FCC to Examine 911 Capabilities of Enterprise Communications Systems

The Federal Communications Commission began an examination of the 911 calling capabilities of enterprise communications systems, which serve many office buildings, educational campuses, and hotels. Noting reports that some of these systems may not support direct 911 dialing, route 911 calls to the nearest 911 call center, or transmit accurate information on the caller’s location or call-back number, the Commission is seeking to identify the reasons why the 911 capabilities of these systems appear to be lagging. The FCC seeks input on topics including the current state of the enterprise communications systems marketplace; the public’s expectations when calling 911 from these systems; the capabilities, limitations, and costs of provisioning 911 on these systems; and related developments, such as the extent of state legislation and industry standards in this area. The FCC is also seeking comment on potential ways to ensure that 911 calling from these systems keeps pace with technological developments and public expectations, including through voluntary best practices or through the development of voluntary technical or operational standards. In addition, the FCC asks whether it should continue to refrain from adopting 911 rules for enterprise communications systems or whether updating or streamlining existing rules to better support 911 capabilities for these systems is warranted. (FCC 17-125)