Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 108 / Monday, June 5, 2000 / Proposed Rules 35601

1The Texas 911 Agencies are comprised of the

Texas Commission of State Emergency

Communications (a state agency) and the following

local Texas Emergency Communications Districts:

Tarrant County 911 District, Bexar Metro 911

Network, Brazos County Emergency

Communication District, DENCO Area 911 District,

911 Network of East Texas, Galveston County

Emergency Communication District, Greater Harris

County 911 Emergency Network, Henderson County

911 Communication District, Howard County 911

Communication District, Kerr Emergency 911

Network, Lubbock County Emergency

Communication District, McLennan County

Emergency Assistance District, Midland Emergency

Communication District, Montgomery County

Emergency Communication District, Potter-Randall

County Emergency Communication District, and

Texas Eastern 911 Network.

(G–MSE), Coast Guard, telephone 202–

267–0658, e-mail

dmercier@comdt.uscg.mil, as soon as

possible.

Dated: May 31, 2000.

R.C. North,

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant

Commandant for Marine Safety and

Environmental Protection.

[FR Doc. 00–14112 Filed 6–1–00; 1:02 pm]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 20

[CC Docket No. 94–102 and WT Docket No.

00–80; DA 00–1098]

Wireless E911; Call Back Number

Issues Associated With Non-Service

Initialized Wireless 911 Calls

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Commission, in this

document, seeks comment on a request

for further consideration of call back

number issues associated with nonservice initialized wireless 911 calls.

The action is needed to establish a

strong, inclusive record on these issues

that the Commission may use in making

well-informed decisions in this critical

enhanced 911 proceeding.

DATES: Submit comments on or before

June 19, 2000; submit reply comments

on or before July 5, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments and reply

comments to the Office of the Secretary,

Federal Communications Commission,

Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Barbara Reideler or Jay Whalely, 202–

418–1310.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. On April 28, 2000, the Texas 911

Agencies,1 the National Emergency

Number Association (NENA), the

Association of Public-Safety

Communications Officials-International,

Inc. (APCO) and the National

Association of State Nine-One-One

Administrators (NASNA) (collectively,

the Public Safety Entities) filed a letter

with the Federal Communications

Commission (Commission) seeking

further consideration of call back

number issues associated with nonservice initialized 911 calls.

2. Phase I Enhanced 911 rules require

that a dialable number accompany each

911 call to enable Public Safety

Answering Points (‘‘PSAPs’’)

dispatchers to either call back if the call

is disconnected or obtain additional

information. (47 CFR 20.18((d)). In its

E911 First Report and Order (61 FR

40348, August 2, 1996) the Commission

recognized that it would not always be

possible for carriers to provide reliable

call back numbers for all wireless 911

calls. Thus, the Commission exempted

covered carriers from providing reliable

call back numbers to PSAPs in cases

where the wireless telephone is not

associated with a dialable telephone

number, such as those designed or

offered on an originate-only rate plan or

those never initialized with an

underlying carrier service.

3. The Public Safety Entities note that,

increasingly, refurbished wireless

telephones are being distributed by

many organizations. While not

challenging the benefits of these

donations, the Public Safety Entities

note that these distributed telephones

and other 911-only non-serviced

initialized telephones, may not provide

valid call back emergency information

even when used in areas where 911

Phase I services have been

implemented. The Public Safety Entities

assert that increased sales and use of

these wireless telephones create a

public safety concern that should be

further considered. Accordingly, the

Public Safety Entities request that the

Commission seek additional comment

concerning call back capabilities for

non-serviced initialized handsets and

address whether further Commission

action, such as technical solutions or

educational programs, is needed or

appropriate.

Procedural Matters

4. Pursuant to § 1.45 of the

Commission’s Rules, 47 CFR 1.45,

interested parties may file comments on

the proposed implementation deadline

no later than June 19, 2000. Replies

shall be filed no later than July 19, 2000.

All comments shall reference the docket

number of this proceeding. Comments

may be filed using the Commission’s

Electronic Comment Filing System

(ECFS) or by filing paper copies.

Comments filed through the ECFS can

be sent as an electronic file via the

Internet to http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/

ecfs.html. In completing the transmittal

screen, commenters should include

their full name, Postal Service mailing

address, and the docket number of this

proceeding. Parties filing electronically

should also e-mail a copy of their

comments to jwhaley@fcc.gov. Parties

who choose to file by paper must file an

original and four copies of each filing

with the Commission’s Secretary

(Magalie Roman Salas, Office of the

Secretary, Federal Communications

Commission, 445 12th Street SW,

Washington, DC 20554) and a diskette

copy to the Commission’s copy

contractor (International Transcription

Service, Inc. (ITS), CY–B400, (202) 857–

3800).

5. Pursuant to § 1.1206 of the

Commission’s Rules, 47 CFR 1.1206,

this proceeding is a permit-but-disclose

proceeding in which ex parte

communications are permitted subject

to disclosure.

Federal Communications Commission.

Magalie Roman Salas,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–14032 Filed 6–2–00; 8:45 am]

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