Verizon Wireless protested BellSouth request that wireless carrie...
Verizon Wireless protested BellSouth request that wireless carrier sign “first office application” agreement for Phase 2 Enhanced 911 systems in S.C. In FCC filing last week, Verizon Wireless said agreement for Phase 2 E911 systems in Spartanburg and Greenville,…
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S.C. “is entirely unnecessary and is one-sided in BellSouth’s favor.” It asked FCC to take broad look at not just short-term S.C. agreement but at “serious obstacle” presented by BellSouth’s “misconception” of E911 obligations of wireless carriers vs. ILECs. Role of ILECs in providing database upgrades to provide E911 Phase 2 service has remained point of contention at FCC on E911 deployment. BellSouth told Commission last month it concluded that certain costs involving network upgrades to let wireless carriers deliver latitude and longitude of E911 caller should be recovered from mobile operators. BS defended its allocation of upgrade costs among wireless carriers, operators of mobile position centers and public safety answering points (PSAPs). In S.C. case, Verizon told FCC that PSAP in Spartanburg had requested that Verizon Wireless provide Phase 2 service. PSAP must obtain Phase 2 service through BellSouth, which has asked that Verizon Wireless and Sprint PCS sign first office agreement before BS will test service on behalf of PSAP. “BellSouth’s unjustified requirement has succeeded in delaying the provision of E911 Phase 2 in South Carolina,” Verizon Wireless told FCC. Verizon said it already provided Phase 2 service to PSAPs served by other ILECs, which had tested and turned on live automatic location information capabilities without such agreements. Verizon Wireless also disputed BS contention that ILEC was providing services to wireless carriers. While BellSouth agreed to remove charges for those services for now, Verizon Wireless said that having established customer-vendor relationship, “BellSouth would be positioned to seek payments from Verizon Wireless later or refuse to allow Phase 2 E911 to proceed.” Wireless carrier told Commission that BS hadn’t committed to not charging wireless carriers for Phase 2 once testing was completed. It also took issue with BellSouth position that mobile operators must pay for its database upgrades. Verizon Wireless said FCC concluded in previous order that such database upgrades were responsibility of LEC. Carrier said FCC had directed that when LECs sought reimbursement for such upgrades, they should turn to PSAPs.