AT&T Seeks Five Years to Revamp System for Handling Wireless E-911
AT&T is asking the FCC for five years to make changes in the way it handles wireless E-911 calls before the commission imposes tough new standards measuring success locating callers. In meetings at the FCC, AT&T said it plans to move from a network-based to a handset-based technology, which it says will be more reliable but will take years to adopt, sources said.
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AT&T’s arguments are considered especially significant because the company has a good relationship with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. Sources said they doubt AT&T would float the proposal without having run it pass Martin and his top advisers. The commission is considering an order that would require carriers to meet E-911 location accuracy standards at the public safety answering point (PSAP) level within a year (CD Aug 27 p7). Carriers say they can’t pass under that system, considering the state of technology. Under AT&T’s proposal, carriers would have to meet benchmarks before the five-year deadline. AT&T confirmed meetings at the FCC on E- 911 location rules. A spokesman said the carrier would file an ex parte letter.
“If you're AT&T it makes perfect sense,” said a wireless industry attorney. “It would give them a lot more time to do something, but it'll be expensive.” The FCC is encouraging a hybrid approach, combining the advantages of a network-based and a handset based approach, the source said: “The problem is that handset technology alone only goes so far… The FCC has shown some interest in hybrid as a way to bridge the gap.”
“I have heard that at least some commissioners are considering alternatives to a one-year delay in the effective date of a change to the location accuracy rule,” said an attorney who has been active in the proceeding: “At the same time there is nothing in the record that shows that all or even most wireless carriers can be in a position to comply with a PSAP-area accuracy rule at any particular date in the future. That is why many are instead suggesting that the commission establish a stakeholder forum of experts to study and make recommendations for changes in the current rules.”
T-Mobile said in an ex parte letter Thursday that the FCC should instead require carriers to optimize the performance of their deployed location technologies at the PSAP level. “While T-Mobile respects and fully supports the Commission’s goals to improve E911 accuracy, the record in this proceeding clearly shows that this requirement simply cannot be met using current or foreseeable technologies,” the carrier said. “The Commission’s contemplated PSAP-level accuracy requirement by a date certain would order carriers to do the impossible, and would therefore be both arbitrary and capricious.”
CTIA said in an ex parte filing that regulatory staffers for the association met FCC officials this week to ask the agency to proceed with caution. “CTIA noted that the Commission should not establish a date for effectiveness of any new E911 regulations until all comments have been filed in the proceeding and the Commission, the wireless industry and Public Safety have conferred regarding the numerous technical and implementation issues raised in the notice of proposed rulemaking,” the group said.