FCC Adopts Text-to-911 Proposal

December 12, 2012 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [FCC 12-149] that proposed rules requiring all wireless carriers and providers of Internet-based text messaging applications to enable customers to send text messages to 911 centers (text-to-911). Earlier in December, the nation’s four largest wireless carriers made a commitment to deploy and make available text-to-911 capabilities by May 15, 2014 and the Commission seeks comment on whether it is reasonable for all wireless carriers and third-party messaging providers to adhere to this same timeline. In addition, the Commission also seeks comments with regards to the feasibility of requiring all wireless carriers to implement a “bounce back” text message by June 20, 2013, which would send an automatic message to individuals that send a text-to-911 text in an area that does not yet support the service.   

Additional Information

Tags

  • National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research logo
  • Center for Advanced Communications Policy logo
  • Georgia Institute of Technology logo
  •  Shepherd Center Logo

500 10th Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0620 | 404-3854614 | Contact Us

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under grant number 90RE5007-01-00. The opinions contained in this website are those of the Wireless RERC and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or NIDILRR.