E911 VOIP mandate Passes Senate
The U.S. Senate yesterday voted to include IP-based 911 measures as part of the Safe Port Act (HR 4954) that would serve to clarify jurisdictional and liability issues surrounding voice-over-IP (VoIP) providers’ role in the 911 system.
The IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act of 2006 containing the E911 mandates reportedly was pushed by public-safety proponent Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) and several other lawmakers as part of a managers' amendment to the Safe Port Act (H.R. 4954). The larger bill this week also was amended to include measures on a new national emergency alert/communications network and a $1 billion allocation for interoperable emergency first-responder equipment, planning and training.
National Emergency Number Association (NENA) applauded passage of the 911 items, which the organization has been lobbying for throughout the session.
“NENA remains focused on the need for a rapid deployment of E911 for VoIP services, the need for liability protection for 911 telecommunicators, the need to preserve funding levels for PSAPs and the advancement of a modernized 911 system,” NENA President Bill Munn said in a prepared statement. “This legislation builds on the important action taken by the FCC last year and advances these critical issues.
Each of the 911 items had been part of the IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act (S. 1063) approved by the Senate Commerce Committee in December 2005, but it was questionable whether that legislation would reach the Senate floor, according to Beltway sources. As a result, many non-controversial 911 amendments were added to the Safe Port Act passed yesterday. The legislation now will be considered in a conference committee.
If you are not sure about E911, there is an article "Understanding e911" at PRWEB news site.
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