WASHINGTON-Carriers last week overwhelmingly warned the Federal Communications Commission that while they will make their best efforts to meet implementation deadlines for enhanced 911 Phase II, they are concerned that solutions-whether they be handset, network or hybrid-will meet the time lines or accuracy requirements set out by the agency.
Network-based solutions generally use triangulation while handset-based solutions use global positioning system chips. Hybrid refers to a mixture of the two and a technology known as assisted GPS. Handset solutions are expected to exactly locate the caller 95 percent of the time while network-based must locate the caller within 100 meters 67 percent of the time.
An analysis of 65 filings from carriers of all sizes show handset-solutions eking out a win.
Fifteen carriers chose this solution, while 14 carriers chose a network-based solution. Seven carriers chose hybrid and 10 carriers, including AT&T Wireless Services Inc., said they were not in a position to make a choice. This is a change from previous public statements where AT&T Wireless had said it would use network-based technologies.
TeleCorp PCS Inc., an AT&T affiliate, also did not choose a technology. TeleCorp said it has been “able to eliminate a number of location technology vendors, but has yet to establish that any of the potential solutions would fully comply with the commission’s accuracy and time line requirements.”
Verizon Wireless said it is continuing to evaluate a handset-based solution but that network-based solutions “appear to be capable of meeting the mandate.” Verizon has tested three network-based solutions by TruePosition Inc., US Wireless Inc. and the Grayson Wireless solution by Allen Telecom Inc.
Cingular Wireless split its decision going with handset-based for its GSM properties and network based for its TDMA properties.
It said in testing that no technology had met the relevant FCC accuracy requirement in all environments.
“Many of the technologies were able to meet or exceed the accuracy requirements in suburban outdoor (or in-vehicle) environments where, according to the record in the E911 Phase II proceeding, the majority of wireless 911 calls originate. The toughest environments for all technologies included office buildings, train stations, parking garages and underneath bridges,” said Cingular.
Sprint PCS, which chose a handset solution using Qualcomm Inc.’s SnapTrack solution, released a statement saying “the safety of our customers is paramount.” Sprint PCS CEO Charles Levine said Sprint’s choice of CDMA makes it easier to deploy a handset solution.
“Many of our competitors must deploy a more expensive and less accurate network overlay solution to accommodate multiple technologies operating at multiple frequencies,” said Levine.
Western Wireless Corp. said it chose network because “approximately 30 percent of its customers reside in very rural areas where the use of three-watt [AMPS] equipment is either preferred or required. At this time no handset manufacturer had indicated the availability of three-watt GPS enabled equipment. Without the appropriate GPS equipment, a handset-based solution for Phase II E911 that meets the commission’s accuracy standards would be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.”
Both Dobson Cellular Systems Inc. and American Cellular Corp. said they chose network-based because “handset-based technologies for compliance purposes have been ruled out at present due to the lack of availability, changeover costs, and issues related to incompatible roamers visiting the Dobson systems.”
Southern Linc, a subsidiary of Southern Co., is building an iDEN network in the southeast. It was non-committal in its filing but Michael D. Rosenthal, regulatory affairs director for Southern Linc, believes that Nextel Communications Inc.-whose filing was unavailable-may seek a waiver to implement a hybrid solution as late as mid-2003.
“If the FCC allows this extension, Southern Linc may also desire to adopt the [hybrid] solution, however, we are still seeking additional information from network-solution providers,” said Rosenthal.
Requests for confirmation from Nextel regarding its Phase II plans were not answered.
Although Leap Wireless International Inc. chose a handset-based solution, it is concerned about the price of handsets. Leap’s marketing strategy is based on competing with local landline service.
“Leap has some concerns about the costs of the additional location elements within the handset that could drive up the price of the equipment and thus have a negative effect on the ability of low and middle-income households to afford wireless service,” said Christopher Demange, Leap’s director of new technology.
VoiceStream Wireless Corp. was given a waiver by the FCC that allows it to implement enhanced observed time difference of arrival on a different schedule than other carriers.
The FCC on Sept. 18 granted a waiver to VoiceStream that allowed the GSM carrier to develop a network solution for E911 Phase I before Dec. 31, 2001, and then develop a Phase II handset solution with 100 percent of those phones being sold before March 31, 2002. This is sooner than other digital carriers, who choose a handset solution to meet Phase II mandates, who must sell only handsets with GPS capabilities as of Dec. 31, 2002.
Carolina PCS I Limited Partnership, which also deploys the GSM air interface, said it is hoping the FCC will allow it the same considerations.
The FCC was also interested in the rate of deployment of E911 services.
Phase II is a follow-on to Phase I which required carriers to supply to public safety answering points a call-back number and cell-site information.
Phase I was to have been implemented on April 1, 1998, but this generally did not happen since carriers were waiting for a cost-recovery mechanism-in many cases a local wireless E911 tax-to be in place. The FCC last year removed this requirement and said carriers must deploy Phase I within six months of a PSAP request.
Alltel has received numerous Phase I requests and one Phase II request from Washington, Ark.
Western Wireless Corp. is currently providing Phase I service to Texas and has received requests from Colorado, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota.
TeleCorp is currently deploying Phase I technology in New Orleans and Little Rock. It has signed a nationwide contract with SCC Communications Inc. to implement Phase I service in any market where a PSAP is ready to utilize the data.
Leap Wireless International Inc. has received one Phase II request from a market that it does not yet serve.
VoiceStream said Chicago has requested Phase II service.
Carriers have long complained about the Phase II mandates and earlier this year convinced the FCC to delay the date for when carriers must make a technology choice but Thomas Sugrue, chief of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, warned last month that carriers were expected to make the filing deadline and that the FCC was expecting an honest answer as to the status of Phase II implementation, said Sugrue.
