Oklahoma Carrier Fined $100,000 for Failing to Direct 911 Calls to Local Emergency Responders

The Federal Communications Commission fined Hinton Telephone Company $100,000 after an investigation showed that the carrier failed to direct 9111 calls to local emergency responders. The investigation, led by the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, showed that Hinton routed emergency 911 class for customers in Oklahoma to an automated operator message that directed callers to "hang up and dial 911" to report an emergency. The order finds that Hinton failed to use reasonable judgment when it knowingly routed 911 calls to an automated operator message, which only at the end of the long message presented an option to press "0" to reach an operator.