Order Code RL32939
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
An Emergency Communications Safety Net:
Integrating 911 and Other Services
Updated September 1, 2005
Linda K. Moore
Analyst in Telecommunications and Technology Policy
Resources, Science, and Industry Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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An Emergency Communications Safety Net:
Integrating 911 and Other Services
Summary
The present capability and future effectiveness of America’s network of
emergency telecommunications services are among the homeland security issues
under review by Congress and other entities. Emergency calls (911) on both wireline
(landline) and wireless networks are considered by many to be part of this network.
The 9/11 Commission recommended that 911 call centers be included in planning for
emergency responses. As technologies that can support 911 improve, many are
seeing the possibility of integrating 911 into a wider safety net of emergency
communications and alerts. Without robust support and back-up, 911 systems can
be overwhelmed or rendered useless, as occurred in many locations after Hurricane
Katrina struck Gulf Coast communities on August 29, 2005.
One of the intents of Congress in passing the Wireless Communications and
Public Safety Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-81), and of the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) in implementing the act, is to make 911 technology universally
available throughout the United States. A 2002 report, known as the Hatfield Report,
recognized the need to upgrade 911 infrastructure nationwide, discussed some of the
difficulties encountered, and recommended the creation of a 911 bureau at the
Executive level. Congress addressed recommendations from the Hatfield Report
with provisions that were passed in the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-494).
This legislation creates a five-year federal program for 911 implementation and
coordination and authorizes funds for a matching grant program. Appropriations for
the program have yet to be allocated although other funding is available through
programs within the Department of Transportation.
Legislation in the 109th Congress covering 911 or call centers includes
companion bills S. 1063 (Senator Nelson) and H.R. 2418 (Representative Gordon)
— focusing on assuring access to 911 call centers for users of Voice over Internet
protocol (VoIP) telephone service and on improving the delivery of 911 services
nationwide; companion bills S. 211(Senator Clinton) and H.R. 896 (Representative
Bilirakis) — concerning improvements in the capacity of municipal help services
provided by call centers; H.R. 214 (Representative Stearns) — providing for a new
regulatory category for Internet communications and also referencing 911 access for
VoIP users; and H.R. 733 (Representative Weiner) — seeking to assure service in
underground areas such as subway transportation systems. Current transportation
funding legislation (SAFETEA-LU, H.R. 3) has incorporated some language from
companion bills S. 611 (Senator Collins) and H.R. 1240 (Representative Hefley) to
establish advisory bodies that support improvements in Emergency Medical Services,
including 911 systems.
This report reviews key points about the implementation of 911 and reviews
some of the ways in which it might be integrated with existing or envisioned
networks or services. It will be updated.

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Contents
911: Hurricane Katrina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Calling for Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Response, Rescue and Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Interoperability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Going Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
911: Legislation, Regulation and Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
911 Policy and Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Compliance and Location Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Coverage of Customer Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
911 Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Citizen-Activated Emergency Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The Next Generation of Emergency Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Congress and the Emergency Communications Safety Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
List of Tables
E911 Funds Diverted to General Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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An Emergency Communications Safety Net:
Integrating 911 and Other Services
There is a growing realization among public safety officials, policy makers and
others that 911 services could be part of a larger solution for emergency
communications that links citizens with first responders and with emergency services
such as hospitals through an interconnected system of communications networks and
call centers. 911 networks might be part of a nationwide capacity that provides
communications interoperability; they might be linked to other networks that also
receive citizen-activated calls for help or assistance; they could also be incorporated
into emergency alert broadcasts. Proposals for how to provide a fully integrated
emergency response system have not crystallized into a consensus. The 9/11
Commission Report recommended that 911 call centers — also called Public Safety
Answering Points, or PSAPs — be included in planning for emergency responses.1
Congress, which has since 1999 passed two bills to further the deployment of 911,
is reviewing ways to expand 911 capabilities and make it more accessible and
effective. Congress is also evaluating ways to improve emergency alerts2 and
interoperable communications for public safety.3 Operational convergence of
emergency communications seems to many to be inevitable, a question of “when,”
not “if.” This report deals primarily with 911 and its recent history. It also
summarizes some of the proposals that would improve 911 through new approaches
and integration with other services.
911: Hurricane Katrina
After September 11, 2001 people looking for missing loved ones and friends
often posted notes and photos on walls near the site of the destroyed World Trade
Center. In the aftermath of Katrina, which covered a wide area and forced over one
million people from their homes, the messages are posted on the Internet. For
example, the Times-Picayune, the New Orleans newspaper now operating from
Baton Rouge, is among the local papers with on-line forums for posting information
and requests for help and several blogs (web logs) have been created specifically for
communicating about the hurricane. The circumstances are different but the
messages are uncomfortably familiar, recalling also similar efforts after the South
Asian tsunami of December 6, 2004 and the London subway bombings in July.
1 Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States,
Official Government Edition, 2004, p. 318.
2 See CRS Report RL32527, Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert
Systems(EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings.
3 See CRS Report RL32594, Public Safety Communications: Policy, Proposals, Legsilation
and Progress.

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CRS-2
This section is based primarily on news reports, press releases, and comments
sent to CRS from the public safety community.4 It will be revised once
communications are restored and more detailed information about 911 callers and
call centers becomes available. It appears that emergency communications and 911
call centers in the Gulf Coast states were overwhelmed after Hurricane Katrina and
subsequent flooding took out radio systems, cell towers and back-up generators.
Regular landline telephone connections can function without power, as long as the
lines are not damaged; telephone switches can operate after power is lost until their
back-up generators run out of fuel or are knocked out by flooding. Similarly, cell
towers that carry commercial phone service and public safety radio communications
can continue to function with back-up power, usually batteries. When the batteries
and the fuel run out, however, communications capability comes to an end. The
erratic pattern of power outages and damaged equipment that resulted from the
winds, storm surges, heavy rains, and flooding from Hurricane Katrina helps to
explain why some communications links remained operational after others had failed.
Calling for Help. Although many people lost communications, many others
were able to connect to 911 centers where operators continued to take calls and
provide assistance, where possible. The 911call center for Orleans Parish has
reportedly been destroyed, but it appears that, in all but the hardest-hit areas, PSAPs
have remained operational, taking emergency calls for assistance and reports of
downed power lines, felled trees, impassable roads and fires in generators and
electrical transformers. At the beginning of this disastrous event, there were reports
that call-takers were not always able to reach emergency personnel or connect to the
Coast Guard or National Guard. Some people were able to call the Coast Guard
directly, others waded through water to find help and lead rescuers to people who
were incapacitated. Automobile communications systems such as OnStar also have
remained operational (these systems use analog frequencies, which have a greater
range than digital signals). Drivers who subscribe to OnStar can call for help and the
OnStar operators will contact the nearest PSAP, working from a list. OnStar does
not have information on which PSAPs have closed or whom to contact. This message
from OnStar was received through 911 TALK: “In some cases we are wasting
valuable time by calling PSAPs that are not operational. Any information would be
greatly appreciated. General Motors has contributed 150 vehicles to the rescue effort
many of which are OnStar equipped. . . .”
As in other disaster situations, the Internet has proved less vulnerable to failure
than other telecommunications links. Several of the area’s newspapers were able to
publish Internet editions and at least one local television station in New Orleans
reportedly sent video feeds to its web site when it could no longer broadcast. Short
Message Service (SMS) communications could be completed from cell phones
because SMS stores and forwards messages when a radio frequency becomes
4 News sources used are The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Times-
Picayune, Communications Daily, Associated Press Online, The Bradenton Herald, The
Miami Herald, and Good Morning America. Other information came from Motorola, Inc.,
the Mississippi Power Company, the Wireless Emergency Response Team, an e-mail server
operated by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA 911TALK), and postings
to the Times-Picayune web site by individuals still in New Orleans [http://www.nola.com/].

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CRS-3
available, whereas calls over telephone networks will not get through. Anyone with
electrical or battery power and a computer terminal or wireless laptop could access
the Internet and those with Internet telephony were often able to get through. Cox
Communications is reported to have said that it was able to maintain some Internet
service for many customers in affected areas and was able to use generators to power
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) for local and 911calls. Cox customers in New
Orleans were able to place calls until the telephone switching circuits failed. In
Baton Rouge, on Wednesday, August 31, about two-thirds of Cox’s customers had
VoIP. Vonage, the VoIP service provider, responded to a call for assistance from a
hospital in Baton Rouge by installing Internet connections and VoIP for emergency
communications.

Response, Rescue and Recovery.When they could, 911 call centers
reached first responders; but as power sources failed the ability to establish contact
with first responders diminished. Cell towers went dead from lack of power
(typically back up power sources for public safety failed within hours) and then
walkie-talkies faded away. As long as cell phone service held up, some first
responders were able to use their own phones to maintain some contact. Generally
unable to talk to each other, local police and rescue personnel hunted for people who
might need assistance. As rescue units have arrived in the Gulf area, many have
brought communications equipment and power supplies with them — for themselves
and for other emergency workers. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), for example, has trucks that carry communications equipment for satellite,
radio and landline connections — and power generators. Some state and local
emergency officials have satellite phones or be given them to use as part of the
federal response.

The majority of first responders, however, rely on radio. Wireless telephone
companies, equipment suppliers, and various agencies bring in portable cell towers,
called COWs (Cell on Wheels) and COLTS (Cell on Light Trucks), as well as extra
radios to help re-establish communications at the local level. Some of the private
sector supply efforts are coordinated through the National Coordinating Center, part
of the National Communications System within the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS). By Wednesday evening, August 31, emergency radio and other
wireless equipment was operational in most areas of the Gulf Coast, with more
equipment arriving as fast as it could be moved from staging areas outside the
disaster area. Wireless companies have also begun working to restore customer
service, bringing in generators to power undamaged towers. Not all areas hit by the
hurricane lost cell phone service, although capacity was reduced by power outages
and damage. (Wireline telephone and cable companies typically do not start work on
restoring service until power lines are repaired.) Private communications network
operators, when possible, have made their facilities available for public safety. The
Mississippi Power Company, for example, handed out 300 walkie-talkies to public
safety officials to communicate with each other using the power company’s fiber-
optic cable backbone. Utility companies tend to have robust networks and many of
them have arrangements to aid public safety; in New York City, after September 11,
Con Edison, the local power company, made its network available for emergency
communications. Communications capacity, therefore, is arriving with the rescuers
and the gradual restoration of local public safety and commercial wireless networks.

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CRS-4
Interoperability. Search and rescue efforts are now concentrated in New
Orleans where the local communications infrastructure is devastated. In many
situations, search and rescue teams cannot communicate with each other; their radios
do not use the same frequencies. This places an extra burden on relief efforts, for
example: coordination is difficult, donated equipment has to be tuned to specific
frequencies before it can be used, and the amount of interoperable equipment is
limited. Equipment must be provided to operate on different frequencies. Motorola,
Inc., for example, deployed three specially-equipped emergency trailers: a 700 MHz
system went to the Louisiana State Police; a 900 MHz system was delivered to Baton
Rouge for the use of first responders; and a 380 MHz tower was converted to VHF
technology for use by the Louisiana National Guard. Although some cross-talk
equipment is available, no report has been received on whether it is being put to use
in New Orleans. (Cross-talk equipment translates one radio frequency signal to
another, allowing radios with different frequencies to communicate in limited
situations.5) New Orleans was not one of the ten cities that received federal aid to
install and test interoperable equipment in a program operated by DHS in 2004.6
Going Forward. The balance of this report discusses the existing situation of
911’s capacity to respond in emergencies, some proposals to improve the system, and
recent legislative activity. Proposals include linking 911 call centers with emergency
response, building a more robust capacity, incorporating Internet protocols,
developing the capacity to set up call centers after disasters have occurred, and
coordinating 911 with other types of call centers, such as the 211 centers that provide
municipal services. (States with 211 services that are receiving hurricane evacuees
are coordinating requests for help through these centers.)
911: Legislation, Regulation and Leadership
To facilitate the effort to provide comprehensive 911 services nationwide,
Congress in 1999 passed the “911 Act,”7 which mandated 911 as the emergency
number nationwide and made numerous provisions for its implementation. Among
other provisions, the law requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
to work with the states and the many other affected parties to deploy comprehensive
wireless enhanced 911 (W-E911) service. Enhanced 911 service provides 911 call
centers — known as Public Safety Answering Points, or PSAPs — with Automatic
Number Identification (ANI) and Automatic Location Identification (ALI).8 Most,
but not all wireline phones are automatically enabled for ANI/ALI display; an
estimated 99% of the population in the United States has access to some type of 911
5 Interoperability is discussed in CRS report RL
6 Information about the program to test equipment, known as RapidCom 9/30, is available
at [http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0470.xml]. Viewed
September 1, 2005.
7 P.L. 106-81, “Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999.”
8 Automatic Number Identification (ANI) recognizes and displays the telephone number
from which the call is placed. Automatic Location Identification (ALI) provides — in the
case of wireline — the address associated with the telephone number or — in the case of
wireless — the approximate geographic co-ordinates of the caller.

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CRS-5
service and 93% of counties with 911 coverage have enhanced 911.9 Since October,
1, 2001, wireless carriers have been expected to meet FCC guidelines for providing
W-E911 to PSAPs. Most areas of the United States now have at least some wireless
enhanced 911 coverage, but only 33.6% of counties have fully implemented the
technology.10

Delays and complications in implementing W-E911 prompted the FCC to
commission a study to examine the state of 911 capacity in general and the cause of
problems with wireless 911 in particular. “Report on Technical and Operational
Issues Impacting the Provision of Wireless Enhanced 911 Services,” known as the
Hatfield Report, was submitted to the FCC on October 15, 2002.11 The author, Dale
N. Hatfield, formerly Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology at the FCC, was
assisted in his research by staff in the FCC’s Commercial Wireless Division of the
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. As its title indicates, the report’s focus is
primarily on technical and operational issues.
Observations in the report that might be the basis for policy initiatives include
! The critical nature of location information in enhanced 911 in
supporting first responders in emergencies.
! The “seriously antiquated” condition of the infrastructure that
underlies 911 for both wireline and wireless emergency calls.
! The need for a national 911 office to act as a “champion” at the
federal level.
Congress responded to the issues raised in The Hatfield Report and by the 9/11
Commission and others with the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-494). It
created a E-911 Implementation Coordination Office within the federal government.
It also addressed a number of concerns that had been raised about the deployment of
911, including compliance, coverage in rural areas, and the use of fees levied by
states and localities to help cover the cost of providing 911 services.
Regulation. Since October, 1, 2001, wireless carriers have been expected to
meet FCC guidelines for providing W-E911 to PSAPs. The FCC took an important
first step toward adopting rules for W-E911 in 1996 with a first Report and Order
(FCC 96-264) citing provisions of the Communications Act12 as the basis for its
action. To facilitate the effort to provide comprehensive 911 services nationwide,
9 National Emergency Number Association (NENA), in Fast Facts at
[http://www.nena.org/PR_Pubs/Devel_of_911.htm]. Viewed June August 15, 2005.
10 “E-911 a Tall, Complicated Order for VoIP,” Communications Daily, July 8, 2005.
NENA wireless deployment maps are at [http://nena.ddti.net/]. Viewed August 15, 2005.
11 Available at [http://www.fcc.gov/911/enhanced/reports/]. Viewed August 15, 2005.
12 U.S.C. Title 47, Chapter 5, § 151, “Communications Act of 1934.” The FCC’s charter
includes “promoting safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio
communication.”

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CRS-6
Congress in 1999 passed the “911 Act,”13 which mandated 911 as the emergency
number nationwide and made numerous provisions for its implementation. Among
other provisions, the law requires the FCC to work with the states and the many other
affected parties to deploy comprehensive W-E911 service.
The FCC plotted a course for reaching W-E911 in two phases. For Phase I, the
carriers were given a year to prepare for PSAP requests for Automatic Number
Identification (ANI) and location-finder capabilities using technology existing at the
time. By 2001, for Phase II, the carriers were to have identified and implemented
new location-finder technologies (Automatic Location Identification, or ALI).14
From 1997 through 2000, the FCC made several changes in its accuracy
requirements, impacting the carriers’ ability to develop the needed ALI technology.15
In particular, the FCC set up different timetables for carriers using network-based
technologies for supplying locations information and those using technologies that
required new handsets. By December 31, 2005, for carriers using handset-based
solutions, 100% of new mobile phones supplied to customers are required to be
Phase II compliant and 95% of the carriers’ customers must have Phase II
technology. Difficulties in meeting the latter requirement will be discussed in the
next section of this report.
After the publication of the Hatfield Report in 2002, the FCC undertook several
new initiatives to bolster its role in supporting 911. These included creating an
Enhanced 911 (E911) Coordination Initiative to bring together relevant stakeholders
to foster cooperation. The FCC also supports the National Reliability and
Interoperability Council (NRIC VII), a Federal Advisory Committee that provides
best practices and other guidelines for telecommunications operations, including
homeland security and public safety.16 NRIC VII has four focus groups for E911
issues, including one studying interfacing PSAPs with the wider universe of public
safety networks.17
13 P.L. 106-81, “Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999.”
14 Automatic Number Identification (ANI) recognizes and displays the telephone number
from which the call is placed. Automatic Location Identification (ALI) provides — in the
case of wireline — the address associated with the telephone number or — in the case of
wireless — the approximate geographic co-ordinates of the caller.
15 For example, in 1997, the FCC recognized the possibility of handset-based solutions for
Phase II, whereas previously it had discussed only network solutions ( “E911
Reconsideration Order,” December 1, 1997). Handset-based technology requires alterations
to the handset and new network software. Included in this category for regulatory purposes
are solutions requiring new handsets and new network hardware — sometimes referred to
as a hybrid solution. Solutions that work with the installed base of existing handsets and
require investments in network hardware only are considered network-based. In 1999, the
FCC set criteria for handset-based technology, setting stricter standards for its accuracy than
for network-based solutions (“Third Report and Order,” October 6, 1999).
16 See [http://www.nric.org/]. Viewed August 15, 2005.
17 NRIC VII, Focus Group 1D, Communications Issues for Emergency Communications
Beyond 911; Report #1 - Properties and network architectures that communications between
PSAPs and emergency services personnel must meet in the near future ,” December 6, 2004,
(continued...)

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CRS-7
Leadership. In its 1996 blueprint for implementing W-E911, the FCC noted
that introducing the service nationwide would require coordination and “cooperative
efforts by state and local governments, PSAP administrators, wireless carriers and
equipment manufacturers.” The FCC has limited its leadership role to encouraging
states and communities to work together in developing coordinated plans for W-
E911. Charged in the 911 Act to take positive steps to address the implementation
of 911 services, the FCC has primarily played the role of regulator and mediator.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) in recent years has moved forward to
assist wireless E-911 as an extension of its highway safety programs. In 2002, DOT
created a pro-active program to foster cooperation and dialog among key participants.
Among other actions, a partnership between DOT and three public safety associations
was formed in support of a Wireless Implementation Program.18 In 2005, DOT
announced plans to produce a national framework and deployment plan for a Next
Generation 911 (NG911) system, to be developed over a three-year period.19 The
NG911 Initiative is being established as a “major new component” of the Intelligent
Transportation Systems Program.20
The ENHANCE 911 Act designates the Director of the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Administrator
of National Highway Traffic Safety as co-administrators of the newly-created E-911
Implementation Coordination Office.21 These co-administrators are to report to
Congress annually in October on activities “to improve coordination and
communication with respect to the implementation of E-911 services.”22
911 Policy and Issues
While some key issues concerning the development of 911 have been
specifically addressed by the ENHANCE 911 Act, others remain. Some could be
addressed by the E-911 Implementation Coordination Office. The FCC also
continues to take regulatory steps to improve the delivery and availability of 911.
Bills that would address specific problems have been introduced in the 109th
Congress.
17 (...continued)
pp. 12; 26-27 [http://nric.org/meetings/docs/meeting_20041206/FG1D%20Final%20Report.
pdf]. Viewed August 15, 2005.
18 For details on DOT programs, see [http://www.itspublicsafety.net/wireless.htm] or
[http://nena.org/dot/]. Both viewed August 15, 2005.
19 Program updates are provided at [http://www.its.dot.gov/ng911/ng911_overview.htm].
Viewed August 15, 2005.
20 “DOT Seeks Comment on Next Generation 911 Initiative,” ITS America News, February
16, 2005 at [http://www.itsa.org/ITSNEWS.NSF/0/09888ebfdcec0b5885256fab00075911?
OpenDocument]. Viewed August 15, 2005.
21 P.L. 108-494, Sec. 104, “Sec. 158, (a).
22 P.L. 108-494, Sec. 104, “Sec. 158, (a) (4).

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CRS-8
Compliance and Location Accuracy. Wireless carriers must meet
standards for accuracy (ability of the technology to locate the caller within a specified
number of meters); market penetration (for example, all new handsets); and
timeliness (for example, complying with a PSAP request within six months). To
avoid penalties, carriers that cannot comply with W-E911 requirements must request
waivers. For enforcement purposes, the FCC has divided wireless carriers into three
tiers. Small (Tier III) and mid-sized carriers (Tier II) are treated as one group with
its own administrative schedule for compliance. Tier I carriers are the largest carriers
(Verizon, Cingular,T-Mobile, and Sprint Nextel) that collectively have over 80% of
the wireless market nationwide. These are considered as a separate group and closely
monitored by the FCC for compliance.
A coalition of Tier III companies asked the FCC to ease standards for location
accuracy for Tier III carriers, especially those in rural areas.23 The FCC rules permit
a wireless carrier to meet location-accuracy requirements by averaging location
performance systemwide. For a variety of reasons, location identification in more
densely-populated areas provides a greater degree of accuracy than for rural areas.
Carriers that specialize in meeting the niche market needs of rural customers do not
have the option of averaging their system’s accuracy with better-performing data
from urban/suburban areas. As a consequence, many are struggling to meet the
FCC’s requirements for accuracy in location identification. Reflecting concerns that
some carriers would stop serving remote areas rather than invest in improving
location identification capabilities, the ENHANCE 911 Act directs the FCC to grant
waivers in situations where strict enforcement would decrease access to emergency
services.24
Wireless carriers face specific problems in implementing location-finding
technology in rural areas. These include the use of analog as opposed to digital
cellular services (digital technology provides significantly better location-finding
capability), the difficulty of installing a sufficient number of cell towers to provide
“triangulation” for location technologies; and the predominance of cell towers placed
along major highways (sometimes referred to as a “string of pearls”), also a
complication for proper triangulation.
The ENHANCE 911 Act required the FCC to study the situation of Tier III
wireless carriers regarding the waiver process and providing information on effective
technologies for implementing Phase II of W-E911.25 It submitted a detailed report
in April 2005 but made no recommendations regarding technology.26 In the same
23 See submitted comments, Tier III Coalition for Wireless E911, December 3, 2002, on the
FCC Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), proceeding “02-46”; available online at
[http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=65133
90405]. Viewed August 15, 2005.
24 P.L. 108-494, Sec. 107 (a).
25 P.L. 108-494, Sec. 106.
26 Amended report submitted April 1, 2005. The FCC concluded that technologies currently
in use were all suitable and that the choice depended on a variety of factors. “FCC
(continued...)

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CRS-9
time frame, the FCC granted a blanket waiver to Tier III companies regarding
coverage of their customer base (see next section).
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International, Inc.
(APCO) has received $750,000 from the Public Safety Foundation to conduct an
independent test of the accuracy of location information received by PSAPs.27 APCO
has petitioned the FCC to apply a uniform standard for location accuracy in areas
served, disallowing national averaging used by large carriers to measure compliance
with W-E911.28 APCO recommends that accuracy requirements be set at the level
of Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Rural Statistical Areas.29 The FCC’s Advisory
Council, NRIC VII, has recommended that accuracy requirements be measured at the
state level.30 A tightening of accuracy rules would force improvements in the quality
of location information but would not solve all the problems of getting useful
location information to PSAPs. High rise buildings, for example, pose another set
of problems; even though X-Y coordinates might accurately identify a street corner,
it does not identify whether the caller is on the fourth floor or the fortieth.31
Coverage of Customer Base. In addition to meeting standards for accuracy
of location information, carriers using handset solutions for location identification
must meet levels of distribution of Phase II compliant handsets to their customer
base. By December 31, 2005, all new mobile phones provided to customers must
have Phase II location information technology and 95% of a carrier’s customer base
must be using Phase II compliant phones. A petition filed with the FCC by the
Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) and the Rural
Communications Association (RCA) summarizes the difficulties being met by
carriers depending on handset technology to comply with Phase II. These include 1)
lower replacement rate for phones than anticipated by the FCC; 2) lowered churn
rates as more customers remain with existing wireless carriers, keeping the phones
they already have; and 3) unwillingness to replace phones for location technology
capabilities. Customers apparently are satisfied with the current features in their cell
26 (...continued)
Amended Report to Congress on the Deployment of E9-1-1 Phase II Services by Tier III
Service Providers” at [http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-257964A1.
pdf]. Viewed May 19, 2005.
27 “PSFA Awards $750,00 for Wireless Accuracy Testing,” Press Release, August 5, 2005,
[http://www.apcointl.org/news/2005/20050808ProjectLocateToConductWirelessAccurac
yTesting.html]. Viewed August 15, 2005.
28 Letter from APCO International to public safety officials, March 3, 2005, at [http://www.
apcointl.org/news/2005/20050303CallToActionOnWireless9-1-1Accuracy.html]. Viewed
August 15, 2005.
29 APCO filing with FCC, Supplement to Request for Declaratory Ruling, CC Docket 94-
102, February 4, 2005.
30 NRIC VII, Focus Group 1A Report #1, Revised, March 29, 2005 at
[http://www.nric.org/meetings/docs/meeting_20050329/FG1A%200205%20Report%201
%20Revised.pdf]. Viewed August 15, 2005.
31 “Tests Show Many Cellphone Calls to 911 Go Unlocated,” by Anne Marie Squeo, The
Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2005, page B1.

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CRS-10
phones and are reluctant to replace them with a phone in order to gain location-
identification technology. In rural areas, the primary reason might be a desire to keep
an analog cell phone because it provides better local coverage; analog signals travel
greater distances than digital ones, which is significant in areas with a limited number
of transmission towers. (Phase II location technology requires a digital phone.)
Among other possible reasons are consumer awareness of low penetration rates of
Phase II capabilities at local PSAPs — rendering the location technology ineffective
for 911 purposes — and privacy concerns; many citizens are uninformed about how
location technology works and some fear that anyone will be able to know where they
are, at any time, without their consent.32 The petition requests the FCC to suspend
the 95% market penetration rate for carriers that are meeting compliance rules for
new phones. Alternatively, the FCC could set up a streamlined waiver process for
companies falling short of the 95% requirement. Some Tier III companies have
received waivers from this requirement.33
The CTIA/RSA petition is echoed by statements and requests for waivers from
some wireless companies. Press reports have stated, for example, that Verizon
Wireless is doing “everything humanly possible” to meet the year-end deadline and
has so far achieved 88% presentation. Alltel, another carrier using handset
technology to meet Phase II requirements, does not expect to reach the 95% goal until
the end of 2007.34 Prior to its merger with Sprint, Nextel had projected that Phase
II compliant headsets would be used by 70% of its customers by year end. Sprint,
independently, had reached the 95% mark but the new company’s combined
customer base is said to be 80% to 85% compliant. Deployment of the Assisted-
Geographic Position System (A-GPS) technology that Nextel uses to provide location
information was delayed by software problems.35 Carriers that meet Phase II
requirements with network technology are not affected by the deadline.
911 Funding. The bulk of the costs for implementing wireless E911 is
covered by the telecommunications industry and by consumers, primarily as
taxpayers at the state and local level but potentially also as purchasers of wireless
handsets and subscriber services, since some of the carriers’ costs for E911
technology may be passed along as price increases. One common source of funds
is a surcharge on telephone bills collected at the local or state level, or both. Most
32 The latter explanation was not included in the CTIA/RSA petition but it is a concern that
the CTIA is aware of and has addressed by supporting voluntary standards. See CTIA,
“Consumer Code for Wireless Service” [http://files.ctia.org/pdf/The_Code.pdf]. Viewed
August 15, 2005. The evolution of wireless location technology and privacy concerns is
reviewed, for example, in “Can You Be Found Anywhere, Anytime?” by Gregory M. Lamb,
The Christian Science Monitor, July 14, 2005, page 13. For a discussion of wireless
customer concerns about privacy, see CRS Report RL31636, Wireless Privacy and Spam:
Issues for Congress, by Marcia S. Smith.
33 Joint Petition for Suspension or Waiver of the Location-Capable Handset Penetration
Deadline, Rural Cellular Association and CTIA - The Wireless Association, FCC, CC
Docket No. 94-102, June 30, 2005.
34 “Verizon Wireless Strives to Meet FCC’s 95% E-911 Deadline,” Communications Daily,
August 4, 2005.
35 “Nextel to Miss Phase II Enhanced-911Deadline,” Total Telecom, August 8, 2005.

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CRS-11
states have some form of 911 fund that receives revenue from a surcharge on
telephone bills.36 Another source at the local or county level is an increase in
property taxes with the additional monies going to an E911 fund.
According to the CTIA, of the 18 states known to have wireless E911 programs
funded at the state level, nine have transferred these funds to a general fund in recent
years. The table below was prepared in early 2003 and is not comprehensive.
California, for example, borrowed $63.1 million from its 911 fund in 2003.37 On a
smaller scale, the Maine Legislature voted to transfer $123,301 to the 2003 General
Fund from the state’s Emergency Services Communication Bureau’s E-911 Fund.38
Table 1. E911 Funds Diverted to General Funding
State
Amount(s)
Year(s)
California
$50 million
2001
District of Columbia
$9.45 million over three
2000-2003
years
Maryland
$1 million
2002
North Carolina
$2.5 million; $5 million
2001; 2002
New York
$45 million;
2001;
$162 million
1991-2000
Oregon
$7 million
2002
South Carolina
$5 million
2003
Texas
$40 million
2001
Virginia
$30 million
2002
Source: CTIA, March 2003
The ENHANCE 911 Act requires the Government Accountability Office to
prepare for Congress a study on the collection and use of 911 charges, identifying
states or political subdivisions that impose these charges, and their use — both for
36 An overview of surcharges, by state, is available on the NENA website at
[http://www.nena.org/DOT/Surcharges%209-1-1.pdf]. Viewed August 18, 2005.
37 “911 Cell Phone Plan Gets a Push,” by Edward Epstein, San Francisco Chronicle, August
11, 2003, page A4.
38 Maine 2003 Legislative Service, 121th Legislature, 2003 Me. Legis. Serv. Ch. 2 (H.P.
372) (L.D. 483) (WEST), Sec. AA-3, West Group 2003.

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CRS-12
911 services and for other purposes.39 The act provides a mechanism for funding 911
with a program of matching grants.40 To penalize states and other jurisdictions that
use 911 fees for other purposes, the act would deny grants to entities that diverted
funds.41 For this legislative response to be effective requires appropriations for the
programs that the act authorizes. Funding of up to $250,000,000 for each fiscal year
from 2005 through 2009 for matching grant programs has been authorized.42
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
does not automatically provide location information to a PSAP, unlike most wireline
and an increasing percentage of wireless 911 phone calls. VoIP uses Internet
bandwidth to send voice communications; these can be peer-to-peer, essentially a
closed loop, or through a public switched telephone network (PSTN), to
communicate over telephone networks. To achieve ANI/ALI delivery to a PSAP,
there must be a connection to a local telephone switch that links to the appropriate
PSAP and the VoIP user must register the phone number and address of the phone
line used for VoIP. As the service has become more popular, often replacing a
household’s wireline phone, it has become evident that the absence of automated
location identification represents a serious hole in the 911 public safety net. The
FCC, therefore, is pursuing actions to assure 911 access for VoIP users, particularly
as regards access to PSTN lines to 911 call centers and provision of ANI/ALI data.43
Current requirements established by the FCC have two parts. By September 28,
2005,44 VoIP providers must have contacted all subscribers and informed them of the
terms on which 911 access is or is not available, must have received and created a
record of affirmative acknowledgment from all subscribers that the advisory has been
understood. Service to subscribers who do not respond is to be discontinued. By
October 21, 2005, VoIP providers are to meet FCC requirements for assuring that
911 calls are delivered to PSAPs with ANI/ALI data. In response to VoIP provider
concerns about how to meet the technical requirements of the FCC, the National
Emergency Number Association (NENA) has prepared recommendations for
developing an architecture to connect VoIP to the existing emergency network
infrastructure, both for the interim and long term.45 NENA states that VoIP is
39 P.L. 108-494, Sec. 105.
40 P.L. 108-494, Sec. 104, “Sec. 158 (b).
41 P.L. 108-494, Sec. 104, “Sec. 158 (c).
42 P.L. 108-494, Sec. 104, “Sec. 158 (d).
43 FCC News, “Commission Requires Interconnected VoIP Providers to Provide Enhanced
911 Service,” May 19, 2005 at [http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-
258818A1.pdf]. Viewed August 23, 2005.
44 This date reflects an extension of a previously set deadline and applies only to VoIP
providers that filed initial reoprts by August 10, 2005. FCC Public Notice “Enforcement
Bureau Provides Further Guidance . . . ,” DA 05-2358, released August 26, 2005.
45 Interim VoIP Architecture for Enhanced 9-1-1Services, NENA 08-001, August 5, 2005
at [http://www.nena.org/i2_Solution_VTC_08-001_final_08_05_05_rev03.pdf]. Viewed
August 31, 2005.

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“poised to become the predominant technology used in the telecommunications
industry.”46
Congress is considering legislation that will improve 911 systems, including
VoIP, and legislation to assure that enhanced 911 is available to VoIP subscribers.
Citizen-Activated Emergency Calls. PSAPs are not the only call centers
that handle requests for assistance or information in an emergency. Call centers are
identified as a pivotal link in an end-to-end network of emergency communications,
information, response, and post-incident care. A report by the Wireless Emergency
Response Team (WERT) discusses the valuable help provided to victims of the
World Trade Center attack through call center services donated by BellSouth.47 The
report urges that national planning for emergency preparedness and response include
the mobilization of private-sector call centers to field calls for information and
assistance for non-life-threatening needs.48 Citizen-activated calls for help currently
go to 911, to 311, to 211, and to other call centers in both the public and private
sector.49 The 311 code was created by the FCC in 1997 to take non-emergency calls
police calls as a means to reduce congestion on 911 lines.50 Many cities have adopted
shared-service communications hubs using 311 as a way to consolidate agency call
centers.51 The 211 dialing code is reserved by the FCC on a provisional basis as a
universal number for community information and referral.52 The 211 call centers
support a variety of social service hot lines and can also be used to provide
information and guidance in emergency situations. Congress is considering
legislation to support the development of 211 call centers.
The Next Generation of Emergency Communications. NENA is
pressing for what it calls “NG-E9-1-1,” referring to next generation technologies.
NENA wants to address the technical, operational and policy issues associated with
46 Ibid. Page 1.
47 Wireless Emergency Response Team (WERT), Final Report for the September 11, 2001
New York City World Trade Center Terrorist Attack, October 2001, Section 3.14, page18,
at [http://www.nric.org/meetings/docs/wert_final_report.pdf ] Viewed August 23, 2005.
48 ibid., Section 1, Recommendation PCC-2, page 9 and Section 6, Public Call Center, page
40 et seq.
49 For example, the automobile industry operates call centers for its services for automatic
crash notification, roadside assistance and other emergency aid (telematics); operators will
contact a nearby PSAP when necessary. Telecommunications companies that provide
satellite telephony (Mobile Satellite Service — MSS) are required by the FCC to operate
call centers that can forward 911 calls.
50 “FCC Creates New 311 Code for Non-Emergency Police Calls . . . ,” FCC News, Report
CC 97-7, February 19, 1997 at [http://ftp.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/311news.html]. Viewed August
23, 2005.
51 “It Pays to Consolidate; Officials turn to shared service centers,” by Aliya Sternstein,
Federal Computer Week, March 14, 2005.
52 More information is on the FCC website at Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau,
Consumer Alerts and Fact Sheets, [http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/211.html].
Viewed August 23, 2005.

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CRS-14
modernizing the E911 system and integrating new technologies, such as voice over
IP, instant messaging, short message service messaging, Wi-Fi, geographic
information systems and video.53 As noted above, the Department of Transportation
is seeking to develop a plan for NG911 as part of the Intelligent Transportation
Systems Program; and the National Interoperability and Reliability Council for the
FCC has urged the development of a common platform that would link 911 to an
interoperable communications network based on Internet technologies. The Alliance
for Telecommunications Industry Solutions has a forum on emergency service
interoperability.54 Others, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force, are also
reportedly contributing to the effort to find common platforms and standards to allow
interoperability for the next generation of technology.55
Congress and the Emergency Communications Safety Net
Enhanced technology and heightened awareness of the public safety and
homeland security benefits of emergency call centers have raised the bar of
expectations both within the public safety community and of the citizens that rely on
911 services. The 9/11 Commission, among others, has urged Congress to advance
on the goal of integrating 911 with emergency response programs. Among the bills
related to 911 introduced in the 109th Congress, several include provisions that would
help to integrate 911 into a wider public safety net of communications and alerts.
Some public safety associations56 envision robust emergency communications
systems that connect first responders and health facilities with emergency call centers
that are also linked to all-hazard warning systems. These systems would be built on
a backbone using Internet protocols. S. 1063 (Senator Nelson) and H.R. 2418
(Representative Gordon) — the IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public
Safety Act of 2005 — carry the requirement that the E-911 Implementation
Coordination Office provide a plan to migrate to a “national IP-enabled emergency
network capable of receiving and responding to all citizen activated emergency
communications.”57
Language in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity
Act: A Legacy for Users, SAFETEA-LU (H.R. 3) provides for the creation of
Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services to coordinate
53 “NG E9-1-1; 2004/2005 Program” at [http://www.nena.org/Initiatives/website%20pkg.
pdf]. Viewed August 23, 2005.
54 See [http://www.atis.org/esif/missionscope.asp]. Viewed August 23, 2005.
55 Testimony of John Melcher, Executive Director, Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency
Network, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and
the Internet, “How Internet-Enabled Services Are Changing the Face of Communications:
A Look at the Voice Marketplace,” March 16, 2005.
56 For example, NENA and the ComCARE Alliance.
57 S. 1063, Sec. 3 and H.R. 2418, Sec. 3.

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CRS-15
emergency medical services and 9-1-1 systems.58 This action codifies an existing
Department of Transportation-sponsored committee that addresses the
interdependence of EMS and 911 systems and coordinates among agencies and
government services at all levels. It incorporates language from companion bills
H.R. 1240 (Representative Hefley) and S. 611(Senator Collins). A key provision of
the two bills that is not included in the law is the creation and support of a
community-based Advisory Council to make recommendations to the Committee.59
Companion bills introduced in the House (H.R. 896, Representative Bilirakis)
and Senate (S. 211, Senator Clinton) would facilitate nationwide availability of 211.
The Calling for 2-1-1 bills recognize the potential role of 211 call centers in
providing “community preparedness and response.”60 A grants program would be
administered by the Department of Commerce. Applicants would have to include
information about cooperation, if any, with other call centers, including 911.61
Problems in providing 911 access for VoIP calls are addressed in the IP-Enabled
Voice Communications and Public Safety bills (H.R. 2418 and S. 1063) and also, in
a limited way, by H.R. 214 (Representative Stearns).62 H.R. 214, the Advanced
Internet Communications Service Act, would establish a regulatory framework for
Internet communications that is separate from telecommunications regulation.63 The
IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety bills (H.R. 2418 and S. 1063)
would provide specific requirements and protections for 911 and enhanced 911 calls
using VoIP.64 The bills also permit states and communities to impose fees on VoIP
billings to customers, as is commonly done for wireline and wireless phone bills.65
The Subway Cell Access Act (H.R. 733, Representative Weiner) would require
the FCC to regulate wireless telephone providers to assure wireless connectivity to
911 call centers from underground transit stations.
58 H.R. 3, Section X, Subtitle B, Sec. 10202.
59 S. 611 and H.R. 1240, Sec. 3.
60 S. 211, Sec. 2 (10) and H.R. 896, Sec. 2 (10).
61 S. 211, Section 3 (f) (2) (C) and H.R. 896, Section 3 (f) (2) (C).
62 H.R. 214, Sec. 3 (a) (1) (A).
63 H.R. 214, Sec. 2 (b).
64 S. 1063, Sec. 2 and H.R. 2418, Sec. 2.
65 S. 1063, Sec. 2 (c) and H.R. 2418, Sec. 2 (c).

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