FCC’s Martin shows renewed interest in E911

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin plans to tackle the location-based E911 arena with new rules for testing the service, as well as a call for public comment on the technology itself. Martin’s moves come shortly after his dismissal of an industry expert who was working on a report that highlighted problems with locating wireless callers inside buildings and in rural areas.
Martin, according to FCC spokesman David Fiske, plans to rule soon that testing of location-based enhanced 911 wireless accuracy be conducted at local emergency call centers rather than at the state level. The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International petitioned the FCC for such a move several years ago.
“We are pleased to hear that chairman Martin is committed to working with the public-safety community and the wireless service providers to ensure that people in crisis can be located and helped as quickly and efficiently as possible,” APCO International President Wanda McCarley said.
McCarley’s comments come as APCO nears the release of its Project LOCATE (Locate Our Citizens in Times of Emergencies) report. The report studied the accuracy of location information that public safety answering points get from 911 calls made from wireless phones.
Fiske said Martin also plans to seek public comment on E911 technological advances and prospects for an across-the-board industry deployment of a hybrid approach to E911, which draws on both GPS technology in handsets as well as network triangulation techniques.
Martin’s actions come shortly after he terminated the contract of industry veteran and consultant Dale Hatfield. Hatfield, a University of Colorado professor and chairman of the Bush administration’s spectrum reform advisory committee, was working on a follow-up E911 report when Martin told him to stop his work last May.
Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), vice chairman of the House telecom subcommittee, has questioned the circumstances surrounding Martin’s decision to fire Hatfield. Doyle asked Martin to submit written answers to his questions by March 20; the FCC’s Fiske said the agency is busy assembling information sought by the Pennsylvania lawmaker.