Wireless RERC Comments on NG911 Rulemaking

Wireless RERC Comments on NG911 Rulemaking
 
01.10.2012 – The Wireless RERC filed reply comments with the FCC in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) “In the Matter of Facilitating the Deployment of Text-to-911 and Other Next Generation 911 Applications” [PS Docket No. 11-153] and the “Framework for Next Generation 911 Deployment” [PS Docket No. 10-255]. The reply comments responded to a number of issues including, interim use of text-to-911, prioritization of calls during major emergencies, long term deployment of NG911 text and multimedia applications, and state or regional implementation of NG911. 

Data collected  from State Equipment Distribution Programs in combination with the 2010-2011 Emergency Communications Survey conducted by the Wireless RERC indicates that not only is there a transition from TTY to text-capable mobile phones, but that people with disabilities consider text messaging an accessible option to contact emergency services. Thus, reply comments by the RERC emphasized the need for an interim text-to-911 solution for those persons with hearing and speech impairments as well as the incorporation of both text messaging as well as Real-Time Text as features of a NG911 system. 

In regard to long-term deployment of NG911, the Wireless RERC stressed the importance of a video calling solution in combination with Real Time Text, delivery status notification, and session persistence.  In addition, reply comments call for a phase out of TTY use in transition to NG911. In regard to prioritization of calls during an emergency, the RERC indicated that during an emergency, persons with disabilities have different needs than the general public and often need to rely on a personal support network during a time of emergency.  The implementation of prioritization of calls would eliminate contact between people with disabilities and their support networks, during an important time.

Finally, while the RERC agrees with other commenters that NG911 should be implemented at the state level, reply comments also call for limited federal support, especially in regards to efforts to educate the public on text-to-911 and multimedia-to-911.

 [Source: WirelessRERC]

Additional Information:
Wireless RERC Reply Comments