State of Emergency

The Plan(s) Current Status Discuss

Introduction Original Plan Best Laid Plans A New Plan

by Eric Lin
August 4, 2005

In 1996, back when cell phones were still a luxury item, a very forward thinking Federal Communications Commission (FCC) declared a set of requirements and deadlines for locating emergency calls originating from mobile phones. Known as enhanced 911, or e911, the requirements gave carriers 5 years to implement technologies that would accurately locate callers in distress. Nine years later, with the FCC's final deadline five months away, only about half of wireless callers can be accurately located.

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