CINGULAR CEO SAYS E911 STANDARDS NEED TO LET TECHNOLOGY CATCH UP

AT&T Wireless last month asked for waiver of FCC’s location accuracy requirements for Enhanced 911 Phase 2, requesting time to deploy handset-based technology through its GSM network and network-based solution for its TDMA customers. It likened its request to conditional waiver that Commission granted last year to VoiceStream for hybrid handset- and network-based solutions. Phase 2 of E911 requires carriers to pinpoint location of emergency caller within more precise parameters than first phase, including locating 67% of position-enabled handsets within 50 m of caller’s location by Oct. 1. Carter’s suggestion that U.S. standards may need time to catch up with available technology comes amid growing speculation on whether carriers and equipment will be able to meet Phase 2 mandates on time. He spoke at lunch hosted by Sens. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Frist (R-Tenn.), neither of whom was able to attend. Also speaking on cellphone location technology were David Sobel, gen. counsel to Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), SCC Communications CEO George Heinrichs and Airbiquity CEO Dan Allen.

Most significant driver behind potential commercial applications of wireless location technology is upcoming E911 mandate, Carter said in panel discussion. But he cautioned that consumer expectations for new technological capabilities must be tempered by timing concerns. “The truth is, we're not there yet,” he said. FCC accuracy requirements have some built-in flexibility, he said, “but even with this flexibility, the industry is really struggling.” He said several waiver requests submitted to FCC so far have involved technology location solutions for GSM handsets and TDMA networks, of which “neither is really ready for prime time.” That isn’t surprising, he said, because stringency of U.S. location standards is unmatched anywhere else in world. “I am concerned that the public’s perception of the accuracy of E911 location technology may, at least in the early months, far exceed what we can deliver,” he said. Cingular is wireless joint venture of BellSouth and SBC. Location information technology still holds commercial promise, Carter said, but that would be fulfilled “not this year, not next year. The technology is still developing and consumer excitement has yet to catch fire.”

Current state of readiness of carrier and equipment developers for meeting E911 deadlines makes it “a difficult decision for the FCC to make,” Carter told reporters. “At the moment there are very few carriers I know of who believe they can make the deadline without a waiver.”

Panel appeared to be unified on several basic issues of what safeguards should be in place to protect consumers once wireless location technology is more widespread. Panelists all backed privacy petition submitted by CTIA last year on proposed principles for protecting privacy of location-based information, including opt-in provision to protect subscriber privacy. Congress has been explicit in specifying that wireless location information on caller shouldn’t be provided to others, except in emergencies, unless caller provided express prior authorization, Sobel said. Traditional wireless service providers clearly have been covered by that, but “murkier” question is what happens in cases of other wireless devices, such as personal digital assistants, he said. “That’s not yet clear.” Another lingering question is exactly what “express prior authorization” covers, Sobel said. Question involves whether subscriber would have to give authorization for location information to be used every time transaction is made or whether there could be blanket authorization under service agreement that would cover all such transactions, Sobel said. He said latter approach would be so broad it would be almost meaningless. FCC action on CTIA petition on wireless location privacy principles, which endorses technology-neutral approach, would help to clear up questions such as who such rules would apply to, Sobel said.

George Heinrichs, CEO of SCC, which provides E911 technology and services, stressed extent to which 911 calls increasingly were coming from wireless phones. Common misperception, he said, is that wireless location technologies continuously track subscriber’s whereabouts. “The bandwidth requirements for that would be massive,” he said, with more typical application being that subscriber locations are pinpointed when they take proactive step such as calling 911 or conducting transaction that involves their location. “Privacy is still a big issue,” said Airbiquity’s Allen. Questions include how much data service providers collect from customers, how much they keep and for how long, he said.