FCC seeks Comment On Emergency Access To Wi-Fi Access Points And Spectrum For Unlicensed Devices

The Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau seeks comment on emergency access to Wi-Fi access points as directed by Congress in the RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018. By March 23, 2021, Section 301 of RAY BAUM’S Act requires the FCC to submit to Congress and make publicly available on the FCC’s website, a study on the public safety benefits and technical feasibility and cost of

1. making telecommunications service provider-owned Wi-Fi access points, and other communications technologies operating on unlicensed spectrum, available to the general public for access to 9-1-1 services, without requiring any login credentials, during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable;
2. the provision by non-telecommunications service provider-owned Wi-Fi access points of public access to 9-1-1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; and
3. other alternative means of providing the public with access to 9-1-1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable.

The bureau invites commenters to identify and address the technical feasibility, cost, and public interest benefits of the following communications options during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable: (1) making telecommunications service provider owned Wi-Fi access points, or other communications technologies operating on an unlicensed basis, available to the general public for open access to 911 services; (2) provisioning by non-telecommunications service provider-owned Wi-Fi access points; and (3) other alternative means of providing the public with access to 911 services, including over private Wi-Fi access points.

PS Docket No. 20-285

Comment Date: October 1, 2020; Reply Comment Date: October 16, 2020