Net2Phone and Liberty Cablevision said they had begun 2nd phase of voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony service in P.R. Local and long distance VoIP phone service will be available to 4,000 cable subscribers. Services such as 911 service and CALEA will be tested and deployed in 2nd phase, they said.

City Council of Tulsa urged Okla. Corporation Commission to reject SBC/Southwestern Bell E-911 tariff that would impose 23-cent-per-call charge for providing city’s emergency service dispatchers with exact location of wireless callers who dialed 911 for emergency assistance. Tulsa said its 911 dispatching center received 160,000 wireless calls this year, which would add almost $40,000 in costs, with amount likely to increase as more peopled use wireless phones. City said Southwestern Bell was entitled to recover its costs, but should do so by fixed monthly rate pegged to actual costs. Per-call fee, city said, is invitation for telco to make unfair profits off public safety. Commission is to consider tariff at its Dec. 12 meeting.

OnStar petitioned FCC last week for ruling that in- vehicle telematics devices that used certain wireless carrier networks weren’t handsets as defined by FCC’s Enhanced 911 rules. OnStar filing said company now used analog-based wireless service because it offered largest geographic footprint and was only standardized wireless way to transmit voice and data on same call. OnStar told FCC that because of wireless industry’s migration to digital networks, it was developing digital telematics solution and was negotiating with wireless carriers to provide such services. In talks, company said “it has become apparent that the use of the term ‘handset’ in the Commission’s 911 orders has created uncertainty regarding the potential obligations of OnStar and its carrier partners when the future digital embedded telematics system is initialized to provide hands-free, voice-activated wireless calling.” OnStar, which is part of General Motors, is largest provider of telematics services, with more than 2 million subscribers. Confusion over FCC’s rules involves “implicit and explicit assumptions” on conventional handset technology that underlie Commission decisions on Phase 2. “Embedded telematics should not be treated as handsets and therefore not be subject to Phase 2 requirements at this time,” OnStar told FCC. Embedded telematics systems developed around use of stand-alone GPS while handset-based Phase 2 E911 technology has evolved around network-assisted GPS/advanced forward link trilateration handset solution, OnStar said. OnStar, its suppliers and wireless carrier partners are working now on engineering development to reconcile differing approaches to provide Phase 2 calling if telematics unit is enabled to provide wireless calling. “The reconciliation of the chipsets and wireless networks to accommodate this difference is adding critical technological risk to the telematics transition to digital technology,” filing said. Company said that under FCC’s rules, wireless carriers had discretion on how to implement Phase 2 of E911 and as result had taken different approaches. “This poses a problem for telematics as vehicles are built with a single transceiver design and, in any event, without always knowing the location of the ultimate purchaser,” filing said.

Wireless issues dominate FCC’s Dec. 11 open agenda meeting. FCC will consider: (1) Notice of Inquiry into possibly permitting unlicensed transmitters to operate in additional frequency bands. Item to be presented by Office of Engineering & Technology is titled “Additional spectrum for unlicensed devices below 900 MHz and in the 3 GHz band.” (2) Further rulemaking on access to emergency services from systems and devices that may not be within scope of FCC’s E911 rules. (3) Wireless Bureau report on status of unintentional wireless 911 calls. (4) Notice of Inquiry to seek comment on effectiveness of efforts to facilitate delivery of spectrum-based services to rural areas. (5) Notice of Inquiry seeking information to analyze status of competition in commercial wireless industry for upcoming report.

FCC staff report on ultra-wideband (UWB) testing brought criticism from some wireless carriers who said it wasn’t rigorous enough to be basis for rulemaking (CD Oct 23 p2). Comments on report were due Nov. 22, and several respondents questioned FCC’s testing methods and whether they adequately analyzed interference issues associated with UWB and GPS, especially as they related to E-911 systems.

FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief David Solomon asked Wireless Consumers Alliance (WCA) Fri. to provide results of 911 studies that WCA said indicated some handset models weren’t meeting part of agency’s 911 rules. WCA study focused on requirements of Feb. 2000 rule that required new analog wireless handsets and digital handsets when operating in analog mode be able to complete 911 calls to either analog carrier in area regardless of programming of handset for non- 911 calls. Handset must use one or more of 911 call completion methods approved by FCC. WCA Pres. Carl Hilliard told us Fri. that tests, which have been submitted as part of several pending consumer lawsuits, examined handset compliance with FCC rules that require that wireless handset to make best effort to place 911 call over subscriber’s home system, including by giving carrier audio and visual notification that emergency call is being processed and by requiring carrier to connect call over subscriber’s home network in 17 sec. to landline operator, Hilliard said. “We tested 33 phones and one of them was able to switch in 63 seconds,” Hilliard said. “None of the others could at all.” He said WCA was planning to hand over test data that Enforcement Bureau requested. Among lawsuits are one filed in U.S. Dist. Court, N.Y., this month that involves subscriber claims that some cellphone models aren’t properly connecting emergency calls to 911 centers. Lawsuit reportedly involves Samsung phones purchased since Feb. 13, 2000, which is date that FCC rules effect concerning 911 call completion. Litigation said these phones, in tests, didn’t notify user by tone or message that 911 call was in progress and didn’t connect to 911 center within 17 sec. Other similar lawsuits have been filed in L.A. and Washington. Solomon said in Fri. letter that WCA had meet with FCC officials last week on test results, indicating that they “demonstrate possible non-compliance” with FCC rules in this area. As formal follow-up, Solomon requested copy of studies, including FCC identifiers and serial numbers of units, test results and methodologies “as soon as practicable so that we can make a determination as to whether there have been any violations of our rules.”

AT&T Wireless told FCC recent report on Enhanced 911 by former Office of Engineering & Technology Chief Dale Hatfield underscored inadequate attention paid to “wireline technical issues.” Last month, Hatfield released results of inquiry on wireless E911, pointing to “seriously antiquated” wireline infrastructure for emergency calls. Comment period on report closed Fri. AT&T Wireless said report showed wireline technical issues still needing work included timing of upgrades and how ILECs planned to recover E911 costs. Company said FCC should “take steps to ensure that the responsibilities of standards-setting bodies are clarified and that there is better specification of E911 implementation standards.” Carrier said there was no industry consensus on delivery of “location reliability” information, meaning “there is little understanding of how to interpret this information and the degree to which PSAPs should rely on it.” That means individual public safety entities are deciding independently whether such confidence factors should be delivered to public safety answering points (PSAPs). AT&T Wireless said any steps FCC took as result of report should recognize investment carriers had made in responding to E911 Phase 2 requests from PSAPs. Rural Cellular Corp. (RCC) said it was encountering rural carrier difficulties outlined in report in meeting existing accuracy standards in E911 rules. Carrier said its rural base stations weren’t densely spaced and typically were linear in their layout. While that provided good coverage to small population centers, it didn’t accommodate triangulation techniques needed to pinpoint physical location of E911 caller, RCC said. “Not only is triangulation more difficult to accomplish with fewer cells, but the percentage-based accuracy requirements are very difficult for a rural carrier to meet,” it said. Nextel described progress it had made in several markets in rolling out Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) capability in its iDEN market. Nextel said it was experiencing “extensive end-to-end connectivity problems” related to: (1) Trunking between LEC’s regional automatic location identification (ALI) database and PSAP. (2) Configuration of LEC’s selective routers and ALI databases. (3) Interface between Intrado’s wireless national ALI database and LEC’s infrastructure. Like other carriers, Nextel stressed need for flexibility in E911 rules. It agreed with point in Hatfield report that carriers with low customer turnover rates could be penalized under rules because they could be forced to absorb costs to replace obsolete handsets if enough customers didn’t naturally leave their system. Sprint said it agreed with Hatfield conclusion that FCC should stay focused on implementation of Phase 2 services and resist pressure to place new obligations on carriers. Hatfield report said creation of National 911 Program Office in proposed Dept. of Homeland Security would be helpful, but might come too late if ultimately implemented. “As a practical matter, Phase 2 service may be largely deployed by the time a new federal agency could take action,” Sprint said. It still may be helpful to smaller, underfunded jurisdictions that would request Phase 2 service at later date, carrier said.

Research firm In-Stat/MDR projected wireless carriers were unlikely to reach break-even on their investment in location-based technology for Enhanced 911 before end of this decade. In report, In-Stat said that although “addressable market” for offering location-based service would be significant through 2006, “the actual potential of that market will actually be quite small.” It said govt. mandates meant virtually every wireless subscriber in U.S. would be able to receive location information by 2005. Total cost of compliance for carriers will reach “billions of dollars,” report said. “U.S. wireless carriers should look at every opportunity to find relief from the U.S. government for the costs of complying with the FCC’s E-911 mandate,” senior analyst Ken Hyers said. In-Stat said revenue potential for wireless carriers from location-based services was expected to grow to more than $167 million in 2006 from $5 million this year. Revenue growth will center particularly on services that are nonintrusive and are user-initiated, firm said.

Sprint PCS told FCC differences with BellSouth over responsibility for costs to upgrade databases needed for Enhanced 911 Phase 2 rollouts had been resolved. FCC Wireless Bureau weighed in last week on dispute between LECs and carriers over responsibility for costs of changing automatic location information (ALI) databases used by public safety answering points (PSAPs) to locate 911 callers (CD Nov 4 p5). Sprint said hurdles to Phase 2 testing and implementation, and particular issues in deployment of Spartanburg-Greenville, S.C., markets, appeared to have been resolved. Sprint said that in informal e-mail and phone exchanges, BellSouth indicated it would allow Sprint to provide Phase 2 service under interconnection provisions of general subscribers services tariff. Sprint told FCC its understanding was that BellSouth didn’t plan to require new contracts with wireless carriers for ALI upgrades. “Although BellSouth may file revised tariffs to address the responsibility of PSAPs for ALI costs, Sprint understands that BellSouth does not intend to delay implementation of Phase 2 services while these tariffs are being prepared,” filing said. Before Wireless Bureau’s letter laying out FCC position, BellSouth had argued that Commission precedent supported recovering certain network upgrade costs for E911 Phase 2 from carriers. But Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless had contended that FCC precedent indicated costs associated with such upgrades were purview of PSAPs. Bureau stipulated that in absence of agreement to contrary, ALI database upgrade costs lay with public safety entities, not wireless carriers.

FCC Wireless Bureau weighed in last week on side of mobile operators in dispute between LECs and carriers over responsibility for costs to upgrade databases needed for Enhanced 911 Phase 2 rollouts. ILECs typically provide needed changes in automatic location information (ALI) databases used by public safety answering points (PSAPs) to locate 911 callers. In recent filings, BellSouth argued FCC precedent supported recovering certain network upgrade costs for E911 Phase 2 from carriers. BS proposed recovering costs for E2 interface, which it will install to upgrade its database, via usage-based charge assessed on wireless carriers. E2 interface is used to send query from ALI database to mobile positioning center maintained by wireless carriers, requesting transmission of location information back to ALI database. But Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless said FCC precedent indicated costs associated with such upgrades were purview of PSAPs. In Oct. 28 letter, Wireless Bureau Chief Thomas Sugrue said absent agreement among companies to contrary, FCC decisions on Phase 2 were that responsibility for ALI database upgrade costs lay with public safety entities, not wireless carriers. He said FCC view was that rollout of E911 remained purview of “cooperative joint efforts and good-faith negotiations” among all those parties. But he said FCC had directed Wireless Bureau, “in the event of an impasse in such negotiations that is delaying the deployment of wireless E911 services” to help resolve disagreements. Such impasse appeared to have been reached that’s holding back planned Phase 2 test in Spartanburg/Greenville, S.C. “It appears likely that failure to address this dispute promptly will result in delays in other Phase 2 tests and deployments,” Sugrue said. Past FCC order issued in response to request for clarification from King County, Wash., made clear that proper demarcation point for allocating costs between wireless operators and PSAPs was input to 911 selective router that ILEC maintained. Costs that order said were responsibility of PSAPs included ALI database, Sugrue said. His letter said E2 interface that was focus of current dispute was software upgrade to ALI database. “As such, costs associated with implementing the interface are the responsibility of the PSAP” under FCC decisions concerning King County, he said. BellSouth had argued FCC didn’t intend that PSAPs be responsible for E2 functionality because it went beyond existing 911 system to retrieve location information from mobile positioning center of wireless carrier. But in his letter, Sugrue said King County decisions stipulated demarcation point, with wireless carriers bearing E911 costs up to that point and PSAPs handling costs beyond it. “Aside from being inconsistent with the language of the King County decisions, BellSouth’s approach would fundamentally undercut the Commission’s purpose in setting a ‘bright line’ demarcation point,” letter said.