What is the 911 Act?

The purpose of the 911 Act is to enhance public safety by encouraging and facilitating the prompt deployment of a nationwide, seamless communications infrastructure for emergency services that includes wireless communications.

What is Enhanced 911 (E911)?

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted requirements to improve the ability of wireless phone users to complete 911 calls. The E911 call completion rules are intended to improve the security and safety of wireless phone users. Specifically, these rules seek to improve the effectiveness and reliability of wireless 911 services by providing 911 dispatchers with additional information on wireless 911 calls. The program is divided into two parts: Phase I and Phase II.

Phase I requires carriers, upon appropriate request by a local Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), to report the telephone number of a wireless 911 caller and the location of the tower that received the call. In addition to the data provided by Phase I, Phase II requires wireless carriers to provide far more precise location information: latitude and longitude of callers within 50 to 100 meters in many cases.

How are wireless 911 calls different from landline 911 calls?

A call-back number and the caller's location are two vital pieces of data that often are not transmitted to 911 operators from wireless phones - this depends on whether the carrier in that particular area has met Phase I and/or Phase II FCC-mandated system upgrades and whether the caller's mobile phone has updated technology. In most cases, the operator will receive the wireless phone's call-back number, but location identification continues to be the primary variable.

How many people use wireless phones to call 911?

Of the roughly 190 million 911 calls made last year, or 500,000 each day, 50 million originated from wireless phones. Based on U.S. Census estimates, this data shows that one call to 911 is placed for every two U.S. residents. (Source: Report Card to the Nation: The Effectiveness, Accessibility and Future of America's 911 Service, National Emergency Number Association, 2001).

Is 911 a free call from wireless phones?

Yes. The FCC has mandated that all wireless phones, even non-initialized phones (phones without an established service with a wireless carrier), must be able to make free 911 calls anywhere in the U.S. where 911 service is offered.

Are all wireless phones capable of reaching a 911 dispatcher?

All wireless phones are capable of reaching 911 dispatch without Phase I or Phase II technology (if 911 service is offered in that particular geographic region), including non-initialized phones. The call may not be routed to the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). That being said, non-initialized phones have no phone number and therefore do not transmit a callback number to the operator. So, if the caller hangs up, the dispatcher cannot reconnect for location information.

Because all carriers have not upgraded their systems to meet FCC Wireless E911 regulations, 911 dispatchers may not be able to identify a caller's location using Automatic Location Identification (ALI) technology even if the caller is using an initialized phone.

What is Indiana doing to improve the state's E911 system?

The Indiana General Assembly created the Indiana Wireless E911 Advisory Board in 1998. The board works with county 911 authorities and wireless carriers throughout the state to improve Indiana's emergency communications infrastructure. Indiana State Treasurer Tim Berry, who serves as chairman of the board, also works closely with the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) to improve wireless 911 services on a national level.

How does Indiana's E911 system compare to other states?

Indiana is a leader in implementing FCC required E911 upgrades from the beginning, often beating the FCC's schedule. Allen and Steuben Counties became the nation's first counties to accept Phase I calls in April of 1998. Lake County became the second county in the nation to accept Phase II calls in November of 2001. Indiana Treasurer of State, Tim Berry, was recently appointed to NENA's national Strategic Wireless Action Team (SWAT). Through this position, Berry will highlight Indiana's successes and bring best practices in E911 implementation to Indiana.

What improvements in Indiana's E911 system are planned?

The deployment of E911 requires the development of new technologies and upgrades to local 911 PSAPs, as well as coordination among public safety agencies, wireless carriers, technology vendors, equipment manufacturers, local exchange carriers, and the Indiana Wireless E911 Advisory Board. The FCC established a four-year rollout schedule for Phase II, beginning October 1, 2001 and to be completed by December 31, 2005. The board currently meets with local government leaders and county 911 authorities as well as several wireless carriers on a regular basis to review and discuss system upgrade progress.

What is the cost and timeframe for fully upgrading Indiana's E911 system to comply with FCC regulations?

It is difficult to estimate the exact cost or timeframe for upgrading the state's E911 system because there are so many entities and variables involved. Enhancing the system on a statewide level will require a significant investment and coordinated effort involving public safety agencies, wireless carriers, technology vendors, equipment manufacturers, local exchange carriers and the Indiana Wireless E911 Advisory Board. The board is taking a leadership role by bringing together these stakeholders on a regular basis to identify collaborative solutions.

Why is the implementation of the E911 system so complex?

The E911 Phase I requirements, as well as certain of the Phase II requirements, are applicable to wireless carriers only if the administrator of the designated Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) has requested the service and is capable of receiving information provided. The PSAP must have the means of covering its costs of receiving the E911 information, however, in order to make a valid request for E911 service.

Additionally, the FCC's rules do not mandate any specific state action nor specify any particular mechanism for funding the technology and service capabilities necessary to enable the PSAP to make a valid service request - so it's up to each individual state to develop solutions.

What types of location technologies are currently being used for E911?

· Network technology uses geometric triangulation to determine the caller's position by plotting the location of three surrounding cellular towers.

· Handset solutions use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to pinpoint the phone itself.

What are the criteria for the technologies?

Though there are several technologies currently available in the market, the FCC's criteria for E911 technology include: accuracy, availability and cost efficiency.

Who pays for the technology upgrades to the E911 system?

Wireless phone users pay for the technology upgrades required to meet the FCC's regulations through a monthly $.50 surcharge. This fee becomes part of the Indiana Wireless Emergency Telephone System Fund, which is administered by the Indiana Wireless E911 Advisory Board and dispersed to county 911 authorities and pay for the new wireless network.

Local governments use this funding to upgrade their emergency communications infrastructure through personnel, hardware, software, training, facilities and service.

How much money has Indiana collected?

Indiana currently collects on nearly 2 million wireless phones each month, but this number continues to grow as wireless phones become more common.