ENHANCED 911:

Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) - Enhanced 9-1-1 is the telephone system function that generates automatic number identification (ANI) and automatic location information (ALI) when someone calls 9-1-1 on a wireline phone. ANI/ALI information automatically shows up on the 9-1-1 centers computer aided dispatch (CAD) screen, letting the 9-1-1 dispatcher know the phone number and physical location of the call. Enhanced 9-1-1 works for wireline phones, but not cell (wireless) phones which are mobile by design. (see Cellular Phase I and Phase II below).

CELLULAR PHASE I AND PHASE II:

Cellular Phase I and Phase II - With the rising number of cellular (wireless) calls to 9-1-1 centers, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) required that cell phone caller location must also be transmitted to 9-1-1 centers. Location information technology based on wireline telephones has been in use for many years (see Enhanced 9-1-1 above).

Wireless 9-1-1 caller location technology was implemented in three phases, which PIERCE COUNTY completed in 2006.

Phase 0 - All wireless 9-1-1 calls were connected to a public safety answering point (PSAP) regardless of service subscriber or non-subscriber.

Phase I - Location of the closest cell tower to a caller during a 9-1-1 call is transmitted to the PSAP.

Phase II - Approximate location of the cell caller is transmitted through GPS (geo-synchronous position satellites) to the PSAP along with the cell phone number. Phase II ability is dependent on the wireless carrier, the physical phone, and the appropriate software configuration within the PSAP. Almost all of the wireless carriers in our service area have implemented Phase II technology and all cell phones sold today must be Phase II compliant. Phase II requires that each cell phone is capable of transmitting the cell phone number, latitude and longitude information to the PSAP from any location.

VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL (VoIP):

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) - VoIP telephones use the Internet to deliver voice information as data packets, rather than traditional phone lines or cellular technology. 9-1-1 service is a problem for some VoIP service providers because 9-1-1 calls from VoIP telephones may not connect to the existing wireline 9-1-1 network, which routes calls to the correct public safety answering point (PSAP). Some VoIP providers route 9-1-1 calls to a PSAP based on a billing address and not the actual location of the caller. Other VoIP providers have not developed a plan for 9-1-1 call routing. Traditional telephone regulations do not apply to VoIP, because it utilizes internet services. Many VoIP problems with 9-1-1 are now being addressed on a federal level and there is hope a standardized solution for 9-1-1 access will emerge.

Some people have chosen VoIP service because it is less expensive than traditional wireline phone service and is available to a VoIP user wherever an Internet connection exists. So VoIP users are able to take advantage of telephone portability on a national and global scale. VoIP providers are also beginning to offer innovative call features that are not available with traditional phone service.