For Immediate Release
1200 G Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
202/628-6380
202/393-5453 (fax)
Contact: John Bernhards
Director of Public Relations
Phone: 202/434-8850
E-mail: jbernhards@atis.org
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For Immediate Release
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ESIF Identifies "Better Mousetrap" that Addresses Abuse, Crank Calls to E 9-1-1 Systems from 911 Only Wireless Phones, Offers Findings to FCC
Existing Wireless Standard Recently Identified as Technically-improved Alternative to Consecutive Number Solution Favored by FCC
May 23, 2002, Washington, D.C. - Responding to a growing concern that "911 only" wireless handsets could increase the number of crank E 9-1-1 calls and similar abuses, the Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF) recommended in a letter to the FCC the use of an existing wireless industry standard - which, when implemented, supports easier tracking and identification of these non-service initialized wireless handsets.
Use of an Informative Annex to Joint Standard 036 (J-STD-036), "Enhanced Wireless 9-1-1 Phase 2" - developed jointly by TIA TR 45 and ATIS Standards Committee T1 - was identified by the ESIF as a potential alternative to the consecutive number (123-456-7890) solution currently required by the FCC's Report & Order "Enhanced 911 Emergency Calling Use of Non-Initialized Wireless phones," (FCC 02-120). The newly formed ESIF - which held its first meeting May 7, 2002 - recommended the solution found within J-STD-036.
Non-service initialized wireless handsets may include those donated through carrier-sponsored programs as well as newly manufactured 911 only phones. Under FCC regulations, all wireless mobile handsets must be built to access Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) networks, or E 9-1-1 services. J-STD-036 proposes the use of 911 followed by part of a wireless handset's Electronic Serial Number (ESN) or International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) to create a surrogate telephone number associated with a non-service initialized wireless phone. In effect, use of J-STD-036 would enable PSAP operators to single-out non-service initialized wireless mobile handsets used to place crank calls, and would lend support to law enforcement efforts that curtail abuse.
Use of the consecutive number solution would assign every non-service initialized wireless handset the same identification number of 123-456-7890. While this solution would allow PSAPs to distinguish between serviced and non-service initialized mobile handsets, it would not enable PSAPs to distinguish calls from different non-service initialized handsets.
"There is substantial reason to support the technical solution recommended
in the Annex of
J-STD-036 over the consecutive number solution, especially in situations where
a non-initialized phone is abusively employed to make a series of harassing
calls to a PSAP, which could in turn reduce E 9-1-1 system responsiveness in
a given geographic area," said Jim Nixon, Director, Government Affairs
for VoiceStream and ESIF Chairman. "J-STD-036 would facilitate identification
of individual wireless phones and would improve the ability to identify a legitimate
emergency caller, particularly in situations where the caller is forced by extenuating
circumstances to make multiple calls to a PSAP."
ESIF also identified for the FCC the potential impact of the consecutive number solution on existing numbering systems used to support wireless global roaming. ESIF noted that the use of the consecutive number solution for non-initialized phones would remove as many as one million numbers from the International Roaming MIN (IRM) assignment pool - a wireless numbering resource that uses ten-digit numbers, where the first number must be either a zero or a one. IRMs are used pervasively among wireless service providers around the world to support seamless global roaming services. The IRM resource is maintained by the International Forum for ANSI-41 Standards Technology (IFAST), another ATIS industry committee.
The ESIF plans to analyze further the merits of J-STD-036 Annex over the consecutive number solution. The next ESIF meeting is scheduled for July 15-16 2002, at the ATIS Headquarters located at 1200 G Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit the ATIS Web site at www.atis.org or contact Bill Breslin at 202-662-8667.
The ESIF was jointly convened by the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) to facilitate the identification and resolution of technical issues related to the interconnection of telephony and emergency services networks.
About ATIS
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) is a member company organization that is the leader for standards and operating procedures for the telecommunications industry. More than 1,500 experts from over 400 telecommunications companies participate in ATIS' 20 committees, forums, and Incubator Solutions programs, where work focus includes wireline and wireless network interconnection standards, number portability, improved data transmission, Internet telephony, toll-free access, telecom fraud, and order and billing issues, among others. ATIS is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Visit the ATIS web site at www.atis.org.
About NENA
A not-for-profit corporation, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) is the only educational organization dedicated solely to the study, advancement and implementation of 9-1-1 as America's universal emergency number. With the participation of a wide variety of stakeholders and public safety entities, NENA has an individual membership of more than 7,500 public safety executives, and is organized into 48 chapters. The organization strives to provide an effective and accessible 9-1-1 service for North America, measuring its success in the lives saved by 9-1-1 each day. NENA also develops recommended operating standards and protocols for 9-1-1 services from its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Learn more at www.nena.org.
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