WASHINGTON-At the stroke of midnight Saturday, all the wireless carriers that selected a handset solution for E-911 Phase II rules failed to meet the FCC’s requirements, and as RCR Wireless News went to press it was unclear if any of the carriers would receive extensions from the government.
Alltel Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp., Verizon Wireless and many tier III carriers all told the Federal Communications Commission in recent months that they would not meet the required 95-percent threshold by the end of the year. Enhanced 911 Phase II rules demand that carriers be able to pinpoint the location of 95 percent of all their handsets by Dec. 31, 2005.
Nextel Communications Inc. first warned in 2004 that it would not meet the deadline. The carrier said only about 80 percent of its customers had location-capable phones at the end of 2005. The company has requested a waiver from the rules, noting that its customers do not buy new handsets very often.
“We feel we have put forth a good case for a waiver,” said Travis Sowders, a Sprint Nextel spokesman.
Sowders wouldn’t speculate about what enforcement action the FCC might take against Sprint Nextel and other carriers not in compliance.
However, an attorney representing several rural carriers said that the FCC would grant waivers to carriers that show plans to comply with the law.
“We have seen this before with the FCC. They will get to it when they get to it,” said Caressa Bennet, general counsel of the Rural Telecommunications Group, which represents rural wireless carriers. “If a carrier lays out a pathway to compliance, the FCC seems willing to grant the waiver.”
Rural carriers long have complained about the handset requirement, noting that their customers generally prefer 3-watt analog phones to digital phones-and therefore won’t upgrade to location-capable digital phones.
Verizon Wireless said it expects to have 93 percent of its handsets in compliance at the end of ’05, and will reach the 95-percent mark by June.
“We’re appreciative of the support we’ve received since filing for the limited waiver, and await the FCC’s action on our request,” said Debi Lewis, a Verizon Wireless spokeswoman.
The FCC refused to comment on the waiver requests or whether it will try to enforce its E-911 rules. “The requests are under review. We have no further comment on them at this time,” said an FCC spokeswoman.
