FCC Unlikely to Move Soon to Tougher Vertical Axis Mandate
The FCC is unlikely to take additional actions soon mandating tougher rules for the vertical location accuracy of wireless calls to 911, said industry and public safety officials. Replies are posted through Monday in docket 07-114. In November, commissioners approved rules requiring carriers provide height above ellipsoid data from wireless calls to 911, within 3 meters accuracy for 80 percent of calls, starting in the largest markets in April 2021. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel voted no (see 1911220034).
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An APCO official told us the group hasn’t heard either way. Lawyers who work with carriers said tougher rules seem unlikely soon, especially in light of the big push to address COVID-19. Chairman Ajit Pai told the International Association of Firefighters (see 2003090025) earlier this month that “our z-axis metric should improve as technology evolves.”
CTIA said consensus is “emerging” that “advances in device-based Z-axis solutions” may allow the FCC to extend mandates beyond the largest markets. “There remains a diversity of views about the appropriate compliance regime, however, and given the challenges associated with the … deadline, the FCC should convene a discussion among stakeholders to determine a path forward on an updated vertical location compliance regime with realistic benchmarks,” the group said. “Though a wide range of commenters are optimistic about the device-based solutions that are emerging, it remains unclear whether any solutions will be sufficiently scalable, deployable, and ready” in a year, CTIA warned.
The near-term focus should be “technologies that are able to meet the +/- 3 meter metric in a scalable and consistent manner, with appropriate deadlines for smaller carriers,” Google said. Look first at how first responders use the data before, the company asked. Maintain the current deadline, while considering further requirements, suggested the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council. “Expeditious arrival of first responders requires that they have accurate information on the location,” NPSTC said: “For multi-story facilities, that requires both the address of the building and the floor level where the caller is.”
It’s premature to consider tougher standards, T-Mobile said. “No commenter identifies any current vertical location technology -- whether 911 purpose-built or commercially available -- that has demonstrated capacity to achieve the ±3-meter standard in widescale real-world deployment,” the carrier said: There's “widespread support for commercial technology-based solutions” that would diverge from the current framework targeting the biggest markets first.
Focus on “seamless deployment of z-axis technologies” rather than tightening the mandate, AT&T said. Under the company's proposed timeline, the FCC would require carriers to introduce z-axis capable devices in April 2021, requiring the capability for all new handset activations four years later.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs called for a nationwide 3-meter metric by Dec. 31, 2025, for all buildings above three stories. “Given the more than half decade” it took the FCC to approve the mandate, it shouldn’t back away now, the International Association of Fire Fighters said. Carrier offers to provide more widespread coverage if next year’s deadline is delayed would move rules in the “wrong direction,” IAFF said.