Government
FCC Says PSAPs Must Be Able to Receive 9-1-1 Texts
November 23, 2010“It’s time to bring 9-1-1 into the digital age,” Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said on Nov. 23 to public safety officials at the Arlington County Emergency Center in Arlington, Va. Genachowski announced that in December he will launch a proceeding, as recommended in the National Broadband Plan, to get public input on how to transition the current system to broadband-enabled, Next Generation 9-1-1.
Read full articleFCC Issues Final Rule for Wireless E9-1-1 Location Accuracy Requirements
November 19, 2010The Federal Communications Commission amends its rules to require wireless licensees subject to standards for wireless Enhanced 911 (E9-1-1) Phase II location accuracy and reliability to satisfy these standards at either a county-based or PSAP-based geographic level. The Commission takes this step to ensure an appropriate and consistent compliance methodology with respect to location accuracy standards.
Read full articleE9-1-1 Location Accuracy Proceeding
November 4, 2010On Sept. 23, 2010, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry to improve wireless E911 location accuracy and reliability by examining the next stage of potential regulations that would be commensurate with the surge in wireless usage, encompassing additional voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and wireless services, devices, and applications.
Read full articlePublic Safety Alliance D Block Activity Update
November 3, 2010The Public Safety Alliance is continuing to make great strides in advancing national policy to allocate an additional 10 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band (D Block) as well as funding to public safety to establish a nationwide broadband network.
Read full articleVoIP Phone Provider Cited for Failing to Provide 9-1-1 Services
November 3, 2010Interconnected VoIP providers must make E9-1-1 an included feature of their service, not an option. The FCC clarified its rules in a citation issued to Vantage Communications Oct. 27. According to the citation, Vantage Communications has been failing to provide fully compliant 9-1-1 service, violating 47 C.F.R. §9.5(b).
Read full articlePSAP Consolidation
November 1, 2010“[T]here are clear benefits to consolidation,” states a new report to the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. “The sharing of resources allows for the elimination of duplicate costs, supports coordinated responses, provides greater interoperability, and ultimately leads to more effective and efficient service.”
Read full articleAPCO Applauds FCC Exploration of Contraband Cell Phones in Prisons
September 30, 2010“As consideration is given to provisions for radio frequency jamming equipment to be deployed in correctional facilities in the United States, [APCO] strongly urge[s] Congress and the FCC to require that vendors of such devices demonstrate that use of such equipment will have no harmful impact on public safety radio systems.”
Read full articleAPCO Applauds FCC Wireless Accuracy Action
September 28, 2010Alexandria, Va. — The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) international today commended the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for their new location accuracy rules for enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) announced last week. Specifically, the FCC’s decision requires wireless carriers to comply with location accuracy rules at the county level.
Read full articleSenate Committee Hears Public Safety Concerns
September 24, 2010“You have the ability to give rural and urban America the capability to allow public safety to do a better job,” said Jackson County (W.Va.) EMS Director Stephen E. McClure to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee during a hearing on Senate Bill 3756. “[The bill] will allow an unprecedented move to develop a public safety communications network. We will be able to do things we are not able to do in today’s system.”
Read full articleFCC Seeks Nominations for Membership on the Emergency Response Interoperability Center Public Safety Advisory Committee
August 18, 2010The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is seeking nominations and expressions of interest for membership on the Emergency Response Interoperability Center…
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