Senate Panel OKs Rollback Of FCC's E-911 Regulations

[SOURCE: National Journal's Insider Update, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
The Senate Commerce Committee approved, by a 13-9 vote, legislation requiring Internet telephone companies to provide location-specific emergency 911 responses. But the panel also voted to roll back a looming FCC deadline -- while granting firms four years to implement the technology. Voice over Internet Protocol -- VoIP -- companies currently face a November deadline to provide "enhanced," or location-based, 911 response to customers. The legislation, S. 1063, would waive that deadline and require revised FCC rules within 120 days of the bill's enactment. The bill also grants Internet telephony providers a special waiver of E-911 rules for up to four years. Under the text of the bill, the FCC "shall waive the 911 and E-911 requirements" if the VoIP provider meets a three-part test: 1) Companies would have to warn subscribers that 911 and E-911 service is unavailable. 2) Subscribers would have to separately acknowledge receipt of such warnings. 3) The companies must demonstrate "that it is not technically or operationally feasible" to comply with the FCC rules. The bill also grants public safety officials immunity from lawsuits when then accept emergency calls from VoIP providers.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-QQJQ1130971728555.html

* 911 Internet Bill Advances in Senate
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/02/AR2005110202884.html

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