Background
The number of 911 calls placed by people
using wireless phones has radically increased. Public safety
personnel estimate that about 50 percent of the millions of 911
calls they receive daily are placed from wireless phones, and
that percentage is growing.
For many Americans, the ability to call 911
for help in an emergency is one of the main reasons they own a
wireless phone. Other wireless 911 calls come from “Good
Samaritans” reporting traffic accidents, crimes or other
emergencies. Prompt delivery of these and other wireless 911
calls to public safety organizations benefits the public by
promoting safety of life and property.
Unique Challenges Posed by Wireless Phones
While wireless phones can be an important
public safety tool, they also create unique challenges for
public safety and emergency response personnel and for wireless
service providers. Because wireless phones are mobile, they are
not associated with one fixed location or address. A caller
using a wireless phone could be calling from anywhere. While the
location of the cell site closest to the caller may provide a
very general indication of the caller’s location, that
information is not usually specific enough for rescue personnel
to deliver assistance to the caller quickly.
The FCC’s Wireless 911 Rules
As part of its efforts to improve public
safety, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted
rules aimed at improving the reliability of wireless 911
services and the accuracy of the location information
transmitted with a wireless 911 call. Such improvements enable
emergency response personnel to provide assistance to 911
callers much more quickly.
The FCC’s wireless 911 rules apply to all
wireless licensees, broadband Personal Communications Service
(PCS) licensees, and certain Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR)
licensees. Here are the specific requirements.
Basic 911 rules require wireless
service providers to:
Phase I Enhanced 911 (E911) rules
require wireless service providers to:
Phase II E911 rules require wireless
service providers to:
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within six months of a valid request by a
PSAP, provide more precise location information to PSAPs;
specifically, the latitude and longitude of the caller. This
information must be accurate to within 50 to 300 meters
depending on the type of technology used.
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by September 11, 2012, provide even more
precise location information, specifically, information accurate
to the closest PSAP. The FCC established a five year phase-in
period for this requirement to allow wireless service providers
more time to develop this capability. Wireless service providers
must report to the FCC annually on their progress in supplying
this more accurate location information for PSAPs with Phase II
E911 capability.
Compliance
Wireless service providers may comply with
certain FCC E911 rules by ensuring that 95 percent of their
customers’ handsets are E911-capable (also referred to as
location-capable). The FCC’s rules permit providers to choose
how they will meet this requirement. Some providers may provide
incentives to encourage customers without location-capable
phones to obtain new, location-capable phones. For example, they
may offer location-capable handsets at a discount. Some
providers may choose to prevent reactivation of older handsets
that don’t have E911 capability, or may adopt various other
measures.
If a provider declines to reactivate a
handset that is not location-capable, the FCC requires the
provider to still deliver a 911 call from that handset to the
appropriate PSAP.
The provider, however, may not be able to
accurately and automatically determine your location for the PSAP.
Therefore, when replacing your handset, you should always ask
about the new handset's E911 capabilities.
Tips for 911 Calling
The FCC’s 911 rules for wireless service
providers are being implemented over a period of several years.
In addition, cities and states must update their PSAPs to
receive caller identification and location information, a costly
effort that can take several years to complete. Therefore,
consumers that call 911 from a wireless phone should remember
the following:
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Tell the emergency operator the location of
the emergency right away.
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Give the emergency operator your wireless
phone number so that, if the call gets disconnected, the
operator can call you back.
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If your wireless phone is not “initialized”
(meaning you do not have a contract for service with a wireless
service provider), and your emergency call gets disconnected,
you must call the emergency operator back because the operator
does not have your telephone number and cannot contact you.
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To help public safety personnel allocate
emergency resources, learn and use the designated number in your
state for highway accidents or other non life-threatening
incidents. Often, states reserve specific numbers for these
types of incidents. For example, “#77” is the number used for
highway accidents in Virginia. The number to call for non
life-threatening incidents in your state can be found in the
front of your phone book.
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Refrain from programming your phone to
automatically dial 911 when one button, such as the “9” key, is
pressed. Unintentional wireless 911 calls, which often occur
when auto-dial keys are inadvertently pressed, cause problems
for emergency call centers.
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If your wireless phone came pre-programmed
with the auto-dial 911 feature already turned on, turn off this
feature. Check your user manual to find out how.
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Lock your keypad when you’re not using your
wireless phone. This action also prevents accidental calls to
911.
Also, consider creating a contact in your
wireless phone’s memory with the name “ICE” (in Case of Emergency)
listing the phone numbers of people you want to be notified if
there is an emergency.
Filing a Complaint with the FCC
If you have a problem completing a 911 call
from your wireless phone, first try to resolve the problem with
your service provider. If you can’t resolve it directly, or if
you think your wireless service provider is not complying with
FCC wireless 911 requirements, you can file a complaint with the
FCC. There is no charge for filing a complaint. You can file
your complaint using an on-line complaint form found at
esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. You can also file your
complaint with the FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing
fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC
(1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications
Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554.
What to Include in Your Complaint
The best way to provide all the information
the FCC needs to process your complaint is to complete fully the
on-line complaint form. When you open the on-line complaint
form, you will be asked a series of questions that will take you
to the particular section of the form you need to complete. If
you do not use the on-line complaint form, your complaint, at a
minimum, should indicate:
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your name, address, e-mail address, and phone number where you
can be reached;
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the name of the company that you’re complaining about;
telephone number involved, account number, date of incident, and
description of the problem.
For More Information
For more information about the FCC's
wireless 911 rules, visit the FCC's wireless 911 Web site at
www.fcc.gov/pshs/services/911-services.
For information about other telecommunications issues, visit
the FCC's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Web
site at www.fcc.gov/cgb, or contact the
FCC's Consumer Center using the information provided for
filing a complaint.
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