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
|
|
|
|
For Immediate Release
|
|
|
|
ATIS-Sponsored ESIF Files Request for Stay with FCC For Non-Serviced Wireless Handset ID Numbers
June 24, 2002, Washington, D.C. - The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), on behalf of the Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF), filed a Request for Stay with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding the October 1, 2002, effective date for the implementation of the consecutive number code 123-456-7890 for non-service initialized wireless handsets. The FCC's Report and Order, "Enhanced 911 Emergency Calling Use of Non-Initialized Wireless phones," would assign 123-456-7890 as the telephone number/mobile identification number for non-service initialized and "911 only" wireless handsets.
At its inaugural meeting on May 7-8, 2002, the ESIF identified concerns with the FCC's consecutive number approach. Specifically, the consecutive number solution would allow Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to distinguish between serviced and non-service initialized wireless handsets, but it would not enable PSAPs to distinguish abusive calls to the 911 system from legitimate calls.
In addition, ATIS filed a companion Petition for Reconsideration. In that petition, ATIS, on behalf of the ESIF, requested that the FCC revisit issues surrounding non-service initialized wireless handsets, and recommended a potential solution found in Annex C J-STD-036, "Enhanced Wireless 9-1-1 Phase 2," a joint industry standard published by TIA TR 45 and ATIS' Committee T1.
"The Annex C solution identified by the ESIF, has several potential benefits over the proposed 123-456-7890 consecutive number approach," said Jim Nixon, Director, Government Affairs for VoiceStream and ESIF Chairman. "For example, in situations where a non-initialized phone is used abusively to make harassing calls to a PSAP, the phone could be identified and the PSAP could take the appropriate steps to prevent adverse impacts on the 911 system in that geographical area."
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 phone.
The use of J-STD-036 could enable Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) operators
to identify non-service initialized wireless handsets used to place emergency
calls to 911.
In addition, the ESIF identified 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 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), an ATIS-sponsored committee.
The ESIF hopes the FCC will seek comment from industry and public safety concerning use of the optional approach offered in J-STD-036 as a potential improvement to wireless 911 service which will not impact the parties' costs.
The ESIF was jointly convened by 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 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.
-30-