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The Wireless Industry and 9-1-1

The wireless industry is fully committed to ensuring customers have access to Enhanced 911 (E-911) services. The wireless industry has heavily invested in its network deploying capabilities required to identify the location of wireless calls to 911. The wireless industry is working diligently to meet deadlines established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for deploying E-911 technology and to fulfill public safety requests for enhanced capabilities. However, successful implementation of E-911 requires local phone companies, public safety, state governments, and wireless to be on the same page and have equal capability for installing the necessary technology. Wireless providers have invested billions of dollars in upgrading the hardware and software in their networks to deploy E-911 service. Wireless carriers have already received-and fulfilled-thousands of Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) requests for Phase I and Phase II service, and are working actively with PSAPs to meet their needs. Below are answers to some frequently asked questions.

What should callers from wireless phones do to be sure the 911 operator gets all the necessary information?

Callers dialing 9-1-1 from a wireless phone should be prepared to provide his or her name and wireless phone number, describe what happened, how many injured victims are involved and the exact location of the emergency. Callers should try to identify major landmarks or mile markers. And they should not hang up until the operator asks them to end the call.

Can people who use TTYs with their wireless phones contact 9-1-1?

If you have a TTY with a symbol identifying it as "compatible with select digital cellular phones", you will be able to use your TTY with digital wireless handsets that are designated as compatible with TTYs.

However even if you are using a compatible TTY and phone, contacting 911 in certain locations can be problematic. TTY users may not be able to complete calls successfully using digital wireless services. Limited testing shows that a TTY call made with certain wireless phone models may have trouble communicating with the TTY equipment located at 911 emergency call centers, resulting in an unintelligible message being delivered. The FCC is encouraging public safety organizations, vendors of TTY equipment for 911 call centers, TTY vendors and wireless service providers to work together to identify these difficulties and develop solutions. For further information, please contact your local wireless service provider.

What happens if a person calls 9-1-1 on a wireless phone and the call is disconnected?

If either the wireless system or the caller provide the callers' number, the 9-1-1 attendants can call back the 9-1-1 caller if the call is disconnected.

What improvements in the 9-1-1 system are planned?

Working in conjunction with public safety agencies, CTIA, representing the wireless industry, is improving the nation’s emergency response system. The organizations involved have agreed that the location accuracy of a wireless 9-1-1 caller will be communicated in a particular way to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). This should enable police, fire and medical rescue teams to provide faster relief in emergencies.

How will this be accomplished?

There are a number of different technologies which can be used to identify the caller's location. CTIA will work with the industry to develop a standard interface between the service provider switch and the Public Safety Answering Point.

What other organizations are involved in this agreement?

The National Association of State Nine One One Administrators (NASNA), the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO).

What is the time frame for attaining automatic location information?

The wireless industry is prepared to provide cell site information today. Within five years, the wireless industry will have the ability to communicate the location of a wireless caller within approximately 125 meters, or under one-tenth of a mile in the majority of situations.

Who will pay the cost of the technology required to make this possible?

Local governments must establish revenue mechanisms, such as separate 9-1-1 subscriber line charges, to pay for the location technology. This fee would not exceed wireline subscriber 9-1-1 fees, which average 75 cents a month, and would be broken out as a separate line item on the subscriber's bill.

How are costs covered for individual calls to 9-1-1?

The wireless industry supports the provision of 9-1-1 access to all subscribers without charge. Wireless companies also do not charge for assisting the state police or highway officials in setting up the technology to link wireless phones with emergency networks.