E-911 supporters urged Congress Wed. to approve funding for wireless E-911 technology that would make it possible for Americans to connect to safety services anywhere in the country. Only part of the wireless E-911 network is built, and many states need federal and state grants to upgrade equipment and technology to route calls from public safety access points (PSAPs) to the proper emergency personnel, said Greg Rohde, exec. dir.-E-911 Institute.

More than 75% of U.S. residents have “phase 2” wireless E-911 service, up 8% from Dec., the National Emergency Number Assn. (NENA) said Tues. Phase 2 E-911 service sends caller telephone numbers and locations to appropriate Public Safety Answering Points. This is a “certainly welcome,” but many people, mostly in rural areas, still don’t get this critical service, said NENA Pres. David Jones. Funding is the problem, which is why a grant program legislated in the 2004 Enhance 911 Act should be implemented, NENA said.

Reductions and reallocation of Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) grant money have left some urban areas unhappy. But a Dept. official said the amounts make sense -- and won’t be the only consideration in how much is spent on communications upgrades in those cities. Budget cuts and a new methodology produced a shift in grant awards to Chicago, L.A., small cities and rural areas, while N.Y.C., D.C., and several previously well-funded border states had significant reductions from previous years. While public safety groups push for better first-response technology and increased interoperability spending - and congressional consensus is forming around the need for those improvements -- high-risk urban areas will be forced to do more with less this year.

The National Emergency Number Assn. met last week with FCC Chmn. Martin to clarify its position on E-911 rules for VoIP operators. “It is imperative that all entities involved in the delivery of VoIP E-911 operate from common principles and understanding,” NENA said in a statement aired at the meeting. NENA wants the FCC to “take immediate steps to establish an interim, followed by a permanent” pseudo automatic number identification (pANI) administrator. VoIP operators should be making sure subscriber records satisfy Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) standards “in preparation for 911 calling, equivalent to wireline treatment,” NENA said. Other topics: VoIP emergency service number (ESN) selection, trunking issues and the need to address intentional misrouting.

Emergency number representatives will storm the Hill today (Wed.) at the behest of the National Emergency Number Assn. (NENA) and several legislative and regulatory players who spoke at its conference. Timed to coincide with a report on the group’s E-911 program, the convention Tues. focused on how public safety access points (PSAPs) can grab funding and attention from D.C. policymakers. Several Hill staffers urged PSAP representatives to support pending legislation in both houses that would resolve liability issues for VoIP providers.

Senate Democrats and some Republicans hope to resume work amending waiver language in the E-911 bill unanimously passed by the Senate Commerce Committee in Nov. (CD Nov 3 p11), according to interviews with lobbyists and Senate committee staffers. The Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) seeks the amendment, calling the waivers a threat to public safety. But Chmn. Stevens (R-Alaska) is unlikely to be inclined to reopen the bill when the Senate reconvenes Jan. 18, sources said. Work on the E-911 bill died when Stevens fought for Arctic oil drilling provisions, a battle he lost.

Organizations and individuals who have improved E-911 capability or used it to save lives will get awards at a March 8 dinner sponsored by the E-911 Institute and the National Emergency Number Assn. (NENA). Recipients range from first responders and dispatchers to govt. leaders, industry and the media. -- www.e911institute.org.

More than 2/3 of Americans live in areas where wireless 911 calls provide emergency operators with basic enhanced 911 information, such as caller location and call back number, the National Emergency Number Assn. (NENA) said. Still, 57.3% of counties aren’t providing this information, said NENA. “Much work still needs to be done to provide this life-saving service in the significantly high number of counties, predominately rural, where it is still not available,” said NENA Pres. David Jones. “The public needs and deserves wireless E9-1, regardless of where they live or where they may visit or travel through.”

The Senate approved FCC nominees Comr. Copps and Deborah Tate by unanimous consent just before adjourning Wed. night for the holidays, after they were freed from holds imposed in a legislative rumpus. The approvals mean a balanced FCC, with 2 Democrats and 2 Republicans. Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Stevens (R-Alaska) said recently he hopes the White House soon will name a candidate for the remaining 5th commissionership. The Copps/Tate approval uncorked a Thurs. gush of trade group plaudits. NENA hailed FCC Comr. Copps’s work on 911 issues, and said Tate has shown she see the importance of advanced communications technology. TIA praised Copps for his work on broadband issues, saying it looks forward to developing a working relationship with Tate. NAB and AT&T also sent out congratulatory statements.

Major wireless carriers face an uphill battle persuading the FCC to suspend a Dec. 31 deadline for 95% of handsets be location capable, at least based on limited waivers granted so far for smaller Tier 3 carriers, said industry and public safety sources.