WASHINGTON—Public-safety answering points serving more than 75 percent of the population are now able to receive location information from mobile-phone callers, according to statistics from the National Emergency Number Association.
“The PSAP statistics translate to 88 percent receiving Phase I calls and 76 percent covered by Phase II-enabled PSAPs. As the numbers suggest, the greater percentage of population covered compared to the percentage of PSAPs with Phase I and Phase II technology in place indicates that the overwhelming amount of deployments are occurring in more densely populated regions and the rural areas continue to struggle to upgrade the E-911 capabilities,” said NENA.
NENA used the release of the statistics to push for appropriations money—$42 million—requested by the Congressional E-911 Caucus. “Sustainable funding for 911 is a critical issue that must be addressed if all Americans are to enjoy the benefits of a fully functional 911 system. It remains critical that Congress provide funding to implement the Enhance 911 Act grant program,” said NENA President David Jones.
Lack of E-911 can lead to dire consequences, said NENA. The association pointed to a recent situation where a shooting victim died because a Cincinnati 911 operator didn’t have the location information of a caller using a cell phone.
E-911 service requires two parts. First, wireless carriers must be able to location their subscribers, and second, PSAPs must be able to process that location information. The nation’s wireless carriers are in various stages of implementing E-911.
E911 service is being deployed in two phases.
Phase I required carriers to supply PSAPs with a callback number and cell-site location information. The deadline was April 1, 1998.
Phase II requires more precise location information. For Phase II, carriers have two choices with different accuracy requirements. Handset-based solutions must be able to locate the caller within 50 meters 67 percent of the time and within 150 meters 95 percent of the time. Network-based solutions must be able to locate the caller within 100 meters 67 percent of the time and within 300 meters 95 percent of the time.
Meanwhile, on another 911 front, pro-Voice over Internet Protocol lawmakers this afternoon are expected to urge the powerful House Rules Committee to include an amendment giving both VoIP and PSAPs liability protection. Provisions to require VoIP providers to offer E-911 service were strengthened with an amendment that was accepted at the subcommittee level, but language regarding liability protection was not included because it would have caused a confusing jurisdictional issue since liability is a House Judiciary Committee issue and the bill was considered by the House Commerce Committee.
The language being proposed mirrors what wireless carriers were granted in 1999. Wireline carriers have had liability protection since the advent of 911 in the 1960s. When VoIP came along, liability issues quickly arose with some PSAPs reportedly refusing to answer 911 calls from VoIP callers for fear of lawsuits.
