How Safe is Your Wireless Phone in an Emergency?

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the huge popularity and convenience of cell phones means that approximately “70 percent of 911 calls are placed from wireless phones”. The convenience of having a cell phone on you at all times, wherever you are, is an important factor in owning one and helps justify the expense. However, that same mobility also creates a problem.

Since wireless phones are mobile, they are not associated with one fixed location or address. While the location of the cell site closest to the 911 caller may provide a general indication of the caller’s location, that information is not usually specific enough for rescue personnel to deliver assistance to a caller quickly.

The FCC has three basic rules that apply to “all wireless licensees, broadband Personal Communications Service (PCS) licensees, and certain Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) licensees.”

1. The FCC’s basic 911 rules require wireless service providers to transmit all 911 calls to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), regardless of whether the caller subscribes to the provider’s service or not.
2. Phase I Enhanced 911 (E911) rules require wireless service providers to deliver the PSAP with the telephone number of the originator of a wireless 911 call and the location of the cell site or base station transmitting the call. However, a cell site may cover an area as large as 300 to 400 square miles.
3. Phase II E911 rules require wireless service providers to deliver more precise location information to PSAPs; specifically, the latitude and longitude of the caller. This information must be accurate to within 50 to 150 meters depending upon the type of location technology used.

Texas County has implemented Phase II wireless service. Beaver and Cimarron counties are in the process of implementing Phase II wireless service. PTCI is in full compliance with the FCC’s Phase II rules. These rules require 67% accuracy to within 50 meters and 90% accuracy to within 150 meters. Not all wireless providers currently serving the Oklahoma panhandle can provide your Phase II location information to the emergency response center. In fact, one local wireless provider has filed an exclusion for all of Texas County with the FCC because they are unable to provide Phase II location information to the emergency response center.

Seconds can be crucial in an emergency. Ask your wireless provider about the E911 Phase II location information they are able to provide if you have to use your wireless phone in an emergency.

Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (PTCI) along with its wholly-owned subsidiary Panhandle Telecommunication Systems, Inc. is headquartered in Guymon, Oklahoma and provides high quality Home, Business and Cellular Telephone service, High Speed Internet service and Digital Television service to customers in the Oklahoma Panhandle area. For more information, visit www.ptci.net.