The Ohio Public Utilities Commission decided against conducting a...
The Ohio Public Utilities Commission decided against conducting a rulemaking on requirements for next-generation, IP-based E-911 systems. The PUC said most issues raised by the Ohio chapters of the National Emergency Number Association and Association of Public Safety Communications…
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Officials in their March petition for a rulemaking better fit ongoing national 911 industry forums. The PUC is addressing issues suited for state action in provider-specific arbitration proceedings and other cases, it said. The petitioners sought a rulemaking to address changes in 911 technology and the public safety marketplace that have allowed 911 competition and created a need that 911 be able to deliver not only voice but also video and data from and to any telecom device and telecom service. AT&T, Cincinnati Bell and the Ohio Telephone Association opposed the state rulemaking, saying the petition involves technical standards, reliability and accuracy issues and security safeguards best addressed at the national level. They urged the PUC to focus on monitoring national next-generation 911 forums. The PUC agreed with the telcos that it should defer to national efforts in these areas and directed its staff to monitor and report on agreements and disputes. It said competition, economic impact, interconnection, interoperability, provisioning, coverage, pricing for 911 service within Ohio and related issues can be handled through provider-specific negotiated interconnection agreements, with state arbitration for disputes. It said its decision earlier this year to authorize Intrado Communications as the state’s first competitive 911 provider came in expectation that competition will lead to 911 improvements.