In response to concerns of public safety community, AT&T Wireless...
In response to concerns of public safety community, AT&T Wireless (AWS) told FCC Mon. that it was revising its location technology choice for Phase 2 of Enhanced 911 on its TDMA network. Earlier this year, company had requested waiver…
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of Phase 2 requirement to use mobile-assisted network location solution (MNLS) for its TDMA system, telling FCC that was only commercially available technology that would meet accuracy requirements. “Despite the substantial evidence AWS has submitted regarding the benefits of MNLS, the public safety community remains opposed to its use,” AT&T Wireless told FCC: “Because AWS does not believe that its efforts to provide E911 service to the public can succeed without the support of the public safety community, it is pursuing an alternative TDMA solution.” Company said it was in talks with TruePosition and Grayson Wireless on use of their network overlay technologies for its TDMA infrastructure. Carrier said it believed it could reach contract agreement with either TruePosition or Grayson by mid-Oct. Both vendors have told AT&T they could install their location solutions in TDMA markets where AT&T Wireless has valid request from public safety answering point (PSAP) for Phase 2 service. AT&T said it had 1,600 cell sites in jurisdictions with pending PSAP requests for service. Agreement with TruePosition or Grayson would require that solutions be installed in each of those cell sites, starting Nov. 1 and ending no later than Dec. 31, 2002, AT&T said. “After 2002, AWS expects to be able to deploy Phase 2 technology within six months of a valid PSAP request,” carrier said. AT&T Wireless said it sought permission from Commission to use either solution in its TDMA markets. In markets that rely on GSM, AT&T Wireless said it would use solution from TruePosition or Grayson or another that complied with FCC rules. “AWS notes that in its previous trials, both TruePosition’s and Grayson’s technologies failed to meet the Commission accuracy requirements for network-based technologies,” carrier said. “We also reiterate that the deployment of any network overlay solution is likely to be subject to the construction and zoning delays associated with the addition of any new RF equipment to a wireless network.” Commitment by Grayson and TruePosition to install solutions in TDMA markets by Dec. 31, 2002, “address these concerns,” AT&T said.