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

ATIS to Senate Subcommittee: Development of Technical Standards Key to Effective and Sound E-911 Service

ATIS President and CEO, Susan M. Miller, Details E-911 Implementation Advancements in Testimony

March 5, 2003, Washington, D.C. - "Enhanced 911 (E-911) is an essential element for continued public safety, and ATIS is taking the lead to ensure that the necessary technical and operational industry standards are in place to accelerate the deployment of E-911 services," said Susan M. Miller, president and CEO of ATIS, in written testimony to the US Senate Communications Subcommittee today.

Miller's testimony was delivered to the E-911 implementation hearing, which was convened as a result of the recently launched Congressional E-911 Caucus co-chaired by Senators Burns and Clinton, and Representatives Eshoo and Shimkus. The goal of the Caucus is to educate lawmakers and communities about the importance of emergency response systems, specifically E-911 implementation.

Miller detailed the establishment of the Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF), a joint venture of ATIS and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), and the recent release of ESIF's "Wireless E-911 Phase II Readiness Package." The ESIF Readiness Package is a standard evaluation method for Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to utilize in determining and documenting their status for wireless carriers from whom they request Phase II implementation, and is available on the ATIS (www.atis.org) and NENA (www.nena.org) web sites.

Miller also discussed the ESIF proposal involving 911-only and donated wireless phones that are not associated with a wireless service plan, or "non-service initialized" phones. Miller noted that the FCC granted a Request for Stay filed by ATIS on behalf of the ESIF, regarding the effective date for the implementation of the consecutive number code "123-456-7890" as the call-back number for 911-only and non-service initialized phones. This consecutive number approach would not provide PSAPs with a unique call-back number when 911 calls are dialed from 911-only and non-service initialized phones.

In light of these circumstances, ATIS requested that the FCC revisit issues surrounding 911-only and non-service initialized wireless phones, and recommended a potential solution found in an industry standard, "Enhanced Wireless 9-1-1 Phase 2," jointly developed and published by ATIS' Standards Committee T1 and the Telecommunications Industry Association's (TIA) engineering committee, TR 45.

Miller concluded her testimony with comments on Dale Hatfield's "Report on Technical and Operational Issues Impacting the Provision of Wireless Enhanced 911 Services," which recommended that the FCC continue to support the efforts of the ESIF.

To read Miller's testimony in its entirety, visit www.atis.org/pix/SM_Senate_Remarks.pdf.

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 communications industry. More than 400 communications companies participate in ATIS' 16 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.

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