Cingular Fined for E911 Failures

The USA network, Cingular Wireless has been fined US$675,000 by the telecoms regulator, the FCC for failing to reach agreed targets in the rollout of location aware services. Under US law, the networks are obliged to develop a system that can offer the emergency services the ability to locate a caller's cell phone.

In addition to the $675,000 fine, Cingular Wireless has committed to a timeline for deployment of its network-based location technology within its GSM network and to make automatic payments to the U.S. Treasury should it fail to meet the deployment benchmarks set forth in the consent decree.

Cingular Wireless has also agreed to submit Quarterly Reports to the Commission on its progress and compliance with the terms and conditions of the consent decree and the E911 Phase II rules.

On October 2, 2001, the Commission adopted an order approving Cingular's plan to deploy a hybrid network and handset-based technology called Enhanced Observed Time Difference of Arrival ("E-OTD") across its planned GSM network and granting Cingular a temporary, conditional waiver of the accuracy requirements for handset-based location technologies to permit implementation of this plan. The GSM Waiver Order also referred to the Enforcement Bureau the question of whether Cingular was in compliance with its E911 deployment obligations. On November 13, 2001, Cingular filed a petition for reconsideration of the GSM Waiver Order. In its petition for reconsideration, Cingular proposed a revised set of handset deployment benchmarks. On December 13, 2002, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau issued an Order dismissing Cingular's request for additional time in which to meet the handset deployment benchmarks and referring issues regarding Cingular's Phase II compliance in its GSM network to the Enforcement Bureau.

Cingular has now agreed to deploy a Phase II compliant technology at a minimum of 1,000 cell sites on its GSM network within four months. The company will then deploy a Phase II compliant technology at a minimum of 2,000 cell sites on its GSM network within six months. Then, deploy a Phase II compliant technology at a minimum of 4,000 cell sites on its GSM network and to provide Phase II service at 2,000 of these sites by nine months after the release of the Adopting Order. Finally, the company must deploy Phase II on a minimum of 8,000 cell sites within 21 months."

Posted to the site on 16th June 2003