can mask the reliability of 911 outside of large urban areas."

Martin added "for instance, meeting location accuracy standards on average in the entire state of New York by providing enhanced 911 capability in Manhattan doesn't necessarily help first responders in Buffalo or other New York cities."

Leading public-safety organizations welcomed the FCC action with open arms.

While the cellular industry objected to the possible new requirements, a letter filed with the FCC on behalf of Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA, Dobson Communications and the Rural Cellular Association called into question whether community-level testing was "technically feasible or even practical."

The FCC's proposal also will consider whether it should require carriers to employ a hybrid solution, combining the two most commonly used location methods, network triangulation and satellite systems.

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Source: Wireless Week