Deaf interest groups, telecom relay providers and others argued details on an FCC plan to give 10-digit phone numbers to deaf people using Internet-based TRS services. They filed comments Friday on a rulemaking (CD June 26 p2) on the 10-digit numbering plan. The FCC sought comment on 911 and other issues, as well as how it might apply customer proprietary network information (CPNI), slamming and other customer privacy rules to relay providers. Relay providers have until Dec. 31 to implement a 10-digit plan.

The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials is proposing best practices to make wireless E-911 more efficient. APCO, through its Project LOCATE (Locate Our Citizens At Times of Emergency), asked for comments on a draft best practices document from wireless service providers (WSPs) and other interested parties. The group is seeking comments by June 23, with a goal of final standards in late summer.

The FCC released a notice of inquiry on E-911 calls from “uninitialized” phones - discarded handsets without service plans -- a growing problem for public safety answering points. National and state public safety groups called attention to the matter. PSAP officials have complained of myriad prank 911 calls made from old, untraceable phones. APCO, the National Emergency Number Association and the National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators filed a petition at the FCC seeking action (CD March 5 p5).

Don’t designate TracFone Wireless an eligible telecommunications carrier unless TracFone commits to collect and remit 911 recovery fees in compliance with state and local government requests, the National Emergency Number Association urged the FCC in comments. The recommendation concurred with February comments by the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate. According to an ex parte, TracFone lawyers spoke about E911 fees Wednesday with Ian Dillner, aide to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. In comments, NENA cited “the emergence of frustrating patterns of behavior by TracFone related to whether or how to apply” 911 and E911 surcharges “commonplace for conventional wire and wireless telephony.” The prepaid carrier’s “apparent practice has been to offer to cooperate with 9-1-1 entities in the search for a fair and practicable way to surcharge prepaid services, only to turn against, and sometimes formally challenge, the legislative result,” NENA said.

Congress should build 911 awareness nationwide with a “National 9-1-1 Education Month,” said Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D- Calif.). Congressional E-911 Caucus co-chairs Eshoo and Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) Thursday unveiled H.R. 537, which would designate one month each year to educating Americans about 911 services through events, ad campaigns, school presentations and parent and teacher training. The bill aims especially at children, seniors, the hearing-impaired, those with limited English and other “vulnerable populations,” said Eshoo. Its passage would reduce inappropriate 911 use and stress on the 911 system from technological change, said Gregory Rohde, executive director of the E-911 Institute. The bill is a “silver bullet” in a comprehensive E-911 approach, Eshoo said. Along with 16 House cosponsors, the bill has backing by the E-911 Institute, National Emergency Number Association, National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators, Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, CTIA, 9-11 for Kids and Comcare. Those groups have adopted resolutions designating April for the 911 campaign.

New executive board members at the National Emergency Number Association: President Jason Barbour, Johnson County, N.C.; First Vice President Ronald Bonneau, SouthCom Dispatch; Second Vice President Craig Whittington, Guilford Metro 9-1-1… As a result the planned retirement of Disney- ABC Worldwide TV President Laurie Younger, Ben Pyne is promoted to president of global distribution, and David Preschlack to executive vice president of affiliate sales, Disney and ESPN Networks… CBS promotes Aaron Radin to senior vice president, ad sales and business development, CBS TV Stations Digital Media Group… Kent Schneider, ex- Northrop Grumman, becomes president and CEO of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.

Qualcomm said it will join wireless carriers in asking the U.S. Appeals Court, Federal Circuit, to stay an International Trade Commission order banning import of new wireless handsets with Qualcomm chips held to infringe a Broadcom patent. Qualcomm also will ask President Bush to veto the decision, the company said. CTIA blasted the move as bad for consumers, saying it will slow 3G network rollouts. COMCARE and the Assn. of Public Safety Communications Officials said the order will hurt efforts to make 911 more accurate. ITC in a “split-the-baby decision” Thurs. said the ban will apply to future handset models (CD June 8 p8), but not those already being imported.

The FCC Thurs. approved a rulemaking proposing that wireless carriers be required to improve their systems so they can more accurately locate subscribers who make 911 calls. The FCC also began an examination of whether carriers should have to report by PSAP, rather than by statewide averaging, how they perform in reaching emergency callers rather than through statewide averaging. PSAP reporting is more lenient and is favored by carriers. The Commission is also examining requirements for VoIP providers.

Regulators are reviewing satellites’ relation to the Emergency Alert System and E-911 requirements. At the FCC, the International Bureau Satellite Division and the Enforcement Bureau Office of Homeland Security recently met with DBS and satellite radio firms to discuss the feasibility of satellite participating in the Emergency Alert System (EAS). Separately, the Network Reliability & Interoperability Council (NRIC) is reviewing long term issues for E-911 services, including whether E-911 requirements can be extended to satellite telephony. Both reviews are addressing satellite system design’s uniqueness relative to the terrestrial infrastructure, and difficulties involved in extending emergency requirements to the skies.

GENEVA -- Public safety answering points (PSAP) are struggling with 9-1-1 emergency wireless calls that are difficult to locate, officials said here Thurs. Officials added that if VoIP hits the mainstream and the mass market abandons landlines, the 9-1-1 system could be in real trouble,