Groups representing small carriers warned of timing problems and financial hardships for their members from proposed rules to more precisely route wireless 911 calls and texts to public safety answering points through location-based routing (LBR), in comments on an NPRM commissioners approved 4-0 in December (see 2212210047). But public safety groups urged the FCC to act as soon as possible. The commission proposed to require nationwide providers to deploy LBR within six months from the effective date of final rules, while smaller carriers would get 18 months.

The National Emergency Number Association said Friday it’s making available for 911 call center use four public service announcements to promote “the rewarding and meaningful jobs available in the emergency-communications field.” The PSAs “can be used in recruiting and hiring efforts to reach candidates and educate them about the benefits of a career in 9-1-1,” NENA said. “We want to attract the best and brightest individuals to our profession, and these videos highlight how our first responders make a huge difference in people’s lives,” said NENA CEO Brian Fontes.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wants improved ability to route calls and texts made to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to local call centers (see 2207150036), but mental health and emergency management stakeholders say more enhanced capabilities to know exactly where calls are being placed from could be complicated by a sizable policy split in the mental health community on privacy.

Congressional telecom policy leaders and other observers are hopeful but not certain that additional funding for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program and next-generation 911 tech upgrades will remain top priorities in FY 2023 appropriations talks, amid the apparent lack of consensus so far on allocating future spectrum auction proceeds for that purpose. Lawmakers agreed last month to temporarily extend the FCC’s auction authority through Dec. 16 via a continuing resolution to buy additional time for talks on a broader spectrum legislative package that allocates sales proceeds to telecom projects (see 2209300058).

The National Association of State 911 Administrators “has strong and urgent concerns” about language in the House-passed Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624) and “potential amendments” to the unaltered Senate companion S-4117 that “will unnecessarily detract from and delay” next-generation 911 tech upgrades, the group said in an open letter to senators posted Tuesday. The House passed HR-7624 in July with language allocating up to $10 billion in proceeds from a proposed auction of spectrum on the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for NG-911 implementation (see 2207280052). NASNA “supported” initial language funding NG-911 via HR-7624 that the House Communications Subcommittee advanced in June (see 2206140077) “and we still support the premise of federal assistance” for NG-911, said Executive Director Harriet Rennie-Brown in the letter. “However, we believe now is the time to voice our strong and urgent concern about” other NG-911 language in the measure that mirrors the group’s past qualms with language in the Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act (HR-1848), including interoperability requirements and language on “commonly accepted standards” (see 2104080003). NASNA is “fully aware that there have been matters raised by other public safety groups and we are concerned that these other interests will unnecessarily detract from and delay NG911 implementation,” Rennie-Brown said: The existing proposed language supports the National Emergency Number Association’s i3 standard “that is already in use and is saving lives today. While we support innovation and competition, we do not support any amended language that would give preference to an alternative standard. Every state, regional, and local agency that is implementing NG911 is based on the NENA i3 standard.” The group opposes a proposed Nationwide Next Generation 911 Cybersecurity Center as “redundant and unnecessary” and is concerned by HR-7624’s language to end the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s involvement in NG-911 implementation, she said. “Leaving the joint implementation and coordination office between NHTSA and NTIA in place for the present time is not only feasible, but HR 7624 language should allow for an objective evaluation of the proper federal ‘home’ for the resources to assist the states with 911 and coordinate federal 911 activities.” NASNA believes “the overly prescriptive conditions written into” HR-7624 “for the states’ NG911 plan are redundant, unnecessary, and create burdensome requirements for the states' 911 systems,” Rennie-Brown said: “The NG911 plan requirements are best suited to the grant rulemaking process, not congressional mandates.”

Public safety groups and carriers continue to clash on what actions, if any, the FCC should take to ensure use of location-based routing (LBR) to 911 call centers. The disagreement surfaced in replies to a June public notice, approved by commissioners 4-0 (see 2206080040). T-Mobile warned that no consensus is emerging as a result of the record refresh.

Public safety groups urged the FCC to push for more use of location-based routing (LBR) to 911 call centers, in response to a June public notice, approved by commissioners 4-0 (see 2206080040). T-Mobile said how industry addresses the issue should be voluntary without the imposition of new FCC rules. AT&T and T-Mobile said implementation has to be done carefully and takes time.

The Illinois chapters of the National Emergency Number Association and APCO asked the FCC to issue a formal opinion on whether the use of 911 fees to build and support 988 constitutes fee diversion, said a letter posted Tuesday in docket 20-291. The groups said the state was authorized July 1 to transfer $5 million in 911 fees to 988 but was told transferring the fees to a 988 trust fund "would constitute a diversion of fees" and could disqualify the state from future federal grants. "As funding continues to be an issue for 911 systems nationally, the diversion of 911 fees to support another program directly impacts the ability to build a sustainable National Next Generation 911 network," the groups said, saying it's "likely that a systemic diversion of 911 fees will be used to build and support 988 operations nationally" without clarification.

An FCC record refresh on improving how wireless 911 calls are routed to the appropriate first responders is expected to be approved 4-0 by commissioners at their monthly meeting Wednesday. The final version is likely to incorporate some language sought by APCO (see 2206010027), said FCC and industry officials. The National Emergency Number Association doesn’t support those changes. APCO was the lone party to file comments in docket 18-62 after the FCC posted the draft.

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon filed certifications at the FCC saying they're in compliance with a requirement they provide vertical-location information on wireless calls to 911, as required by a June 2021 consent decree (see 2106030086). The filings were due at the FCC Thursday and posted in docket 17-78 (see here, here and here). The National Emergency Number Association, meanwhile, applauded a CTIA report saying nationwide wireless carriers, working with Apple and Google, can provide accurate vertical location information on wireless calls to 911 (see 2206020068). “NENA is pleased that the 9-1-1 Location Technologies Test Bed … filing reported that device-based hybrid (DBH) z-axis location solutions were successful in improving location accuracy consistent with” FCC requirements, emailed President Brian Fontes: “NENA continues to support aligning commercial research and development for location services with the needs of improved location accuracy used for public safety purposes.”