Tech Issues Complicate Wi-Fi Calls to 211, FCC Told

are a number of significant technical, security, and policy issues,” CTIA said: “Seek the guidance of relevant experts on such technical, security, and policy issues prior to taking any further regulatory action with respect to 2-1-1 or other N11 communications that originate over Wi-Fi access points.” These points “cannot independently facilitate N11 call routing and completion or distinguish between N11 calls and other data traffic transiting the Wi-Fi network because they serve as passive conduits,” NCTA said. The points and networks “lack mechanisms to identify location information about an N11 caller that would allow for translation by the terminating voice provider to the appropriate 10-digit telephone number to accurately route the call,” the group said. Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, United Way Worldwide asked the FCC “to take all appropriate steps to institute an obligation for all telecommunication carriers to connect 211 calls to a local point of access and to connect calls over WiFi.” Many calls on cellphones don’t reach the correct 211 center, said Vermont 2-1-1 and the Vermont Department of Public Service: “When a consumer places a call to Vermont 211 over their cellphone from the border town of Hartford, Vermont, their call may reach the New Hampshire 211 call center instead. This is very unlikely to occur when placing a 211 call over a landline.”