Wireless service providers are told to comply with E911 deadlines

The FCC has announced that wireless service providers must comply with its Enhanced 911 (E911) rules and deadlines, despite petitions filed with the agency requesting delays.

According to an AP report published on SiliconValley.com last week, some carriers were notified of the FCC’s decision as early as last May 2006, but the agency wanted to release all of the decisions publicly on the same date.

The rules require wireless service providers to provide the infrastructure necessary to support location-based emergency services for 95% of customers by Dec., 31 2005. But no wireless service provider met this deadline.

Some were in better shape than others, such as Verizon Wireless, which says that 93% of its customers have upgraded to newer phones that include GPS location-based support. But others such as Sprint and Alltel fell short and may now face fines or other disciplinary actions from the FCC.

Although the FCC says it does have waiver guidelines, it did not grant any delays. Filing requests with the FCC looking for a deadline extension or in RCA’s case, suspension of compliance, were Alltel, Centennial Communications, Dobson Cellular Systems, Leap Wireless, Sprint Nextel, Nextel Partners, United States Cellular, Verizon Wireless, and jointly the CTIA and the Rural Cellular Association (RCA) representing several service providers.

But the FCC says, in orders published on the agency’s Web site www.fcc.gov, the wireless service providers did not meet any of its waiver guidelines. The FCC also says that in the interest of public safety it’s necessary that the cellular industry comply with its rules.

But such wireless service providers as Verizon Wireless seem to be at a loss, pointing out that it’s up to customers to exchange or upgrade their phones to a device with GPS-location support. Some customers, especially those using specialized applications, do not seem interested in making the change, according to the service provider’s waiver request.