State of Emergency
In 1999, the FCC revised the plan again. They were only 2 years away from the final Phase II deadline, but there were new details to work out. The FCC had based their original Phase II requirements on carriers using network-based technologies to locate handsets. However extensive testing from carriers led to two conclusions, each of which required new rules and deadlines.
First some network based solutions weren't good enough to meet the FCC's requirements. Cingular and AT&T had tested, and even installed a few solutions which failed to meet the FCC's guidelines. Still, the FCC revised their requirements to 100 meter accuracy 67% of the time and 300 meters 95% of the time.
Other carriers, CDMA carriers for the most part, decided on phone-based assisted GPS (aGPS). Assisted GPS uses the phone network to both speed up acquisition of GPS satellite signals as well as pinpoint location when satellite signals are weak (inside buildings, for example). It is typically much more accurate than network based technologies, however subscribers have to upgrade to a new phone in order to use it.
Since it would take carriers time to get new aGPS phones into subscribers' hands, the FCC eased the deadline on carriers that chose phone-based e911 solutions, but tightened the accuracy requirements. The FCC upped the accuracy ante to 50 meters 67% of the time and 150 meters 95%. The FCC gave the carriers until October 2002 to shift all the models they were carrying to aGPS capable handsets, and until the end of 2004 to make all reasonable efforts to achieve 100% penetration of aGPS phones. This deadline was later extended another year, to December 31, 2005 and reduced to 95% penetration.
Regardless of technology, carriers are required to have their networks ready for Phase II by October 2001. By that date, they had to be prepared to respond to PSAP requests. By the new rules, when a PSAP informs carriers it is Phase II compliant, phone based carriers have 6 months to provide that answering point with an interface to their location system. Network based carriers have 6 month to provide an interface and location coverage for 50% of users in the area and 18 months to provide full location coverage.
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