The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau ruled that Cingular Wireless had met...

Commission to clarify the date, informing the agency that it had deployed Phase 2-compliant technology at 2,400 cell sites but, as a result of public safety answering point (PSAP) readiness problems, some PSAPs wouldn’t be able to receive the location information. As a result of factors such as a lack of upgraded customer-premises equipment at some PSAPs, Cingular said it was unable to conduct end-to-end testing at those public safety sites. It had asked the agency to clarify that it wouldn’t be in violation of an E911 consent decree because it could provide information to the automatic location information database and had completed all steps toward E911 rollout that weren’t dependent on PSAP readiness for more than 2,000 cell sites before the year-end 2002 deadline. The bureau turned down that clarification request but still concluded that Cingular had satisfied the Dec. 31, 2002, deadline. “We think it is clear that the requirement of the consent decree that Cingular ‘provide Phase 2 service’ means that the carrier must fully integrate its Phase 2 location system with the PSAP and begin delivering Phase 2 location information to the PSAP, which is capable of, and actually is, receiving Phase 2 data,” the order said. The bureau said that under a previous order responding to a request for clarification by the city of Richardson, Tex., the FCC had outlined a certification process. That process specified a wireless carrier that had completed all steps toward E911 implementation that weren’t dependent on PSAP readiness could have its E911 obligation temporarily tolled if the PSAP wasn’t ready to receive the E911 data at the end of a 6-month implementation period. The bureau ruled that Cingular had met the certification requirements through a filing that certified that PSAPs associated with 784 of 2,467 cell sites weren’t yet ready to receive and use Phase 2 information as of Dec. 31.