Sprint PCS told FCC Mon. it won’t be able to comply fully with Ph...

delays, Sprint asked Commission for limited, temporary waiver of certain Phase 2 requirements. Carrier also outlined for agency areas where it’s on track to meet mandates, including plans to introduce more than 5 million GPS-equipped handsets by year-end 2002, and conversion of all new handset-models to GPS by Dec. 31, 2002. Phase 2 requirements for which Sprint PCS is seeking relief are: (1) Deployment of network infrastructure. Sprint pointed to Nortel delays in providing needed switching software to support Phase 2 location capabilities. One Lucent market should be ready for Phase 2 by Oct. 1, but “complete conversion of all Lucent markets” isn’t expected until 2002. (2) Sprint PCS may not be able to meet interim requirements that 25% of all new handsets be Phase 2- capable by Dec. 31, with 50% by June 30, 2002. Carrier said it could meet requirement of starting to sell GPS handsets by Oct. 1 and end-date requirement of full compliance by year-end 2002. Interim handset requirements may not be met because of conversion of Sprint PCS network to 3G. (3) “Due to the sheer volume of PSAP (public safety answering point) requests and the complexity of their installation, Sprint PCS will be unable to implement enhanced 911 systems within 6 months of every request received.” Carrier outlined preliminary deployment schedule that would phase in service roll-out. Sprint also raised concerns about lack of progress among LECs in upgrading automatic location information (ALI) databases to support Phase 2. Wireless industry and public safety community came up with interim standard that calls for upgrades to ALI database used by PSAPs and LECs. Based on responses Sprint PCS has received so far, “LECs are not making plans to upgrade their ALI databases to support these functions,” carrier said. Sprint said: “Because this issue promises to substantially undermine the efforts of PSAPs and wireless carriers to deploy Phase 2 services,” carrier said it’s urging FCC to launch inquiry into LEC preparedness in this area. LEC readiness is starting to be raised at FCC by other carriers, as well, said Luisa Lancetti, vp-PCS regulatory affairs. Extent to which Sprint is far along on Phase 2 deployment has made issue apparent to it now, she said. “We have made significant steps to make real this location capability,” she said. Later this summer, Sprint plans to conduct first market application in R.I., launching first GPS- enhanced 911 system, she noted. In its filing, Sprint PCS also said that by Oct. 1 it will have introduced at least one GPS handset model “in commercial quantities” and will have installed new national platforms to conduct location calculation and routing for these handsets. Sprint PCS also said that by Oct. 1 it will have tested new switching software for at least one vendor.