WASHINGTON-The chairman of the House telecommunications subcommittee on Wednesday called for the establishment of a federal grant program for the deployment of wireless enhanced 911 but said states that have diverted funds collected from mobile-phone subscribers should not be eligible.
“We must stop states from raiding E-911 funds generated through E-911 surcharges on consumers’ bills. So I propose that only those states which certify that they do not raid funds would be eligible for these new federal investments,” said Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.).
Upton chaired a hearing on Wednesday on the deployment of E-911. After the hearing, Upton told reporters he hopes to introduce comprehensive E-911 implementation legislation this summer.
Also at the hearing, James Callahan, president and chief operating officer of MobilTel Inc., said Congress should step in to extend the deadlines and reduce the standards for rural carriers to deploy wireless E-911. Callahan testified at the E-911 implementation hearing.
Rural carriers have long said, and Callahan reiterated, that deploying E-911 on the schedule established by the Federal Communications Commission will mean that under and nonserved areas will not be built out.
In addition, rural carriers-most of which chose TDMA technology for their digital networks-cannot meet the average compliance requirements using their network-based solutions. Compliance is often difficult because towers have been built along roads in a “string of pearls” fashion, making triangulation difficult if not impossible.
Michael Amarosa, senior vice president of public affairs for TruePosition Inc., a network-based solution provider, disagreed with Callahan, urging the telecom subcommittee to not relax the deadlines for E-911 deployment.
