APCO told the FCC that, now that comments are in, it should move forward with the agency's proposal to end a requirement that nonservice-initialized (NSI) handsets -- cellphones no longer connected to a carrier network -- still must be able to connect to 911. In reply comments, carriers and public safety advocates lined up in opposition to dropping the requirement, largely as they had in the initial comment round (see 1506080043).

Next-generation 911 was a major theme when more than 2,000 met in Denver last week for the National Emergency Number Association's annual meeting, NENA said in a news release. “NG9-1-1 not only provides the capability to accept 9-1-1 text and multimedia messaging, but also enhances call routing and handling,” the group said. “In addition, NG9-1-1 allows for communications and data transfers across county, state, and international borders, and provides for interconnection and seamless information sharing between 9-1-1 centers, first responders, poison control centers, trauma centers, and other emergency response entities.”

CTIA opposed calls from the public safety community to eliminate a requirement that “nonservice-initialized” (NSI) handsets -- cellphones no longer connected to a carrier network -- still must be able to connect to 911, said comments filed at the FCC. Public safety officials sought the change seven years ago, complaining about prank calls to public safety answering points (PSAPs), often from teenagers, that can't be traced to the caller (see 0803050126). In April the FCC sought comment (see 1504020047) and proposed to sunset the rule after a six-month transition. Comments were due Friday in docket 08-51.

Carriers and public safety groups are working together on consensus rules aimed at curbing 911 outages, the National Emergency Number Association said in comments at the FCC, posted by the agency Tuesday. Various industry groups and companies warned against imposing new rules. Comments were filed in docket 14-193. The NPRM came in the wake of the April 2014 multistate 911 outage, the subject of an October report by the FCC.

Commissioner Ajit Pai touted FCC progress on indoor location accuracy, at a National Emergency Number Association awards gala Tuesday. The FCC approved rules 5-0 at its January meeting (see 1501290066). Pai said the input from carriers, APCO and NENA was critical. “We’re now on a path to providing emergency responders with a ‘dispatchable location’ -- that’s the room, office, or suite number where the 911 caller is located,” Pai said, according to prepared remarks. “Public safety organizations have described this as the ‘gold standard’ for indoor location accuracy because it tells first responders exactly which door they need to knock on, or in some cases, kick in during an emergency. This is a great next step in improving our nation’s 911 system.” Pai said Americans should realize how lucky they are to be able to call a single number in an emergency. He recounted a recent trip to India. “In India, there isn’t a [unique] single number that people can call for help,” he said. “There’s one number to reach the police, another for the fire department, and yet another if you need an ambulance. There are even different numbers for senior citizens, women, and children to use.” Pai also said hotel chains have made substantial progress in another key area -- letting customers call 911 from their rooms without having to dial 9 first to get an outside line. By the end of the year, all Country Inn & Suites, Crowne Plaza, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Fairfield Inn, Four Points, Gaylord, Hampton Inn, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Hyatt, InterContinental, La Quinta, Marriott, Motel 6, Park Plaza, Radisson, Residence Inn, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Sheraton, Staybridge, W and Westin properties will have that capacity, he said.

Localized public safety answering points (PSAPs) have “an obvious leading part” in making the FCC’s 911 wireless location accuracy order and the industry-public safety road map work, FCC Public Safety Bureau Deputy Chief David Furth said on Tuesday. PSAPs “are in the best position” to monitor the on-the-ground accuracy of 911 location technologies the carriers are testing as part of the order and road map, he said during a National Emergency Number Association (NENA) conference. The 911 indoor location accuracy order the FCC adopted Jan. 29 was seen to have been influenced by the voluntary commitments included in the road map (see 1501290066).

The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) convened emergency communications officials in Washington, D.C., Monday to prepare for days of meetings with members of Congress on 911-related legislation. NENA highlighted several legislative priorities that officials should discuss during their meetings, including passage of “comprehensive” federal legislation that would require multiline telecom systems (MLTS) installed in dorms, hotels and offices to provide direct-dial access to 911. FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai also has pushed for direct-dial access to 911 on MLTS systems and has received voluntary commitments from most major hotel chains to implement direct-dial on their systems by the end of the year (see 1502170057). NENA also supports the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act to ensure local public safety answering points can access caller geolocation data when 911 is dialed. NENA is seeking parity of access so PSAPs can compete for federal grant funds on an equal basis with public safety agencies and wants members of Congress to discuss public safety telecom in speeches April 12-18.

BBC America names Nena Rodrigue executive vice president-original programming, acquisitions and production, new position at the programmer that is affiliated with AMC Networks, where she will continue to oversee SundanceTV development and production until a successor is named ... Vidyo promotes Eran Westman to president-CEO, succeeding Ofer Shapiro, named vice chairman, and hires Guy Resheff, ex-Tallwood Venture Capital, as chief technology officer ... Cognitive Networks hires Tim Driscoll, ex-Verimatrix, as chief financial officer ... Pace promotes Bruce Gureck to chief strategy officer ... FBN Securities hires Robert Routh, ex-National Alliance Securities, as managing director and senior equity research analyst, covering the cable, media and entertainment industries ... National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters adds to board Jerry Lopes, AURN, DuJuan McCoy, Bayou City Broadcasting, Steven Roberts, Roberts Broadcasting, and Melody Spann-Cooper, Midway Broadcasting ... Toshiba America Information Systems promotes Richard Vaughn to director-channel sales, Business Solutions Division ... Audio Network, international music licensor, hires Kim Clarke, ex-Electronic Arts, as chief financial officer ... Xstream, TV Everywhere services provider, names Simon Hogsbro CEO, effective March 16, replacing Frank Thorup, who will relinquish CEO post to become director of Xstream Americas ... Lobbyist registrations: Intersystems, software firm, Ivy Green Consulting, effective Jan. 1 ... Paladin Data Systems, Capitol Strategies Partners, effective Jan. 1 ... Snapchat, Jochum Shore & Trossevin, effective Jan. 8.

The FCC voted 5-0 to approve rules requiring carriers to provide data to 911 call centers on wireless calls made indoors. The order changed significantly since first circulated by Chairman Tom Wheeler three weeks ago, putting more emphasis on the concept of dispatchable location as proposed in the industry-public safety road map, industry and FCC officials said. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn expressed concerns that the order was weaker than rules proposed by the FCC in a February NPRM and said she could only concur.

CTIA asked the FCC to reject arguments that the agency should effectively exclude all emergency calls that are satellite-based from being counted as indoor calls as the agency develops metrics for measuring the ability of carriers to identify the location of indoor wireless calls to 911. Industry officials view that as one of the key policy decisions that the FCC will make when it approves rules, to be voted on at Thursday’s commission meeting (see 1501130062).