Common carrier services: Commercial mobile radio services— Wireless services compatibility with enhanced 911 services,

[Federal Register: October 1, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 190)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 52665-52666]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr01oc98-38]

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 20

[CC Docket No. 94-102; DA 98-1936]

Compatibility of Wireless Services With Enhanced 911

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Commission seeks additional comment in wireless Enhanced 911 (E911) rulemaking proceeding with respect to an ex parte presentation filedby Ad Hoc Alliance for Public Access to 911 (Alliance) on September 17, 1998. In its ex parte filing and its accompanying engineering report, Alliance has presented an approach under which the Commission would require that, if the signal from the user's provider is ``inadequate'' at the time a 911 call is placed through the use of an analog cellular handset, then the handset must have the capability to select automatically the strongest available compatible channel of communications for purpose of completing the 911 call. Additional comment is sought to assist the Commission in determining whether to adopt the approach presented by the Alliance in its September 17 ex parte filing. The effect of adopting the Alliance approach would be to improve reliability of 911 services to wireless customers.

DATES: Comments must be filedon or before October 7, 1998 and reply comments must be filedon or before October 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M St. N.W. Room 222, Washington, D.C. 20554

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Won Kim, Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-1310.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 17, 1998, Ad Hoc Alliance for Public Access to 911 (Alliance) filedan ex parte presentation in the wireless Enhanced 911 (E911) rulemaking proceeding,‹SUP›1‹/SUP› 61 FR 40348, 40374 (August 2, 1996), 63 FR 2631 (January 16, 1998), accompanied with an engineering report prepared by the Trott Communications Group (Trott). In addition, a letter addressing the Alliance ex parte filing was jointly submitted to the Commission on September 21, 1998, by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International, Inc. (APCO) and the National Association of State Nine-One-One Administration (NASNA). A separate letter addressing the Alliance ex parte filing was submitted to the Commission on September 22, 1998, by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA). The full text of the Alliance ex parte presentation, its accompanying Trott report, and the letters filedby APCO, NASNA, and NENA are available for inspection and duplication during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, N.W., Room 239, Washington, D.C. 20554. Copies may also be obtained from International Transcription Service, Inc. (ITS), 1231 20th Street, N.W., Suite 140, Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 857-3800.

\1\ See Revision of the Commission's Rules To Ensure Compatibility with Enhanced 911 Emergency Calling Systems, CC Docket No. 94-102, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 11 FCC Rcd 18676 (1996) (E911 First Report and Order) (E911 Second NPRM); Memorandum Opinion and Order, 12 FCC Rcd 22665 (1997).

Pursuant to Section 1.415(d) of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR. 1.415(d), the Commission seeks additional comment in the wireless Enhanced 911 (E911) rulemaking proceeding with respect to an ex parte presentation filedby Alliance on September 17, 1998. In its ex parte filing, Alliance has presented an approach under which the Commission would require that, if the signal from the user's provider is ``inadequate'' at the time a 911 call is placed through the use of an analog cellular handset, then the handset must have the capability to select automatically the strongest available compatible channel of communication for purposes of completing the 911 call. Alliance also has provided the Commission with an engineering report regarding the minimum level of signal strength at the cellular handset considered necessary for ``good'' communication.

In the wireless E911 rulemaking proceeding, the Commission established rules requiring wireless carriers to implement basic 911 and E911 services. One of the important issues in the E911 Second NPRM concerned the Alliance proposal to require that all 911 calls be sent to the cellular system with the strongest control channel signal.‹SUP›2‹/SUP› To address issues raised by Alliance's strongest signal proposal, the Wireless E911 Implementation Ad Hoc Committee (WEIAD) recommended to the Commission, in an ex parte report, the use of an ``A over B,'' or ``B over A'' option in the case of all analog cellular phones.‹SUP›3‹/SUP› Public safety organizations have expressed concerns about Alliance's original proposal because, they have maintained, the strongest signal would be selected even if there is a reliable communications channel available from the user's provider.‹SUP›4‹/SUP›

\2\ See E911 Second NPRM, 11 FCC Rcd at 18746-48 (paras. 144- 148).

\3\ See Report of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), the Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA), APCO, NENA, NASNA, and Alliance, filedJan. 30, 1998 (1997 E911 Annual Joint Status Report).

\4\ See Public Safety Organizations (NENA, APCO, NASNA) response to Alliance's January 27, 1998, Trott Communications Group Report, filedFeb. 23, 1998.

In its ex parte filing, Alliance states that it commissioned a report by Trott to address two aspects of its proposed solution. Trott has recommended a signal strength threshold of -80 dBm as being necessary to establish and maintain a ``good'' channel of communication between a handset and the cellular system. Trott also has concluded that minimal effort and cost would be required to provide handsets with the capability to make such a threshold determination and to enable strongest compatible signal selection

[[Page 52666]]

when the handset receives a signal below this level upon dialing 9-1-1.

Additional comment hereby is sought to assist the Commission in determining whether to adopt the approach presented by the Alliance in its September 17 ex parte filing. Interested parties may file comments no later than October 7, 1998, and reply comments no later than October 19, 1998. To file formally in this proceeding, participants must file an original and five copies of all comments. If participants want each Commissioner to receive a personal copy of their comments, an original and nine copies must be filed. All comments should be filedwith the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, N.W., Room 222, Washington, D.C. 20554, referencing CC Docket No. 94-102. This proceeding is a permit-but-disclose proceeding governed by the provisions of Section 1.1206 of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR 1.1206.

For further information, contact Won Kim at (202) 418-1310, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Policy Division.

Federal Communications Commission. Kathleen O'Brien Ham, Deputy Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.

[FR Doc. 98-26233Filed9-30-98; 8:45 am]

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