mobloc8

TruePosition today announced a hosted solution for wireless location, designed to help rural carriers meet the FCC’s E911 Phase II requirements.

This type of hosted solution is great for smaller wireless carriers, as it helps them avoid the upfront capital cost of mobile location infrastructure. It also removes the ongoing burden of maintenance and operation of the equipment.

This particular service seems to rely primarily on the network-based U-TDOA (Uplink Time Difference Of Arrival) location technology.

Source.

From America’s Network.

The FCC appears to be standing firm on their Dec 31, 2005 deadline for wireless carriers to implement E911 solutions.

Sprint, Nextel Communications and Verizon Wireless are pursuing handset-based solutions, while Cingular Wireless and T-Mobile USA are pursuing network-based solutions.

According to NENA:

• 71.5% of the 3,135 counties in the US have implemented Phase I
• 33.8% of counties have implemented Phase II
• 73.4% of the 6,166 public safety answering points (PSAPs) have implemented Phase I
• 40.5% of PSAPs have implemented Phase II

There are still issues with getting Tier 3 carriers (mostly rural) to meet the deadline. The biggest obstacle appears to be cost. Several groups of Tier 3 carriers have banded together into the “Tier III Coalition” to lobby for exemption from the FCC requirements.