APCO Stresses Importance of 'Dispatchable Location Information' in FCC Filing
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials on Friday urged the FCC to address “dispatchable location” information as it reconsiders rules for wireless calls to 911. APCO filed in response to a March Further NPRM on wireless location accuracy, approved in a 4-0 vote by commissioners. Comments were due Friday in docket 07-114.
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“APCO urges increased transparency around the provision of dispatchable location information, and the development of voluntary and achievable milestones based upon incremental -- but steady -- improvement,” the group said. One approach would be revisiting 911 call report requirements, APCO said. Carriers are “required to file periodic reports of their aggregate live 911 call location data for each location technology used within four geographic morphologies and six representative cities.”
One way to update these filings would be to use them as a way for carriers “to voluntarily establish and commit to clear milestones -- based on their individual circumstances and capabilities -- that increase the granularity and accuracy of 9-1-1 location information over time,” APCO said. Through voluntary commitments, providers “can establish realistic, achievable milestones to incrementally -- but meaningfully -- improve location accuracy.”