Public safety eases stance on E-911

Changes in PSAP community cited
RCR Wireless
July 25th, 2008

Public-safety groups, which last year successively persuaded federal regulators to adopt a strict enhanced 911 location accuracy standard over the objections of wireless providers, now say the rule is unworkable and should be replaced with a more lenient one. They also told the Federal Communications Commission that previously approved E-911 guidelines should be relaxed, but it does not appear that new concessions will derail legal challenges to the agency's latest E-911 changes.

"We have previously advocated that wireless E-911 accuracy should be measured at the PSAP [public safety answering point] level. We are now willing to accept compliance measurements at the county level," stated Association of Public-Safety Communications International President Willis Carter and National Emergency Number Association President Ronald Boneau in a letter to FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Chief Derek Poarch.

Moreover, they recommended a waiver process be established to address cases in which carriers cannot technically meet modified location accuracy requirements in every county.

PSAP changes

Carter and Boneau said the policy shift was prompted in part by changes in the PSAP community, such as consolidation of 911 centers and changes to PSAP geographic boundaries to match county boundaries. There are approximately 6,000 PSAPs in the United States.

The public-safety organizations' change in posture on E-911 rules comes about three months after NENA hired Brian Fontes - a former FCC policymaker who managed federal regulatory affairs at cellular industry association CTIA, Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and AT&T Mobility - to fill its new CEO position.

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