FCC weighs toughening 911 requirements for more VoIP services

The FCC will take more time and is seeking comment before it acts to improve 911 availability and E911 location determination for Voice over Internet Protocol services, a decision that drew mixed reviews from VoIP users.

While the commission Tuesday strengthened the Enhanced 911 location accuracy rules for wireless carriers, it said it would wait before deciding whether to apply existing 911 rules that cover two-way interconnected VoIP services to "outbound-only" interconnected VoIP services. Outbound-only services allow users to place outbound telephone calls to PSTNs but not to receive inbound telephone calls from them. The commission has never required that one-way VoIP operators be able to provide 911 services but has required 911 service from interconnected VoIP service providers since 2005.

The Commission also is asking if it should establish a framework to ensure that all interconnected VoIP providers can provide automatic location information for VoIP 911 calls, rather than relying on the subscriber to register his or her location with the VoIP provider.

"While there are benefits to this Registered Location approach, in light of the increasing popularity of VoIP calling, the enhanced mobility of VoIP devices and the evolution of consumer expectations, we consider how we might continue working towards automatic location solutions for VoIP calls to 911," the commission wrote. "We do not propose specific automatic location accuracy requirements for VoIP at this time but instead seek comment on whether we should adopt general governing principles for the development of automatic location identification solutions."

The FCC said it expects the solutions to "require participation by both ‘over the top' VoIP service providers that offer service directly to customers and broadband providers that provide underlying network connectivity for VoIP calls."

For more:
- see this Broadband Law Advisor article (reg. req'd)
- see this FCC release

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