WASHINGTON-VoiceStream Wireless Corp. fully expects to meet the extended deadlines the Federal Communications Commission set out for it to implement enhanced 911, said the GSM carrier recently.
“All of VoiceStream’s infrastructure vendors have confirmed that they will have products available incorporating [enhanced observed time difference of arrival] location solution by the third quarter [of] 2001. VoiceStream is anticipating 90 days to install and commission E-OTD equipment, dependent upon the size of the system. … VoiceStream has been actively negotiating with its handset vendors … negotiations are currently proceeding and no contractual commitments have been made … one vendor has indicated that it currently believes that it can provision a low-end, high volume handset and a high-end handset to VoiceStream, both with E-OTD capability by July 1, 2001,” said VoiceStream in an FCC-required status report filed earlier this month.
The FCC on Sept. 18 granted a waiver to VoiceStream that allowed the GSM carrier to develop a network solution for E911 Phase I before Dec. 31, 2001, and then develop a Phase II handset solution with 100 percent of those phones being sold before March 31, 2002. This is sooner than other digital carriers, who choose a handset solution to meet Phase II mandates, who must sell only handsets with global positioning system capabilities as of Dec. 31, 2002.
Under Phase I, a call-back number and cell-site information is delivered to a public safety answering point when a caller dials 911 from a wireless phone. Phase II would give automatic location information. Generally, Phase II can be accomplished using either a network-based solution or a GPS-assisted handset solution. VoiceStream asked for and received a waiver to allow it to use a hybrid of network and handset that it calls E-OTD.
The Association of Public-safety Communications Officials strongly objected to the VoiceStream waiver and urged the FCC to reconsider its decision but VoiceStream has received support from other carriers and manufacturers.
Motorola Inc., Ericsson Inc. and Nokia Inc. said that granting VoiceStream’s waiver still will require them to divert resources from other areas but that stability in timelines was necessary if enhanced 911 solutions were to be developed.
“Stability is necessary for efficient and effective integration into the marketplace. … Meeting government-mandated deadlines in short timeframes requires shifting release dates, advancing field trials, trading out other planned-for features, redeploying software developers and code writers for every handset model and air interface,” said the handset manufacturers.
AT&T Wireless Services Inc. supported VoiceStream by saying that APCO was not being entirely forthcoming when it said the FCC had granted the VoiceStream waiver without sufficient comment.
“VoiceStream’s waiver request has been a matter of public knowledge for some time. … Indeed, APCO itself, as well as its promoter in this proceeding, Qualcomm [Inc.], have contacted commission staff on several occasions to address VoiceStream’s request and have filed ex parte letters setting forth their concerns,” said AT&T Wireless.
In other 911-related news, the Texas Commission on State Emergency Communications has asked to meet with staff of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau and carriers before the Texas commission files what it says could be up to 31 complaints for non-compliance with the Phase I deadline.
Texas filed an emergency petition in July alerting the FCC to the fact that many carriers had not met the six-month buildout requirement for Phase I. The Texas commission was concerned because the Texas legislature had passed a law saying that if 75 percent of its coverage area was not covered (the Texas commission has jurisdiction over most, but not all, of the state) by Aug. 31, it would lose $2.3 million in funding. As of midnight Sept. 1, it had only reached 73.4 percent even though later that day, the number surpassed 75 percent to 75.24 percent.
