Meeting the FCC’s 120-day deadline to provide E-911 service poses daunting infrastructure challenges to VoIP providers, panelists at the E-911 Institute said Tues. Congressional staff said a bipartisan bill introduced last week (CD May 19 p1) which would require nondiscriminatory access to VoIP providers is necessary to ensure full E-911 coverage.

The FCC broke new ground at its agenda meeting Thurs. when it invited guest speakers to recount tragedies they encountered because their VoIP providers didn’t offer full-featured 911 service (CD May 20 p1). “In the 20 years I've watched FCC meetings, I've never seen this sort of thing,” said an industry veteran. “I've never seen anyone talk at an FCC meeting other than FCC staff,” the industry source said. “It was radically effective,” said an FCC insider: “As a precedent it could do a lot.”

The Tenn. legislature passed a telecom deregulation bill (SB-182) to erase the Tenn. Regulatory Authority’s power to set retail rates for bundled telecom services. The bill sent to Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) would leave the PSC jurisdiction only over services sold by themselves. The bill would limit a promotional incentive to 6 months. The legislature also sent Bredesen a carphone safety bill (SB-36) that would bar teen drivers on learners’ permits or intermediate licenses from using handheld mobile phones while driving, except to call 911 or their parents. Violators would face a $50 fine, plus a 90-day delay in receiving their unrestricted licenses.

The D.C. city govt. negotiated another extension of its phone service contract with Verizon, to June 8, agreeing to pay $3.5 million toward a past-due phone bill nearing $6 million. Verizon originally was to cut off all D.C. govt. phone service except 911 on April 30 due to the debt but agreed to keep service in place until May 18 while the parties made arrangements. The new extension will allow more time to work out a new contract and make payment plans. Verizon said talks are making progress.

After emotional testimony from victims of VoIP- related 911 glitches, the FCC Thurs. ordered VoIP providers to give customers full E-911 service within 120 days. E-911, or enhanced 911, means a 911 caller’s location is transmitted and can be viewed by emergency dispatchers on a screen.

As the FCC votes today (Thurs.) on E-911 requirements for VoIP providers, at least one victim of an E-911 malfunction involving a VoIP phone, and possibly more, will be sitting in the audience. Also expected are top public safety officials from several states. Several industry observers speculated that the appearances were orchestrated by the FCC, but agency officials wouldn’t comment.

Rep. Gordon (D-Tenn.) introduced a bill Wed. to mandate E-911 access for VoIP providers, a day before the FCC is expected to issue an order requiring providers to give customers E-911 service (CD May 18 p5). Gordon’s bill has bipartisan support and a companion version in the Senate.

A bill to mandate E911 access for VoIP providers is gaining bipartisan support, an aide to Rep. Gordon (D- Tenn.), who plans to introduce the legislation, said Tues. The bill would go a step further than an FCC order (see separate story), expected to be issued Thurs., that would require VoIP providers to give customers E911 service within 120 days of the order.

SAN FRANCISCO -- An FCC majority will be stitched together tomorrow (Thurs.) to impose E-911 requirements with a tight deadline on VoIP service providers, former FCC Chmn. Michael Powell predicted: “The 2 Democrats will undoubtedly want to be on the side of aggressive E-911 enforcement rather than the technology.” They will give Chmn. Martin the votes he needs to impose the rules, Powell said at a JPMorgan Technology Conference here.

BellSouth urged the FCC to focus on fixed VoIP, rather than the nomadic version, when it sets requirements for E-911 access next week. In a May 12 letter to FCC staff, the firm said it’s “unrealistic” to expect full E- 911 services to be available to nomadic VoIP users this year and most subscribers don’t expect it: “Nomadic users of VoIP are unlikely to have the same expectations about reaching a 911 operator and are likely to have other options for dialing 911 in the case of an emergency.” But there’s no reason VoIP providers can’t provide E-911 to fixed subscribers within the Commission’s expected deadline of 120 days, BellSouth said: “A fixed VoIP subscriber who has replaced wireline voice service with VoIP should have every expectation that he or she can reach emergency service personnel when dialing 911 from home or place of business.” Highly publicized incidents in Tex. and Fla. of customers unable to reach an emergency operators involved fixed VoIP subscribers, BellSouth said.