911 cellphone service lags

December 10, 2003

This fall, a woman in rural Texas made a frantic 911 call from her cell phone after she was shot in a domestic dispute. Emergency crews initially went to the wrong address. By the time they reached her, she was dead.

Last January, a plea to 911 came from one of four boys in a rowboat sinking off New York City's coast: "Oh God, we're gonna die." Dispatchers could not determine their location from the cell phone call, and all four of the boys drowned.

The technology that could help save lives in such cases exists. It enables emergency dispatchers to trace calls made from cell phones to a specific location — just as they trace calls from land lines.

Yet, 82% of the nation's 6,100 public safety call centers cannot trace cell phone calls precisely, according to a report issued last month by the General Accounting Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress. New York City, for instance, can't. And only 20% of the counties in Texas can.

While cellular phone companies have been slow to do their part, they are belatedly building the technology into their systems under prodding from the federal government. Still lagging, however, are state and local governments, which are falling short in their role of ensuring public safety.

Among the failures:

Lack of funding. Thirty-nine states have cell phone surcharges, and three tap government funds to upgrade 911 call centers. Yet, eight states raise no money for this needed improvement. In Ohio, which has no surcharge, barely 3% of counties can trace cell phone calls. In Wisconsin and Wyoming, none can, according to the National Emergency Number Association, which promotes 911 use.

Diverted money. Several states that have collected fees for years to improve 911 services for cell phone users have raided the funds during the past year for other purposes: $53 million in California, $9 million in Oregon and $5 million in North Carolina. Until last year, New York, which has the highest surcharge of $1.20 a month, hadn't used any of the millions it collected to upgrade 911 cellular services.

Spotty coordination. Enhancing 911 systems requires cellular companies, local land-line carriers and government call centers to work together, but many states have no one to coordinate these sectors. States with strong leadership have gotten the job done. In Indiana, where the state treasurer has protected 911 funding, 60% of counties can trace cell phone calls. All counties in a few states can trace such calls, including Connecticut, Delaware and Vermont.

Cash-strapped states blame fiscal woes for their misuse of 911 funds. An aide to New York Gov. George Pataki says that until last year, the state's fund was not earmarked for 911 cellular enhancements, so the fees have been used for other emergency services.

Such excuses miss the point. In many states, cellular bills list the surcharge as a "911" fee. That means consumers are being misled. They're also being denied a critical government service. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the government has asked the public to be on the alert for trouble. Pinpointing the location of a call could be critical to protecting national security.

Technology can serve that goal — but only if the government takes advantage of it.