988 Georouting Draft NPRM Is Largely Questions
While the wireless industry has explored georouting calls made to the 988 Lifeline, requiring carriers to implement georouting is necessary to ensure it happens in a reasonable time frame, the FCC said in the draft NPRM on the commissioners' April…
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25 open meeting agenda (see 2404030051). The 38-page draft item was released Thursday, as was the net neutrality draft order (see 2404040064). The draft asks about potential downsides to mandating use of georouting to connect wireless 988 callers with local crisis centers. The draft NPRM is short on specific policy recommendations, instead asking numerous questions. It seeks comment on "each functional step" needed to route a call from a wireless carrier to a geographically appropriate crisis center, that would perform each function and the facilities and systems needed to perform those functions. It also asks whether georouting steps involve proprietary elements, such as licenses, that would limit whether and how wireless carriers could implement it. The draft NPRM said that while georouting based on cell tower information would best identify a caller's location, it seeks input on alternative methods as well. The draft NPRM doesn't make a recommendation on a time frame for implementation but asks about timelines for deployment.