The FCC is working closely with the National Highway Traffic...

this year, and funding is critical for transition to NG911, he said Tuesday on a North American Emergency Number Association webinar. An NHTSA analysis should determine detailed costs for specific NG911 requirements and specifications, Donovan said. The FCC won’t impose new rules until a thorough analysis is completed, he said. Donovan noted that the commission adopted a notice of inquiry, stemming from a National Broadband Plan recommendation, seeking comment on capabilities that NG911 will support, the network architecture, implementation and transition issues and the proper roles of the FCC, other federal agencies and state, tribal and local governments. The notice is expected to appear in the Federal Register this week, he said. It deals more with real-time texting than other capabilities because emergency texting could be the most contentious, he said. Donovan noted that the 4G Americas industry group has released a white paper on limitations of texting to 911. The paper warned of possible delays in delivery of text messages, dispatch center problems locating senders and other vulnerabilities, he acknowledged. Some aspects of NG911 may require authority from a single agency, he said. The FCC is looking into jurisdiction issues, the ability of states to coordinate the transition to NG911 and how the commission should work with other federal agencies, Donovan said. Congress should set up a federal regulatory framework for the development of NG911 and the transition from legacy 911, he said.