WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission late Friday said it was rejecting a request that it relax the enhanced 911 Phase II rules for small wireless carriers, but it is giving Tier III carriers using a handset-based solution more time beyond the Dec. 31 deadline.
“We grant relief in cases where carriers requested and adequately supported a request for extension of the Dec. 31 deadline to ensure 95-percent penetration among their subscribers of location-capable handsets,” said the FCC. “We deny requests from carriers electing handset-based location solutions and seeking indefinite or long-term relief, or presenting no specific schedules or plans for deployment and which are using or migrating to GSM technology or using analog technology and not proposing to deploy a CDMA or GSM digital air interface.”
In a report to Congress March 23, the FCC told lawmakers that it had granted 32 whole or partial waivers and denied or dismissed eight other requests. In a 65-page order, the FCC gave the details of how it resolved these waiver requests.
“We remain committed to ensuring that E911 services, and particularly Phase II automatic location information services, are made available to the public as quickly as possible. However, we must balance this goal with the financial and technical limitations faced by certain carriers. Therefore, we granted relief of Phase II implementation deadlines only in cases where carriers have sufficiently met our stringent standards for obtaining a waiver of our rules. We strongly encourage carriers to coordinate their implementation efforts with the affected PSAPs to ensure that the expectations of public-safety agencies are aligned with the carriers’ deployment plans,” said the FCC.
The Rural Telecommunications Group, which represents small wireless carriers, asked the FCC Aug. 29, 2003, to change the implementation schedule for small carriers. It gave its own recommendation for the changes.
“RTG’s petition does not provide the type of specific information we need to properly evaluate whether granting relief is warranted,” said the FCC. “While RTG raises valid issues concerning the problems facing rural carriers as a general matter, a more individually tailored approach would best address the twin goals of ensuring that E911 services are made available as soon as possible while avoiding unnecessary burdens on rural carriers.”
“We’re disappointed, but not surprised, that RTG’s blanket waiver request wasn’t granted, but glad to see the FCC finally acted on the individual carrier petitions. Most of the RTG members with individual waivers still pending at the FCC got what they wanted,” said Jessica Bridges, RTG chief executive officer.
