U.S. Mobile Operators to Deploy Text-to-9-1-1

The four leading mobile operators agreed to voluntarily offer their subscribers text-based emergency communication services, in accordance with the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) industry standard solution (currently expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2013), to requesting public safety answering points (PSAPs).  Participating carriers include AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile.

Some key points of the deal include:

1) Text-to-9-1-1 service would be made available by May 15, 2014, although carriers
may choose to implement such a service prior to that date.

2) Beginning no later than July 1, 2013, the four signatory service providers will
voluntarily provide quarterly progress reports to the FCC, NENA, and APCO
summarizing the status of the deployment of a national Text-to-9-1-1 service
capability.

3) The PSAPs will select the format for how messages are to be delivered. Incremental costs for delivery of text messages (e.g. additional trunk groups to the PSAP’s premises required to support TTY delivery) will be the responsibility of the PSAP, as
determined by individual analysis.

4) The signatory service providers will implement a ‘9-1-1’ short code that can be used
by customers to send text messages to 9-1-1.

5) Before the deployment of Text-to-9-1-1, the signatory service providers will
implement a bounce-back (auto-reply) message to alert subscribers attempting to text an emergency message to instead dial 9-1-1 when Text-to-9-1-1 is unavailable in that
area. The signatory service providers will implement the bounce-back (auto-reply)
message by June 30, 2013.

http://www.nena.org/news/110797/Big-4-Wireless-Carriers-Will-Deploy-Text-to-9-1-1-Capabilities-on-their-Networks-in-2014.htm

http://www.fcc.gov