FCC Sets Path for Achieving Text to 9-1-1

FCC Sets Path for Achieving Text to 9-1-1

On January 30, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a policy statement setting forth goals for achieving text-to-911 and a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM).   The policy statement highlighted the nation’s four largest wireless telephone providers’ commitment to make text-to-911 available to all their customers nationwide by May 15, 2014.  The FCC encourages other text providers to offer text-to-911 as well and asks for comment on proposals to meet the goals of

(1) making sure that people with disabilities have direct access to 911 services and (2) enabling people in situations from which it might be impossible or dangerous to make a voice call (i.e., hostage situation, domestic violence) to make text-to-911 calls. 

In his statement at the FCC’s Open Commission Meeting, Chairman Tom Wheeler said it is now up to the 911 call centers, known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), to make themselves ready to accept these texts. 

Links to the Press Release: 

Word:  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-325351A1.docx
PDF:  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-325351A1.pdf
Text:  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-325351A1.txt

Policy Statement and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:

Word:  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-14-6A1.doc
PDF:  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-14-6A1.pdf
Text:  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-14-6A1.txt

For further information, go to http://www.fcc.gov/text-to-911, or contact Cheryl King at 202-418-2284 (voice), 202-418-0416 (TTY) or [email protected] OR Suzy Rosen Singleton at 202-810-1503 (VP) or [email protected] in the FCC’s Disability Rights Office.

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