88890 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Part 52 

[WC Docket No. 18–336; FCC 24–111; FR 

ID 258492] 

Implementation of the National Suicide 

Hotline Act of 2018 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal 

Communications Commission 

(Commission) adopted a Third Report 

and Order that requires wireless 

providers to implement a georouting 

solution for calls to the 988 Suicide & 

Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline or Lifeline) 

to facilitate access to critical local 

intervention services. The majority of 

calls to the 988 Lifeline are made from 

wireless phones. However, the 988 

Lifeline’s system was originally 

designed to route calls to crisis centers 

based on a caller’s area code and 

exchange, which may not correspond to 

the caller’s physical location. With 

georouting data, the 988 Lifeline will be 

able to route wireless calls to local crisis 

centers based on the geographic area 

where the handset is located at the time 

the 988 call is initiated while 

maintaining privacy by not identifying 

the caller’s precise location. The Third 

Report and Order also revises the 

Commission’s existing 988 voice and 

texting rules to permit routing to the 988 

Lifeline without translation to a toll free 

access number, giving wireless 

providers flexibility in implementing 

georouting solutions. 

DATES: 

Effective date: This rule is effective 

December 12, 2024. 

Compliance dates: Compliance with 

the addition of 47 CFR 52.202 is 

required for nationwide Commercial 

Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers 

by 30 days after December 12, 2024 and 

compliance is required for all CMRS 

providers by 24 months after December 

13, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications 

Commission, 445 12th Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20554. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information, contact Merry 

Wulff at Merry.Wulff@fcc.gov or at (202) 

418–1084. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a 

summary of the Commission’s Third 

Report and Order in WC Docket No. 18– 

336, FCC 24–111, adopted on October 

17, 2024 and released on October 18, 

2024. The full text of the document is 

available on the Commission’s website 

at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/ 

attachments/FCC-24-111A1.pdf. To 

request materials in accessible formats 

for people with disabilities (e.g., Braille, 

large print, electronic files, audio 

format, etc.), send an email to FCC504@

fcc.gov or call the Consumer & 

Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 

418–0530 (voice). 

Congressional Review Act 

The Commission has determined, and 

the Administrator of the Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget, 

concurs, that this rule is non-major 

under the Congressional Review Act, 5 

U.S.C. 804(2). The Commission sent a 

copy of this Third Report & Order to 

Congress and the Government 

Accountability Office pursuant to the 

Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 

801(a)(1)(A). 

Synopsis 

1. In this Third Report and Order, and 

consistent with our proposal in the 

Implementation of the National Suicide 

Hotline Act of 2018, Second Further 

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(SFNPRM), 89 FR 46340 (May 29, 2024), 

we adopt a rule that would require 

wireless providers to implement a 

georouting solution for calls to the 988 

Lifeline. We find that a georouting 

mandate will strengthen and improve 

access to the critical benefits of the 988 

Lifeline for callers in crisis. We then 

define the type of location data that 

qualifies as georouting data. Next, we 

require nationwide and non-nationwide 

Commercial Mobile Radio Service 

(CMRS) providers to have the capability 

to provide georouting data with 988 

calls to the Lifeline Administrator in a 

format that is compatible with the 988 

Lifeline’s routing platform to allow 

routing of calls by generating location 

data using cell-based location 

technology. We require CMRS providers 

to aggregate the cell-based location data 

to a level that will not identify the 

location of the cell site or base station 

receiving the 988 call or otherwise 

identify the precise location of the 

handset, thereby protecting the privacy 

of the caller. 

2. To give wireless providers 

flexibility for this mandate, we do not 

specify a particular method for 

aggregating the location data and allow 

providers to use technically feasible 

options for meeting this requirement to 

the extent that they are compatible with 

the systems used by the 988 Lifeline. 

This approach is consistent with 

solutions deployed or being deployed 

by the three nationwide CMRS 

providers. We then establish an 

implementation timeline for georouting 

calls to the 988 Lifeline of 30 days 

following the effective date of the rule 

for nationwide CMRS providers, which 

is supported by the nationwide 

providers’ representations that they will 

have already deployed compliant 988 

georouting solutions by the compliance 

deadline. This action will ensure that as 

soon as possible, the vast majority of 

callers to the 988 Lifeline in the United 

States have access to support and 

resources most closely connected to 

their location with appropriate privacy 

safeguards. We expect that nonnationwide CMRS providers will be able 

to leverage the solutions implemented 

by the nationwide providers, and for 

that reason, we require non-nationwide 

providers to implement georouting 24 

months after the effective date of the 

rule. Finally, we revise our existing 988 

voice and texting rules to allow for 

routing to the national suicide 

prevention and mental health crisis 

hotline system maintained by the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human 

Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and 

Mental Health Services Administration 

(SAMHSA) and the U.S. Department of 

Veterans Affairs (VA) without need for 

translation to the toll free number. 

Overall, we find that the reasonable and 

flexible georouting mandate and rule 

revisions we adopt will provide 

certainty that 988 callers will be 

connected to the crisis center nearest to 

them. 

Georouting Will Improve Access and 

Efficiency of the 988 Lifeline 

3. Under our current rules, calls to 

988 must first be routed to the existing 

toll free ten-digit access number for the 

988 Lifeline, from which they are then 

routed to one of over 200 regional crisis 

centers based on the area code and 

exchange of the caller’s telephone 

number supplied by the originating 

service provider. The Commission’s 

rules also require covered 988 text 

messages to be routed to the 988 

Lifeline’s current toll free ten-digit 

access number. The Wireline 

Competition Bureau granted a waiver to 

allow covered text providers to route 

covered 988 text messages to the 988 

Lifeline using the short code protocol 

without translation to the Lifeline’s 

current toll free access number. This 

allows return texts from the 988 Lifeline 

to appear on consumer devices as 

coming from 988 rather than 1–800– 

273–TALK. As technology trends have 

shifted from landline phones to mobile 

phones, many callers now rely on 

wireless devices with area codes that 

may not correspond to their physical 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 88891 

locations when contacting the 988 

Lifeline, complicating their access to 

vital local services. In the SFNPRM, we 

explained that the majority of calls 

placed to the 988 Lifeline are from 

wireless phones, and the area codes of 

those phones often do not correspond to 

the location of the caller. The Lifeline 

Administrator estimates that 80% of 

calls placed to the 988 Lifeline are from 

wireless phones. While 988 call takers 

can provide support regardless of a 

caller’s location, they may not be able to 

connect callers in crisis to local 

resources. We proposed to adopt a rule 

that would require wireless providers to 

implement one or more georouting 

solutions for calls to the 988 Lifeline in 

order to ensure more accurate routing of 

calls. After reviewing the record in this 

proceeding, we find that requiring 

wireless providers to support georouting 

for wireless 988 calls is essential to 

improve the public’s access to the 988 

Lifeline’s critical mental health crisis 

and suicide prevention services. 

4. The record demonstrates nearunanimous agreement for the assertion 

that there is a need to improve routing 

of wireless 988 calls to help ensure that 

callers are routed to geographically 

appropriate crisis centers. Commenters, 

including industry and mental health 

advocates, agree that georouting for 988 

wireless calls will improve access to 

critical local resources and help connect 

callers to counselors who may be more 

knowledgeable about unique 

community stressors and other regional, 

cultural, and economic factors 

impacting callers in distress. As several 

mental health advocates emphasize, 

access to local resources and support 

can mean the ‘‘difference between life 

and death for hundreds of thousands of 

individuals annually.’’ Commenters also 

highlight that georouting for 988 calls 

will improve access to referral and 

follow-up services that may reduce the 

risk of future mental health crises and 

suicidality. For example, Mental Health 

America states that connecting callers to 

‘‘support based on their physical 

location can enable crisis contact 

centers to provide connections to local 

resources and follow-up services, 

reducing the risk of suicidality for 

individuals in crisis.’’ Several 

commenters also assert that follow-up 

services are ‘‘more meaningful when a 

caller is connected to local crisis 

support.’’ 

5. Mental health and crisis counselors 

also emphasize that connecting callers 

with local crisis centers may avert 

unnecessary dispatch of emergency 

services and law enforcement. For 

example, Mental Health America states 

that ‘‘the ability for 988 callers to be 

routed to local crisis centers allows 

counselors to better respond to unique 

factors and situations, which may also 

help avoid unnecessary use of 

emergency services and law 

enforcement.’’ Similarly, as the current 

Lifeline Administrator explains, 

connecting callers to trained counselors 

who can offer ‘‘emotional support and 

local care resources’’ can avert 

‘‘unnecessary use of emergency services 

and law enforcement,’’ which is 

paramount. Moreover, many 

commenters assert that implementing 

georouting solutions for wireless 988 

calls will enhance the ability of crisis 

centers to respond effectively to 

emergency situations and facilitate the 

dispatch of mobile crisis services. 

6. The record also demonstrates that 

a georouting mandate for wireless 988 

calls will advance digital equity by 

helping to ensure that at-risk 

populations can more easily access 

resources in their communities. As the 

Lifeline Administrator explains, certain 

populations with a higher risk of suicide 

are disproportionately impacted by the 

Lifeline’s area code-based routing 

system, including older adults, youth 

and young adults, non-Hispanic Black, 

American Indian, and Alaska Native 

communities. 

Georouting Mandate for Wireless 988 

Voice Calls 

7. Based on the record presented and 

in furtherance of the policy goals 

articulated above, we require 

nationwide and non-nationwide CMRS 

providers to implement georouting 

solutions for calls to the 988 Lifeline. 

Specifically, we require that all CMRS 

providers have the capability to provide 

georouting data with 988 calls to the 

Lifeline Administrator in a format 

compatible with the Lifeline’s routing 

platform, to allow routing of 988 calls 

by the Lifeline Administrator to the 

appropriate crisis center based on the 

geographic area where the handset is 

located at the time the 988 call is 

initiated. We further require that all 

CMRS providers must provide 

georouting data, when available, with 

988 calls to the Lifeline Administrator 

sufficient to allow routing of the 988 

call by the Lifeline Administrator. In 

conjunction with our mandate, we 

recognize the Lifeline Administrator’s 

commitment to continue to ‘‘safeguard 

user privacy and confidentiality’’ as 

georouting is implemented. 

8. Georouting. We define ‘‘georouting 

data,’’ for purposes of these rules, as 

location data generated from cell-based 

location technology that is aggregated to 

a level that will not identify the location 

of the cell site or base station receiving 

the 988 call or otherwise identify the 

precise location of the handset. We find 

that this definition of ‘‘georouting data’’ 

most appropriately balances the need to 

maintain the privacy of 988 callers 

while ensuring the 988 Lifeline has the 

information needed to route calls to 

geographically appropriate crisis 

centers. The record reflects significant 

support for georouting solutions that 

provide geographic routing information 

to the Lifeline without identifying a 

caller’s precise location. Indeed, we 

received over 1,500 comments from 

National Alliance on Mental Illness 

(NAMI) advocates representing nearly 

every State expressing support for 

requiring wireless providers to 

implement georouting solutions for 988 

calls while protecting privacy. Many 

commenters emphasized the importance 

of not disclosing more precise location 

information to maintain callers’ privacy 

and ensure trust in the 988 Lifeline. 

Several commenters also highlight that 

the expectations of 988 callers differ 

from the context of 911 calls, where 

callers generally expect an immediate, 

location-specific medical or police 

response. 

9. To ensure the privacy of 988 

callers, we decline, at this time, to 

require wireless providers to provide 

more precise geolocation data with 988 

calls. Commenters, including mental 

health advocates and crisis counseling 

experts, express significant privacy 

concerns about including geolocation 

information with wireless 988 calls, 

which, unlike georouting data, does 

involve the transmission of a caller’s 

precise location. The Commission 

previously considered the potential 

benefits of including geolocation 

information with calls to the 988 

Lifeline. In this regard, in April 2021, as 

directed by Congress pursuant to the 

National Suicide Hotline Designation 

Act of 2020, the Commission submitted 

a report that examined the costs and 

feasibility of transmitting dispatchable 

location information with calls to 988. 

As the Wireline Competition Bureau 

explained in the 988 Geolocation 

Report, transmitting geolocation 

information with calls to the 988 

Lifeline raised a variety of important 

privacy concerns, legal issues, and 

technical complexities that require 

extensive investigation and time to 

resolve. Several commenters highlight 

that the challenges identified in the 988 

Geolocation Report remain relevant 

today. Moreover, the record does not 

evidence a need to include geolocation 

information with wireless 988 calls to 

facilitate routing to the appropriate local 

crisis center. 


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10. The rules we adopt allow CMRS 

providers and the Lifeline 

Administrator flexibility in developing 

and implementing technical solutions, 

for example, aggregating georouting data 

at the county or wire center level, while 

protecting privacy interests by 

prohibiting the transmission of more 

granular cell site data or the precise 

location of the caller. In its comments, 

the Lifeline Administrator explains that 

the georouting solutions developed by 

the nationwide wireless providers, in 

conjunction with SAMHSA and the 

Lifeline Administrator were designed to 

‘‘minimize[ ] user-specific data to 

simply route the user to the nearest 

crisis center based on cell phone tower 

data, rather than using a callers’ exact 

phone location.’’ Similarly, T-Mobile 

asserts that its georouting solution 

‘‘protects the privacy interest of callers 

by not providing precise geolocation 

information.’’ CX360 also states that the 

georouting solutions ‘‘never capture[ ] a 

help seeker’s precise location.’’ We 

anticipate that the definition of 

‘‘georouting data’’ that we adopt will 

give nationwide CMRS providers the 

flexibility to continue their efforts to 

implement georouting solutions and 

comply with their obligations to protect 

user location information. Additionally, 

we believe these privacy safeguards 

included in the definition alleviate 

record concerns that georouting rules 

may ‘‘inadvertently suppress use of the 

988 Lifeline’’ due to concerns about 

disclosing geolocation information. 

11. Voluntary Implementation by 

Nationwide CMRS Providers. We 

recognize that certain commenters 

contend that mandating georouting for 

wireless 988 calls is unnecessary at this 

time. Some telecommunications 

industry commenters oppose adoption 

of rules requiring CMRS providers to 

implement georouting solutions for 

wireless 988 calls, arguing that 

georouting solutions will soon be 

available through the voluntary efforts 

of nationwide CMRS providers. They 

also claim that mandating georouting 

may introduce uncertainty, potentially 

delaying or complicating the 

deployment of georouting solutions. 

While we recognize industry’s 

assertions, these providers also 

acknowledge the importance of 

promptly implementing georouting 

solutions for wireless 988 calls. In 

mandating georouting, we carefully 

balance the request to proceed more 

cautiously, as voiced by providers, with 

the significant record support calling for 

the need for a georouting mandate that 

enhances access to critical local services 

for callers in crisis without delay, while 

giving providers the flexibility to 

develop georouting solutions that fit 

with their network capabilities to the 

extent that those solutions are 

compatible with the systems used by the 

Lifeline. 

12. As we noted in the SFNPRM, 

certain stakeholders have already 

engaged with SAMHSA and the Lifeline 

Administrator to develop georouting 

solutions for 988 calls. The record 

reflects that the three nationwide 

wireless providers have already 

implemented georouting for wireless 

988 calls or are in the process of 

deploying georouting solutions in their 

networks. We support the voluntary 

efforts by wireless providers and our 

Federal partners to deploy georouting 

solutions for 988 calls in their wireless 

networks. We decline, however, to 

allow deployment of georouting 

solutions on a purely voluntary basis. 

Given the clear public interest benefits 

of supporting georouting for wireless 

988 calls, we find that deployment and 

implementation of georouting solutions 

for wireless 988 calls should not be 

optional. 

13. We disagree with CTIA’s 

contention that no commenters have 

offered ‘‘a reason why rules are needed 

to ensure that 988 georouting solutions 

are implemented.’’ As the Lifeline 

Administrator states, a georouting 

mandate is needed to ensure consistent 

access to the 988 Lifeline’s localized 

resources, prevent variations in support 

based on an individual’s service 

provider, and to allow the 988 Lifeline 

to better serve individuals in crisis. The 

nation’s mental health and substance 

use disorder community also supports 

immediate action to require wireless 

providers to implement georouting 

solutions for wireless 988 calls, 

emphasizing the urgency of connecting 

individuals in crisis to local services. 

For these reasons, we conclude that 

allowing wireless providers to 

implement georouting solutions on a 

purely voluntary basis would 

undermine our goal of ensuring that the 

benefits of georouting are realized 

nationwide in a timely manner. 

14. We further disagree with 

commenters that our georouting 

requirements would interfere with the 

efforts of the three major nationwide 

wireless providers to implement and 

deploy georouting solutions. The rules 

we adopt give wireless providers the 

flexibility to continue their efforts to 

implement the georouting solutions 

developed with SAMHSA and the 

Lifeline Administrator, ensuring that the 

benefits of improved 988 call routing 

can be realized without delay. ATIS 

asserts that ‘‘[a] more flexible, 

requirements-based approach would 

facilitate the timely deployment of 988 

routing solutions’’ and allow wireless 

providers to ‘‘continue their 

deployments.’’ Further, as AT&T states, 

a general requirement will ‘‘not interfere 

with existing efforts between wireless 

providers’’ and will provide ‘‘flexibility 

to adapt to changing technologies.’’ 

15. Georouting Required for all CMRS 

Providers. We find that requiring all 

CMRS providers to have the capability 

to provide georouting data with 988 

calls is necessary to ensure that wireless 

988 callers receive the demonstrated 

benefits of georouting, regardless of the 

providers’ network configurations. We 

define nationwide CMRS providers as 

those providers whose service extends 

to a majority of the population and land 

area of the United States. Nonnationwide CMRS providers include all 

CMRS providers other than a 

nationwide CMRS provider. We agree 

with Reimagine Crisis Response that 

‘‘[c]onnecting more people to timely and 

local crisis support and services through 

accurately routed 988 calls will save 

lives.’’ For that reason, we decline to 

limit application of our rules to voice 

calls carried end-to-end on IP networks, 

as advocated by some commenters. 

However, we recognize that current 

georouting solutions may rely on the IPbased capabilities of the Lifeline and 

wireless providers’ networks, which 

may impact wireless providers’ ability 

to transmit georouting data with 

wireless 988 calls over non-IP networks. 

Therefore, the rules we adopt require 

nationwide and non-nationwide 

providers to provide georouting data 

when available and offer flexibility for 

wireless providers to work with the 

Lifeline Administrator on a case-by-case 

basis to address any individualized 

network considerations. We also 

provide non-nationwide providers an 

ample compliance deadline, as 

discussed below, to allow time for 

development of technical solutions. We 

conclude that this approach 

appropriately balances the public 

interest in providing critical 

improvements to life-saving services 

with CMRS providers’ needs to develop 

technical solutions to implement the 

new requirements. We find that the 

targeted requirements we adopt give 

wireless providers sufficient flexibility 

to capitalize on their current technology 

and network configurations to ensure 

that the maximum number of wireless 

988 callers benefit from georouting as 

quickly as possible. The Commission 

will take further action, if necessary, to 

ensure that wireless providers are 

providing the Lifeline Administrator 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 88893 

with georouting data when available to 

ensure the Administrator is capable of 

routing wireless 988 calls. 

16. We are unpersuaded by arguments 

that non-nationwide CMRS providers 

should be exempt from implementing 

georouting for wireless 988 calls. Rural 

Wireless Association (RWA) claims that 

georouting solutions have not ‘‘been 

tested in a real-world application and 

implemented by any CMRS provider.’’ 

Southern Linc also claims that nonnationwide CMRS providers have not 

yet participated in the georouting 

‘‘solutions development process.’’ The 

record reflects, however, that the 

nationwide providers have developed 

and implemented or are in the process 

of implementing georouting solutions 

for wireless 988 calls. While we 

acknowledge that non-nationwide 

CMRS providers may face operational 

limitations when implementing 

georouting solutions for wireless 988 

calls, we agree with commenters that 

non-nationwide CMRS providers will be 

able to leverage the georouting solutions 

developed and implemented by 

nationwide providers in collaboration 

with SAMHSA and the Lifeline 

Administrator. Further, several 

commenters highlight the importance of 

implementing georouting solutions to 

improve access to the 988 Lifeline’s 

crisis intervention services for people in 

rural areas, who face a disproportionate 

risk of suicide and may need to be 

aware of limited mental healthcare 

resources available near their 

communities. We encourage nonnationwide CMRS providers to 

collaborate with SAMHSA and the 

Lifeline Administrator in developing 

and implementing georouting solutions. 

To further reduce the burden on nonnationwide entities under the rules we 

adopt, we grant longer compliance 

timelines to non-nationwide CMRS 

providers, as discussed below. 

Georouting Data Format Compatible 

With the Lifeline 

17. In the SFNPRM, we described our 

goal to ‘‘undertake a holistic review to 

ensure that any georouting solution 

deployed is compatible with the needs 

and systems of the 988 Lifeline, as 

determined by SAMHSA, and 

successfully connects callers in crisis 

with the local support they need.’’ The 

requirements we adopt will ensure that 

the vast majority of wireless 988 callers 

receive the benefits of georouting as 

expeditiously as possible by ensuring 

that georouting data is provided in a 

format that is compatible with the 

Lifeline’s routing platform, maintaining 

the centralized routing system of the 

988 Lifeline, and giving wireless 

providers sufficient flexibility to 

implement and deploy georouting 

solutions. 

18. Capability to Provide Georouting 

Data. Consistent with the SFNPRM, we 

require all CMRS providers to have the 

capability to provide georouting data 

with 988 calls to the Lifeline 

Administrator in a format that is 

compatible with the Lifeline’s routing 

platform. The record evinces support for 

this requirement. For example, CX360 

states that georouting solutions that 

leverage the Lifeline’s existing 

infrastructure ‘‘create technical 

efficiencies’’ and align with the 

Lifeline’s efforts to provide 

‘‘community-based support with 

national-level support for specific atrisk communities.’’ T-Mobile asserts 

that compatibility with the Lifeline will 

avoid the significant costs incurred for 

network or system changes and 

‘‘minimize[ ] the risk of technological 

errors’’ in efficiently delivering 988 

calls. Several commenters also indicate 

that georouting data in a format that is 

compatible with the Lifeline’s routing 

platform will prevent delays in 

deploying georouting solutions. 

Moreover, the Lifeline Administrator 

emphasizes, and we agree, that 

implementing georouting solutions that 

are compatible with the 988 Lifeline’s 

‘‘existing infrastructure and a uniform 

standard developed in partnership with 

SAMHSA and the Administrator [will] 

allow the 988 Lifeline to better serve 

individuals in crisis.’’ We emphasize 

that our rules create an ongoing 

obligation for wireless providers to 

ensure that georouting data is in a 

format that is compatible with the 

Lifeline’s routing platform. We 

encourage wireless providers to 

collaborate with SAMHSA and the 

Lifeline Administrator in developing 

and testing georouting solutions that 

meet these compatibility requirements. 

19. The record reflects that the three 

nationwide wireless providers have 

already developed and implemented, or 

are in the process of implementing 

georouting solutions, that are 

compatible with the needs and systems 

of the 988 Lifeline. As the Lifeline 

Administrator notes, these georouting 

solutions are the preferred solution for 

the Lifeline, were designed to be 

compatible with the Lifeline’s existing 

routing structure, and do not require 

‘‘creation of an entirely new 988 Lifeline 

framework and architecture.’’ We 

anticipate that the approach we adopt 

will allow wireless providers to build 

on the success of the efforts of the 

nationwide wireless providers, 

streamlining implementation and costs 

while facilitating faster deployment of 

georouting solutions. 

20. Given the importance of providing 

meaningful support to help-seekers 

reaching out to the 988 Lifeline, we 

recognize that our Federal partners may 

choose to expand the functionality of 

the Lifeline’s system in the future to 

support additional georouting data 

formats. We direct the Wireline 

Competition Bureau to routinely consult 

with our Federal partners at SAMHSA 

regarding the format of georouting data 

that is compatible with the Lifeline’s 

system. We further direct the Wireline 

Competition Bureau to monitor the 

development of compatible georouting 

solutions and, if necessary, propose and 

seek comment on implementation 

parameters for wireless providers for 

any compatible georouting data that is 

substantially modified from the 

georouting rule adopted herein. 

21. Centralized Routing. Today, 

routing to the appropriate crisis call 

center is handled by a centralized 

routing system overseen by the Lifeline 

Administrator and supported by a grant 

from SAMHSA, and we find it is critical 

to retain this structure. We agree with 

commenters that our rules should 

preserve the role of the Lifeline 

Administrator in routing 988 calls to 

geographically appropriate local crisis 

centers. Consistent with the SFNPRM, 

we recognize that SAMHSA and the 

Lifeline Administrator are best suited to 

ensure that calls are properly routed and 

ultimately answered by a crisis center 

once the call is received by the Lifeline 

Administrator from the originating 

wireless provider. The record highlights 

that the Lifeline Administrator, under 

the direction of SAMHSA, plays a 

critical role in managing the 988 

Lifeline’s system by balancing call 

volume, ensuring calls are efficiently 

routed to appropriate and available 

crisis centers, and minimizing the 

technical burdens placed on crisis 

centers so they can focus on saving 

lives. As USTelecom emphasizes, the 

challenges associated with routing calls 

to the Lifeline are not limited to 

directing calls to the ‘‘correct crisis 

center,’’ but also ensuring they reach 

available crisis centers, given that many 

have varying operating hours. 

22. We find that the success of the 

Lifeline system in helping individuals 

in crisis underscores the importance of 

maintaining the centralized routing 

system. As the Lifeline Administrator 

notes, ‘‘[e]valuations of the 988 Lifeline 

service have found that the majority of 

callers were significantly more likely to 

feel less depressed, less suicidal, less 

overwhelmed, and more hopeful after 

speaking with a 988 Lifeline crisis 


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counselor.’’ We find that the 

requirements we adopt appropriately 

maintain the critical role of the Lifeline 

in routing calls to crisis centers. 

Additionally, we believe that this 

approach alleviates record concern 

about the roles of CMRS providers and 

the Lifeline in the 988 call path. 

23. Although some commenters argue 

that alternative georouting solutions that 

bypass the Lifeline’s centralized routing 

system may offer some benefits for 988 

callers, we find that the benefits of 

centralized routing greatly exceed the 

costs of localized routing. In the 988 

Report and Order, 85 FR 57767 (Sept. 

16, 2020), the Commission found that 

the Lifeline’s centralized routing 

process offered numerous benefits for 

both the providers that route calls to the 

988 Lifeline and the Lifeline itself, 

including faster implementation, lower 

costs to maintain 988 routing, and better 

Lifeline service. We are convinced by 

the record that these benefits still 

remain true today. In particular, we 

believe that maintaining the Lifeline’s 

centralized routing process will simplify 

administration of the Lifeline and allow 

for faster implementation of georouting 

solutions. For example, the Lifeline 

Administrator states that the georouting 

solutions developed with the 

nationwide wireless providers using the 

Lifeline’s centralized routing process 

‘‘would be cost-effective’’ for both the 

Lifeline and providers, and would allow 

for faster deployment of georouting 

solutions. 

24. Specialized Services. We decline, 

at this time, to take specific action to 

apply our georouting requirements to 

the Lifeline’s specialized services. In the 

SFNPRM, we sought comment on 

whether georouting is necessary for 

specialized services, and whether there 

are any unique considerations for 

routing such calls that may impact our 

proposals. As discussed above, the 988 

Lifeline’s interactive voice response 

(IVR) system currently provides callers 

the opportunity to connect with 

specialized services by selecting ‘‘1’’ for 

the Veterans Crisis Line, ‘‘2’’ for a 

Spanish language line, and ‘‘3’’ for a 

specialized LGBTQI+ line. 

25. We recognize that several 

commenters assert that georouting data 

may provide benefits for individuals 

who use the Lifeline’s specialized 

services, such as the LGBTQI+ 

community and veterans. However, the 

record demonstrates that there are 

unique considerations for specialized 

services, including the need for access 

to specially trained counselors, resource 

constraints, and increased privacy 

concerns. For example, Trevor Project 

explains that while ‘‘geographic location 

can provide a strong cultural connection 

for many 988 callers,’’ research has 

shown that ‘‘competency with LGBTQ+ 

youth issues is the critical element 

necessary to effectively support 

LGBTQ+ young people in crisis.’’ We 

believe our Federal partners at 

SAMHSA and the VA are best 

positioned to evaluate the benefits and 

challenges of using georouting data 

provided with 988 calls for the 

Lifeline’s subnetworks. We anticipate 

that maintaining the existing centralized 

routing process will provide the Lifeline 

flexibility to use its expertise in 

deciding the most geographically 

appropriate crisis centers to direct 

callers who select specialized services. 

We also anticipate that our rules will 

better allow the Lifeline to adapt and 

expand as necessary to meet the unique 

needs of 988 callers who select 

specialized services. 

Cell-Based Location for Georouting 

26. The definition of ‘‘georouting 

data’’ we adopt specifies that location 

data is generated using cell-based 

location technology. This aspect of the 

georouting rule is central to allowing the 

nationwide providers’ solutions to 

proceed and maintain compatibility 

with the Lifeline’s centralized routing 

platform. Mental health and crisis 

counseling experts emphasize the 

importance of connecting callers to local 

resources while still protecting the 

privacy of callers. As Trevor Project 

states, ‘‘it is vital that a georouting 

solution is adopted so that those 

reaching out to 988 can trust it will not 

jeopardize their privacy.’’ After 

considering the record, we find that 

generating location information using 

cell-based location technology will best 

identify a caller’s location to enable 

routing of 988 calls to geographically 

appropriate crisis centers, while 

maintaining the privacy interests of 

callers. We anticipate that this approach 

will also provide nationwide providers 

flexibility to deploy current georouting 

solutions developed with the SAMHSA 

and the Lifeline Administrator. As 

discussed throughout this Third Report 

and Order, although there are 

commenters that argue an alternative 

routing solution is preferable, we 

decline to stray from the Lifeline’s 

current routing structure and we 

encourage stakeholders and our Federal 

partners to continue to coordinate on 

the best way to get callers to the 

geographically appropriate crisis center. 

Aggregation of Cell-Based Location Data 

27. We require CMRS providers to 

aggregate location data generated from 

cell-based technology to a level that will 

not identify the location of the cell site 

or base station receiving the 988 call or 

otherwise identify the precise location 

of the handset. In the SFNPRM, we 

sought comment on whether the 

Commission should mandate the use of 

one or more particular geographic 

boundaries that would be applied for 

georouting solutions and asked 

commenters to address whether certain 

boundaries are sufficiently granular to 

achieve the goal of connecting callers 

with local resources during a time of 

crisis. Our decision carefully balances 

two core objectives of georouting: 

ensuring the location data is sufficiently 

granular to connect the caller with local 

resources and maintaining the caller’s 

privacy. 

28. We agree with commenters that 

CMRS providers need flexibility to 

facilitate timely deployment of 988 

georouting solutions and account for 

providers’ network capabilities. To give 

CMRS providers flexibility, we do not 

specify a particular method for ensuring 

that location data is aggregated to a 

sufficiently granular level and allow 

providers to use technically feasible 

options for meeting this requirement. 

Similarly, we decline to mandate the 

use of one or more particular geographic 

boundaries. We do, however, require 

wireless providers to aggregate location 

data to a level that does not identify the 

location of the cell site or base station 

receiving the 988 call or otherwise 

identify the precise location of the 

handset. 

29. We observe that the georouting 

solutions the three nationwide wireless 

providers have deployed or are 

currently implementing employ 

different geographic boundaries. For 

example, T-Mobile’s georouting solution 

obtains caller location information using 

cell-based technology, aggregates that 

location data using Federal Information 

Processing Series (‘‘FIPS’’) code 

boundaries, and transmits the 

georouting data as a 6-digit code in the 

P-Asserted-Identity (PAI) header of a 

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) invite 

message to the Lifeline. The Federal 

FIPS codes are maintained and assigned 

by the Census Bureau to identify 

geographic areas. Whereas, AT&T’s 

georouting solution aggregates location 

data using wire center boundaries 

correlating to the originating cell site. A 

wire center, as defined in 47 CFR 51.5, 

is the location of an incumbent Local 

Exchange Carrier (LEC) switching 

facility containing one or more central 

offices. The wire center boundaries 

define the area in which all customers 

served by a given wire center are 

located. The Lifeline Administrator has 

confirmed that these solutions are 


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compatible with the Lifeline’s network 

configuration and centralized routing 

system. Commenters generally agree 

that county level or wire-center 

boundaries are sufficiently generalized 

to protect callers’ privacy while still 

enabling the Lifeline to effectively route 

calls to geographically appropriate crisis 

centers. 

30. NACO requests that we provide 

sufficient flexibility to allow State and 

local authorities ‘‘to define the 

boundaries within their jurisdiction that 

are most suitable’’ for georouting 

purposes. While we recognize the role 

that counties play in addressing the 

nationwide mental health crisis, we 

decline at this time to require wireless 

providers to aggregate location data 

based on a particular State or local 

authority’s definition of appropriate 

geographic boundaries. Washington 

Department of Health claims that 

allowing wireless providers to use 

multiple geographic boundaries ‘‘would 

negatively impact crisis centers’ ability 

to accurately predict the volume of need 

and provide services,’’ which would be 

particularly challenging ‘‘in areas where 

multiple languages are spoken by 

different communities.’’ As the Lifeline 

Administrator notes, states and 

localities are already involved in the 

‘‘operational decision making process 

with SAMHSA and Vibrant’’ regarding 

routing of 988 calls and coverage areas 

of crisis centers. We acknowledge that 

wireless providers’ geographic 

boundaries must align with the 988 

network parameters of the Lifeline 

Administrator and encourage SAMHSA 

and the Lifeline Administrator to 

continue their collaborative efforts with 

stakeholders, and we believe that 

preserving the Lifeline’s centralized 

routing process provides our Federal 

partners flexibility to develop and 

expand georouting solutions to meet the 

Lifeline’s needs. 

31. We anticipate that our flexible 

approach toward adopting a georouting 

mandate strikes the right balance 

between ensuring that location data is 

sufficiently granular to achieve the goal 

of connecting wireless 988 callers with 

local resources without delay, aligning 

with the requirements delineated by 

SAMHSA and the Lifeline 

Administrator, and maintaining the 

privacy of 988 callers. We believe that 

the requirement to aggregate georouting 

data to a level that does not identify the 

location of the cell site or base station 

receiving the 988 call or a more precise 

location of the handset alleviates record 

concern about protecting privacy of 

callers in more densely populated areas. 

We also anticipate that our approach 

gives wireless providers discretion to 

aggregate georouting data using 

technically feasible methods that are 

best suited for their networks. 

Technical Considerations 

32. In the SFNPRM, we recognized 

that there could be technological 

limitations associated with some 

georouting solutions and sought 

comment on whether solutions would 

work if, for instance, a caller is roaming 

or if a particular wireless call is out-ofscope for a georouting solution or 

presents with unreadable routing data. 

We find that the limitations commenters 

raised are addressable without 

jeopardizing the georouting rule we 

adopt, and which is so critical to further 

improve the 988 Lifeline for callers in 

crisis. 

33. Roaming. Some commenters state 

technical limitations associated with 

georouting solutions may arise when 

individuals call 988 while roaming. 

CTIA asserts that the ‘‘home network 

operator’’ may not receive location 

information, such as the originating cell 

ID, or may not be able to ‘‘correlate the 

visited provider’s cell ID’’ to geographic 

boundaries to generate georouting data. 

AT&T states that ‘‘4G and newer 

wireless networks,’’ as designed, do 

‘‘not support georouting a 988 call made 

while roaming.’’ Although we 

acknowledge the substantial public 

interest benefits in requiring georouting 

for all wireless 988 calls, we exclude 

calls transmitted using roaming 

capabilities from application of the 

requirements we adopt to account for 

the technical limitations identified in 

the record. We anticipate that our 

targeted approach will give providers 

sufficient flexibility to maximize their 

current technology and network 

configurations to ensure that the vast 

majority of wireless 988 callers benefit 

from georouting as quickly as possible. 

Calls using roaming capabilities may be 

routed to qualified crisis counselors 

using the area code and exchange, as 

they are today. Upon development of a 

further record pertaining to the 

technical feasibility of transmitting 

georouting data with roaming calls, the 

Commission may further consider 

extending the georouting requirements 

to these calls. Issues raised in the 

SFNPRM that are not addressed in this 

Third Report and Order remain 

pending. 

34. Default Routing. In the SFNPRM, 

we sought comment on whether 988 

calls with unreadable routing data 

would default to routing by area code or 

be redirected to a national back-up 

center. The record demonstrates that, 

while the benefits of georouting for 988 

calls are clear, it is critical that callers 

still have access to the Lifeline’s vital 

services if georouting data is unavailable 

or unreadable. CX360, a service 

provider that contracts with the Lifeline 

Administrator to provide voice and 

SMS-based information services after 

calls reach the Lifeline, explains that the 

Lifeline’s IVR system has ‘‘built-in 

backup routing logic that routes the call 

based on the caller’s area code.’’ Several 

commenters that addressed this issue 

support defaulting to routing by area 

code and exchange when georouting 

data is unreadable. We agree, and we 

view retaining the centralized routing 

process will enable the Lifeline to route 

callers to crisis centers based on area 

code and exchange in the event that 

georouting data is unavailable or 

unreadable, and such calls will not be 

disconnected. 

Alternative Georouting Solutions 

35. We emphasized in the SFNPRM 

that we believe implementing a 

georouting solution without delay to 

connect callers to 988 with 

geographically appropriate crisis call 

centers provides better care. With this 

urgency in mind, we sought comment 

on the feasibility of requiring alternative 

georouting solutions that have not yet 

been tested, developed, or presented to 

SAMHSA or the Lifeline Administrator 

and asked whether such solutions 

would expedite or slow deployment of 

georouting. After reviewing the record, 

we decline, at this time, to adopt 

commenters’ alternative georouting 

proposals that would bypass the 

Lifeline’s centralized routing system or 

require CMRS providers to route 

directly to crisis centers. Several 

commenters argue that the Commission 

should consider adopting rules that 

allow routing of 988 calls directly to 

NG911 networks upon request from 

states that can manage 988 calls directly 

and have defined ‘‘geospatial 

boundaries’’ for 988 crisis centers. 

Intrado Life & Safety asks the 

Commission to adopt rules that support 

direct routing of 988 calls to ‘‘statedesignated IP Protocol (IP) points of 

interconnection (POI),’’ such as the 

‘‘Emergency Services IP Network 

(ESInet)’’ in alignment with Next 

Generation 911 (NG911), upon request 

from a state. Similarly, Comtech urges 

the Commission to adopt rules that 

provide ‘‘state 988 authorities the 

flexibility to develop their own direct, 

dedicated, IP-based 988 call paths and 

system architecture to meet their local 

needs.’’ The National Emergency 

Number Association (NENA) also urges 

the Commission to consider the use of 

NG911 technologies to support 

georouting for 988 calls and argues that 


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a 988 call should ‘‘be treated as an 

emergency call.’’ 

36. We do not adopt these proposals 

at this time as we work to expeditiously 

improve routing for 988 calls within the 

988 Lifeline’s system. Nevertheless, 

recognizing the importance of 

developing solutions capable of 

connecting callers to the most 

geographically appropriate resources, 

we encourage parties to continue 

exploring alternative localized 

georouting solutions. In the SFNPRM, 

we stated that the ultimate goal of the 

coordination between SAMHSA, the 

Lifeline Administrator, and the 

Commission was to identify one or more 

georouting solutions that are compatible 

with the 988 Lifeline’s system and 

achieve the policy objectives of 

connecting callers in crisis with local 

support. We further stated that our goal 

was to build on the progress made by all 

stakeholders to identify a georouting 

solution to enhance the support and 

resources available to callers in crisis. 

The record reflects support for this 

approach. 

37. We are also concerned that 

implementing a localized routing model 

at this time would be contrary to our 

goal of ensuring that georouting is 

available without delay to connect the 

majority of callers to 988 with 

geographically appropriate crisis centers 

that enhance the services available to 

those in crisis. CTIA asserts that 

proposals that require modification of 

the centralized routing process for 988 

calls are inconsistent with the 

georouting solutions that have been 

developed by the nationwide wireless 

providers, major stakeholders, 

SAMHSA, and the Lifeline 

Administrator. The Lifeline 

Administrator and CX360 point to 

necessary infrastructure changes that 

could delay implementation of 

georouting solutions. Additionally, the 

Lifeline Administrator states that 

‘‘reliance on technologies, such as 

NG911, can impact the ability . . . to 

carry out its duties as Administrator, 

including responsibility for routing of 

contacts to the 988 Lifeline.’’ Overall, 

we do not have the full and detailed 

record necessary to adopt a rule that 

requires providers to bypass the existing 

centralized routing system, and we find 

that doing so would jeopardize the 

important next step that we are taking 

by implementing georouting as soon as 

possible. 

38. We decline NENA’s request to 

establish an expiration date for 

mandatory georouting requirements. 

NENA emphasizes the potential benefits 

of implementing georouting solutions 

for wireless 988 calls that leverage 

NG911 technologies. While parties 

claim that NG911 technology could 

provide benefits for georouting calls to 

the 988 Lifeline, those benefits do not 

negate the current need for the 

requirements that we adopt in this Third 

Report and Order. Given the significant 

public interest benefits of supporting 

georouting for wireless 988 calls, we 

decline to set an end date for our rules, 

but we may consider further 

technological developments in the 

future. 

Implementation Time Frame for 

Georouting 988 Calls to the Lifeline 

39. Recognizing the urgency of the 

need to continue the Commission’s 

work to provide meaningful access to 

the 988 Lifeline, we sought comment in 

the SFNPRM on the appropriate 

timeline for deployment of a georouting 

solution, and specifically asked 

commenters to identify technical, 

financial, operational, legal, or other 

factors that could influence a mandated 

time frame. Thanks in large part to the 

work of SAMHSA and nationwide 

CMRS providers to date, the record 

indicates that implementation of 

solutions for sending georouting data 

along with wireless calls is attainable in 

the near term. We therefore establish an 

implementation time frame following 

the effective date of the georouting rule 

of 30 days for nationwide CMRS 

providers and 24 months for all nonnationwide CMRS providers. As we 

define them above, nationwide CMRS 

providers are those providers whose 

service extends to a majority of the 

population and land area of the United 

States. Non-nationwide CMRS providers 

include all CMRS providers other than 

a nationwide CMRS provider. 

40. The implementation time frame 

we provide nationwide CMRS providers 

corresponds to these providers’ own 

solution-completion timelines. TMobile, for example, began sending 

georouting information to the 988 

Lifeline even before the publication of 

our rules and has since announced that 

its customers now ‘‘have their calls 

routed to crisis centers close to their 

actual location.’’ All three nationwide 

providers have implemented, or are in 

the process of implementing, their 

georouting solutions for wireless 988 

calls. Consistent with these 

expectations, we find sufficient a 30-day 

period after the effective date of our 

rules to require nationwide CMRS 

providers to begin sending georouting 

data with wireless 988 calls. 

Establishing such a time frame 

represents a critical first step toward 

ensuring that callers—a vast majority of 

whom subscribe to a nationwide CMRS 

provider—will be routed to a 

geographically appropriate call center. 

41. Simultaneously, we conclude that 

24 months provides sufficient time for 

non-nationwide CMRS providers to 

begin sending georouting information to 

the 988 Lifeline. Commenters agree that 

non-nationwide CMRS providers 

require more time to implement a 

georouting solution. For example, 

Intrado Life & Safety proposes that their 

solution could be completed within a 

year but acknowledge that additional 

time may be needed for non-nationwide 

CMRS providers. We find that 24 

months strikes an appropriate balance 

between giving these providers the 

necessary time to come into compliance 

and the pressing need to expeditiously 

connect callers to a geographically 

appropriate call center. A 24-month 

period for implementation, as noted by 

CCA and Southern Linc, also accords 

with our decision to give providers 24 

months to implement location-based 

routing for 911 call solutions. 

42. RWA asserts that small rural 

CMRS providers lack the resources to 

implement a georouting solution before 

36 months. Although we understand 

RWA’s contention that a lack of funding 

and personnel comparable to the 

nationwide providers warrants 

additional time for small rural CMRS 

providers, RWA has not demonstrated 

the need for the additional 12 months 

beyond the two years we are providing. 

Recognizing that their 36-month 

recommendation exceeds the 24 months 

that were given for 911 location-based 

call solutions to be implemented, RWA 

contends that with 911, ‘‘large 

nationwide CMRS providers had 

already begun implementing locationbased solutions, which was an 

influential factor in . . . adopting a 

shorter implementation timeline,’’ but 

that ‘‘[i]n this case, such early 

implementation has not occurred.’’ 

RWA argues then that the ‘‘untested 

nature of the available 988 georouting 

solutions and lack of real-world 

implementation by any CMRS provider’’ 

merits an additional 12 months for 

implementation of a georouting 

solution. Yet, as observed above, 

nationwide CMRS providers have 

implemented or are in the process of 

implementing their georouting 

solutions. And RWA does not otherwise 

justify their recommended timeline of 

36 months, which—at minimum—adds 

two years beyond the time frames cited 

as necessary by existing proposals that 

account for small CMRS providers. 

INCOMPAS also argues, and CTIA 

agrees, that additional time would be 

needed—up to four years—for sending 

georouting information with text 


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messages. However, as we do not 

mandate that text messages send 

georouting information at this time, we 

need not address this argument. 

Additionally, we note that the 

Commission previously established a 

uniform 24-month implementation time 

frame for 988 itself, which involved 

implementing 10-digit dialing in 87 area 

codes as well as reprogramming, 

translating, or replacing telephone 

switches that would not otherwise 

support 988 as a three-digit dialing 

code. We do not anticipate, by 

comparison, that implementation of a 

georouting solution will prove more 

burdensome. It is our predictive 

judgment that 24 months accounts for 

the technical and cost-related challenges 

non-nationwide CMRS providers will 

face in implementing this lifesaving 

change to the 988 system. 

Routing Voice Calls and Texts to 988 

43. In the SFNPRM, we asked whether 

our existing 988 voice and texting rules 

should be broadened to allow for 

implementing a georouting solution. We 

conclude that it’s appropriate to revise 

these rules to permit routing to the 

national suicide prevention and mental 

health crisis hotline system without 

need for translation to the toll free 

access number. In so doing, we better 

futureproof the use of 988, including by 

enabling georouting solutions that may 

require broader routing parameters. In 

making these changes, we also codify 

our 2022 waiver order permitting 

covered text providers to route covered 

988 text messages to the 988 Lifeline 

without translation to the toll free 

number. We previously acknowledged 

that ‘‘as implementation has progressed, 

providers have found that, in practice, 

translating 988 text messages to the 

current toll free access number for the 

Lifeline . . . may negatively impact the 

experience of individuals texting the 

Lifeline.’’ Problems identified as arising 

from the current requirement included 

potential confusion when a number 

different than 988 appears on an 

individual’s device when receiving 

responses, possibly resulting in delayed, 

frustrated, or abandoned efforts to seek 

help. Our revisions provide greater 

flexibility so as to avoid any similar 

such problems. Individuals will still be 

able to dial the toll free ten-digit access 

number to reach the 988 Lifeline. 

44. We do not adopt iCERT’s proposal 

to amend our rule to require providers 

to route directly to a State or local 988 

call center. The amendment we adopt 

resolves the issues identified above 

without potential delay to the 

implementation of georouting solutions. 

We therefore decline at this time to 

adopt alternative approaches that would 

bypass the Lifeline’s centralized routing 

platform. 

Legal Authority 

45. As we tentatively concluded in 

the SFNPRM, we find that Title II and 

Title III of the Communications Act of 

1934, as amended (Act), provide us with 

the authority to adopt the rules we 

promulgate. The Supreme Court has 

previously recognized that Title III 

grants the Commission a 

‘‘comprehensive mandate’’ in regulating 

spectrum usage, and lower courts have 

routinely determined that Title III 

confers broad authority to manage 

spectrum in the public interest. 

Consistent with these decisions, we find 

significant public interest benefits will 

likely inure as a result of our georouting 

mandate by connecting individuals in 

crisis with geographically appropriate 

public safety and counseling resources. 

46. In the SFNPRM, we asked whether 

section 251(e), which provides the 

Commission its numbering authority, 

acts as an additional source of authority. 

Section 251(e)(4), specifically, 

designates 988 as the universal 

telephone number for the national 

suicide prevention and mental health 

crisis hotline system. We agree with 

commenters that our authority extends 

to mandating that a georouting solution 

be implemented. We also agree with 

commenters that in so doing, we further 

the goals of previous congressional 

directives, including to adopt 

regulations that will ease access to 

suicide prevention and mental health 

services. In mandating that a georouting 

solution be implemented and in 

modifying our voice and text routing 

rules, we thus exercise our numbering 

authority pursuant to Congress’s 

direction and therefore find that 251(e) 

provides us authority to promulgate the 

rules we adopt. 

Benefits and Costs of 988 Georouting 

47. By reducing the geographic 

mismatch between caller locations and 

area codes and moving 988’s life-saving 

interventions closer in time and space to 

those in distress, georouting will 

generate mortality-reduction and other 

benefits far exceeding implementation 

costs. 

Benefits 

48. Reduced Suicide Mortality. The 

number of Americans who are at risk of 

having their wireless 988 calls routed to 

a faraway 988 Lifeline call center is vast. 

Approximately 80% of calls to 988 are 

from wireless devices. In a mobile 

society where people hold on to familiar 

wireless phone numbers, there is often 

no connection between the geographic 

origins of 988 calls and the area codes 

of the callers’ phone numbers. 

According to a study conducted by Pew 

Research Center, ‘‘each year about 36 

million Americans move residences and 

nearly half of adults living in urban 

areas have a cellphone number from 

somewhere else. Additionally, 

nationwide at least 10% of all adult 

Americans have a cellphone number 

from somewhere other than where they 

reside.’’ While we recognize that 988 is 

a critical resource of growing 

importance for younger people, for the 

purposes of our analysis we focus on all 

adults, that is, individuals 18 years or 

older. 

49. We use a three-step process to 

estimate reduced suicide mortality risk. 

First, we identify suicide victims who 

could have tried to summon 988 

assistance and been misrouted. After the 

launch of 988 on July 16, 2022, a total 

of 2,395 American adult suicide victims 

18 and older could have sought a 988 

emergency intervention but had 

cellphone numbers prone to misrouting. 

Total suicides for adults 18 years or 

older in 2022 were 47,891. If we allocate 

by months, then there were ∼23,946 in 

the latter half of the year (i.e., 6/12 = 

0.5). We can alternatively allocate by 

total suicides for July–December (i.e., 

24,742/49,746 = 0.500008085), which 

gives the same result. Polling results tell 

us that 431 (i.e., 18% of 2,395) of these 

suicide victims could have been aware 

of 988 and possibly called. Kaiser 

Family Foundation polling indicates 

that as of mid-2023, only 18% of adults 

reported familiarity with 988. Second, 

we identify those victims subject to 

possible emergency-response delays: 

Nearly 13 (i.e., 3% of 431) would have 

required the sort of immediate and 

follow-up care that could be more 

effectively provided by georouting 988 

calls to the locality in which the caller 

resides without revealing the caller’s 

precise location or otherwise 

compromising their privacy. We 

estimate that 2.2 (i.e., 17% of 13) of 

these suicides could have been avoided 

by 988 georouting. Our rationale is that 

wireless call misrouting is suboptimal: 

localities have first-responder and 

follow-up resources tailored to local 

settings and circumstances to optimize 

their effectiveness; such resources can 

often only be deployed by local crisis 

centers. The delays, frictions, and 

mismatches triggered by misrouting 

increase response time, and every 

minute saved in a suicide intervention 

reduces suicide mortality. The 

Commission previously estimated that a 

one-minute reduction in emergencyVerDate Sep<11>2014 15:54 Nov 08, 2024 Jkt 265001 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\12NOR1.SGM 12NOR1

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response time reduces mortality by 

17%. Thus, while the rules promulgated 

do not impose a dispatchable location 

requirement—that is, a caller’s exact 

location cannot be identified—by 

connecting callers to geographically 

appropriate crisis centers, we anticipate 

that better response times, and the 

benefits thereof, will result. Third, we 

estimate that Americans would have 

been collectively willing to pay $27.5 

million annually and nearly $130 

million over a five-year period for a 

mortality-risk reduction of this size. 

Using a recent Value of Reduced 

Mortality Risk (VRMR) of $12.5 million, 

a mortality-risk reduction equivalent to 

2.2 lives is worth 2.20 * $12,500,000 = 

$27,500,000. The present value of five 

annual payments discounted at 2% 

according to Office of Management and 

Budget Circular A–4 is $129.620,136. 

50. Other Benefits and Possible 

Benefits Underestimation. Our estimate 

of $120 million in benefits over five 

years is an underestimate because it 

excludes youth age 17 and under, who 

rely heavily on wireless devices and 

6,542 of whom committed suicide in 

2022. Studies indicate 53% of children 

in the United States have a smartphone 

by age 11, with over 95% of teens 

between 13 and 17 years of age having 

access to a cellphone. In addition, 

suicide attempts—more broadly acts of 

self-harm—demand medical treatment, 

put people out of work, and diminish 

survivors’ quality of life. Yet, we have 

not estimated the savings from reduced 

medical expenses, lost work, and lost 

quality of life. We also do not count the 

benefits of less property damage 

attributable to suicide attempts and 

savings of 988 Lifeline call center 

resources from fewer misrouted calls. In 

addition, misrouted 988 callers often 

resort to calling 911. A reduction in 

these calls would likely save further 

costs. Lastly, we have neglected to 

estimate the devasting emotional toll 

988 wireless call georouting would 

spare suicide victims’ families, friends, 

and communities. 

Costs 

51. We estimate that the 

implementation costs of georouting 988 

wireless calls will be relatively small. 

RWA claims ‘‘RWA carrier members, all 

of whom are small rural non-nationwide 

CMRS providers, estimate that 988 

georouting solutions could cost them at 

least $50,000 for implementation and 

over $15,000 per month for third-party 

services, not including continual labor 

costs for testing. Such a cost is an 

immense burden for a small rural nonnationwide CMRS provider.’’ Some 

commenters propose cost-effective 988 

routing solutions: CX360 that ‘‘[t]here 

are no incremental service costs to 

wireless providers for CX360’s 

georouting solution beyond the initial 

development expense for call header 

configuration by each wireless provider. 

All other parties in the existing 988 

Lifeline call flow are already configured 

to support this model.’’ Vibrant 

indicates that ‘‘[t]he georouting solution 

developed in conjunction with Vibrant’s 

partners for the 988 Lifeline telephony 

infrastructure and major wireless 

providers represents the preferred 

solution that would allow real-time 

routing updates without the creation of 

an entirely new 988 Lifeline framework 

and architecture. This solution would 

be cost-effective not only for the 988 

Lifeline but for providers as well and is 

able to be deployed faster than other 

proposed solutions.’’ In the nearer term, 

‘‘nationwide wireless providers AT&T, 

T-Mobile, and Verizon have achieved 

consensus with the Lifeline 

Administrator, Vibrant, on the contours 

of georouting solutions and are working 

to implement them as quickly as 

practicable.’’ The georouting solutions 

rely on geographic information 

associated with call origination, such as 

the cell-site identification number, 

which the provider can translate into a 

county identifier. Based the record, we 

conclude that cost-effective 988 wireless 

call georouting solutions exist in theory 

and in practice. To minimize their 

financial burden, non-nationwide 

wireless providers facing greater 

financial constraints have been granted 

a full 24 months to find and implement 

a solution. 

Additional Proposals 

52. We appreciate the opportunity, as 

the expert regulatory agency on 

telecommunications in the United 

States, to help facilitate access to the 

988 Lifeline’s critical mental health and 

suicide prevention services. It is also 

important that we recognize the 

important role that our Federal partners 

and others play in operating the 988 

Lifeline. In response to the SFNPRM, 

some commenters raised important 

issues that are more appropriately 

addressed by other parties or may fall 

outside the scope of this proceeding. We 

address these issues below and 

encourage interested parties to 

collaborate with our Federal partners at 

SAMHSA and the VA, along with other 

stakeholders, to continue their efforts in 

enhancing the effectiveness of the 988 

Lifeline. 

53. Transparency. Several 

commenters emphasized the importance 

of transparent communication and 

education about how georouting data is 

used for wireless 988 calls. For example, 

NAMI asserts that transparency 

regarding the use of georouting data will 

help ‘‘build trust in the 988 Lifeline’’ 

and alleviate fears about sharing 

location information, which may have 

resulted from factors such as a ‘‘historic 

distrust’’ of emergency response systems 

or misinformation about the use of such 

data. The Electronic Privacy Information 

Center (EPIC) also argues that 

transparently acknowledging the harms 

of non-consensual interventions for 988 

callers can help mitigate ‘‘the chilling 

effects of implementing mandated 

georouting on would-be 988 callers.’’ 

We recognize the importance of 

transparent communication and believe 

that the Commission’s website, together 

with continued collaboration with our 

Federal partners at SAMHSA, will serve 

as a valuable means of consumer 

education. We also expect that relevant 

988 stakeholders will help contribute to 

these educational efforts. 

54. EPIC also urges the Commission to 

be transparent about the actions taken in 

the rare instances when a 988 call is 

transferred to 911. The Lifeline 

Administrator states that ‘‘[i]n rare 

situations, a 988 crisis counselor may 

contact a public safety answering point 

dispatcher because of concerns about an 

immediate risk of life, pursuant to the 

988 Lifeline Suicide Safety policy.’’ 

While we recognize harms can occur 

from a non-consensual interventions, 

the georouting requirements we adopt 

apply only to CMRS providers routing 

calls to the 988 Lifeline, which is 

distinct from the functions performed 

by the Lifeline Administrator or 

individual crisis centers after the 

Lifeline receives the calls. The 

Commission has had no role in 

establishing, maintaining, or operating 

the 988 Lifeline’s routing system or the 

facilities and systems that enable it, and 

is not a party to any agreement that the 

Lifeline Administrator and/or SAMHSA 

has entered to establish, structure, 

operate, govern, or fund the system. 

55. 988 Lifeline Funding and Services. 

We also received comments regarding 

the need for adequate funding to ensure 

that the 988 Lifeline and crisis centers 

can effectively support georouting, as 

well as other recommendations that 

commenters claim would improve the 

general effectiveness of the 988 Lifeline. 

While these recommendations fall 

outside of our jurisdiction, we note that 

our Federal partners at SAMHSA are 

‘‘planning for anticipated operational, 

training and procedural updates [that] 

will require active engagement with 

partners including states, territories, 

tribes and crisis centers.’’ We also 

encourage stakeholders to work with 


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Congress to ensure appropriate funding 

for the 988 Lifeline. 

56. 911 Interoperability. We received 

several comments urging the 

Commission to consider issues 

pertaining to the interoperability 

between the 988 Lifeline and 911 

services. For example, NENA argues 

that ‘‘988 must technically and 

operationally interoperate with [911] 

and first responder operations.’’ 

Similarly, the National Association of 

State 911 Administrators (NASNA) 

argues that as the 988 system evolves, 

successful interoperability with NG911 

will be essential ‘‘when there is a crisis 

that requires an escalated response.’’ We 

agree with commenters that facilitating 

interoperability between 988 and 911 

services is an important goal, however 

these proposals are beyond the scope of 

this proceeding, and we decline to 

address them further here. We also note 

that the Lifeline Administrator is 

currently ‘‘involved in ongoing efforts at 

the local, state, and national levels’’ to 

address the interoperability between 

988 and 911 services. We, therefore, 

encourage stakeholders to collaborate 

with our Federal partners. 

57. Coordination with American 

Indian and Alaska Native Communities. 

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health 

Board (NPAIHB) recommends that the 

Commission, SAMHSA, and wireless 

providers consult with Tribal 

communities to ensure that American 

Indian and Alaska Native communities 

are ‘‘able to utilize the 988 Lifeline and 

be connected to locally centralized 

suicide prevention and crisis service 

centers when using a wireless device.’’ 

We support NPAIHB’s suggestion and 

believe connecting Tribal community 

members with local crisis centers is 

crucial to providing these communities 

with the meaningful help they need. As 

such, we stand ready to work with our 

Federal partners and industry to assist 

American Indian and Alaska Native 

communities’ access the life-saving 

resources of the 988 Lifeline. 

58. Opt-Out, website, and Call 

Disclosure Requirements. We received 

comments urging the Commission to 

consider whether 988 callers will have 

the opportunity to opt out of sharing 

georouting data. The Massachusetts 

Association for Mental Health (MAMH) 

and EPIC urge the Commission to 

‘‘require 988 websites to indicate that 

georouting is used’’ and provide 

information about accessing the 

Lifeline’s national backup center or 

individual crisis centers. EPIC also 

argues that ‘‘disclosure about georouting 

and non-georouted alternatives needs to 

occur during a call.’’ To the extent that 

commenters raise concerns regarding 

disclosures about the use of georouting 

data on 988 websites or after the 

Lifeline’s centralized routing system 

receives a call, such issues address 

actions by entities that are beyond the 

scope of this proceeding. Additionally, 

the georouting rules we adopt do not 

require wireless providers to transmit 

more precise geolocation information 

with wireless 988 calls, but rather 

require aggregated georouting data that 

maintains caller privacy in order to 

enhance the Lifeline’s routing 

mechanism. Therefore, we decline, at 

this time, to require wireless providers 

to include specific disclosures regarding 

the use of georouting data. 

59. Cost Recovery. RWA argues that 

the Commission should ‘‘allocate funds 

to subsidize’’ implementation efforts by 

non-nationwide CMRS providers to 

comply with a georouting mandate. 

RWA further argues that small rural 

non-nationwide CMRS providers 

‘‘cannot pass the costs of 988 georouting 

compliance onto their customers 

without jeopardizing their [Universal 

Service Fund] support.’’ RWA’s cost 

estimates lack any specificity or detail 

for us to determine whether those costs, 

which are also provided in isolation, 

would indeed jeopardize their universal 

service support. Further, we did not 

propose any cost recovery mechanisms 

in the SFNPRM and we will not adopt 

any here. As explained in the analysis 

of benefits and costs section, the 

benefits of implementing georouting for 

wireless 988 calls significantly outweigh 

the costs to CMRS providers. Moreover, 

the rules we adopt are flexible and we 

encourage non-nationwide CMRS 

providers to develop the most cost 

effective georouting solution with the 

technical parameters set forth herein. 

60. Customer Proprietary Network 

Information (CPNI) and Third Party 

Vendor Issues. EPIC asks the 

Commission to prohibit wireless 

providers from ‘‘sharing 988-related 

data even if the subscriber has opted in 

to sharing their CPNI’’ and to ensure 

that wireless providers and ‘‘their 

vendors meet basic cybersecurity 

requirements.’’ EPIC argues that the 

Commission has authority under § 222 

of the Communications Act, as amended 

‘‘to hold carriers responsible for 

safeguarding’’ CPNI. We agree that 

protecting the privacy and security of 

callers is imperative. The rules we adopt 

make clear that wireless providers must 

aggregate location data generated from 

cell-based technology to a sufficiently 

granular level to maintain caller 

privacy. 

Procedural Matters 

61. Regulatory Flexibility Act. The 

Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as 

amended (RFA), requires that an agency 

prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis 

for notice and comment rulemakings, 

unless the agency certifies that ‘‘the rule 

will not, if promulgated, have a 

significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities.’’ 

Accordingly, the Commission has 

prepared a Final Regulatory Flexibility 

Analysis (FRFA) concerning the 

potential impact of the rule and policy 

changes adopted in this Third Report 

and Order on small entities. 

62. Paperwork Reduction Act 

Analysis. The Third Report and Order 

does not contain proposed information 

collection(s) subject to the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public 

Law 104–13. In addition, therefore, it 

does not contain any new or modified 

information collection burden for small 

business concerns with fewer than 25 

employees, pursuant to the Small 

Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, 

Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C. 

3506(c)(4). 

63. Congressional Review Act. The 

Commission has determined, and the 

Administrator of the Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget 

concurs, that this rule is ‘‘non-major’’ 

under the Congressional Review Act, 5 

U.S.C. 804(2). The Commission will 

send a copy of this Third Report and 

Order to Congress and the Government 

Accountability Office pursuant to 5 

U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). 

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 

64. As required by the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended 

(RFA), an Initial Regulatory Flexibility 

Analysis (IRFA) was incorporated in the 

Implementation of the National Suicide 

Hotline Act of 2018, Second Further 

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(SFNPRM), 89 FR 46340 (May 29, 2024). 

The Commission sought written public 

comment on the proposals in the 

SFNPRM, including comments on the 

IRFA. The comments received are 

discussed below. This Final Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) conforms to 

the RFA. 

Need for, and Objectives of, the Report 

and Order 

65. In the Third Report and Order, the 

Commission adopts rules to facilitate 

access to life-saving services for people 

in suicidal, mental health, and 

substance use crises by improving the 

routing of wireless calls to the 988 

Lifeline. The 988 Lifeline was originally 


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designed to route calls to crisis centers 

based on the area code and exchange 

associated with a caller’s device. 

However, as technology trends have 

shifted from landline phones to mobile 

phones, many callers now seek help 

from the 988 Lifeline using wireless 

devices with area codes that may not 

correspond to their physical locations. 

Although the 988 Lifeline provides 

meaningful support for help-seekers 

regardless of their location, 

discrepancies between callers’ physical 

locations and the area codes associated 

with their wireless devices can 

complicate access to local resources, 

which mental health advocates 

emphasize are critical to achieving the 

full life-saving potential of the 988 

Lifeline. 

66. The rules adopted in the Third 

Report and Order aim to facilitate access 

to critical local resources for the vast 

majority of wireless 988 callers by 

requiring wireless providers to 

implement georouting solutions for 988 

calls. Specifically, the Third Report and 

Order requires that all Commercial 

Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers 

have the capability to provide 

georouting data with 988 calls to the 

Lifeline Administrator in a format that 

is compatible with the Lifeline’s routing 

platform. The Commission defines 

‘‘Lifeline Administrator’’ as the entity 

that ‘‘controls the 988 call routing 

platform pursuant to contract with the 

Substance Abuse Mental Health 

Services Administration.’’ The Third 

Report and Order also requires that all 

CMRS providers must provide 

georouting data, when available, with 

988 calls to the Lifeline Administrator. 

These requirements will enable the 988 

Lifeline to route wireless calls to 

appropriate crisis centers based on the 

geographic area associated with the 

origin of a 988 call, rather than by area 

code and exchange. With ‘‘georouting 

data’’ as defined under the 

Commission’s rule, CMRS providers 

must aggregate location data generated 

from cell-based technology to a level 

that does not identify the location of the 

cell site and base station receiving the 

988 call or otherwise specify the caller’s 

precise location. The Third Report and 

Order adopts a 30 day timeline for 

nationwide CMRS providers to 

implement georouting for wireless 988 

calls and provides 24 months for 

implementation by non-nationwide 

CMRS providers. Finally, the Third 

Report and Order revises the 

Commission’s existing 988 voice and 

texting rules to permit routing to the 

national suicide prevention and mental 

health crisis hotline system without 

need for translation to the toll free 

access number. This revision will 

provide greater flexibility and help 

futureproof the use of 988 by enabling 

wireless providers to implement 

georouting solutions that may require 

broader routing parameters. 

Summary of Significant Issues Raised by 

Public Comments in Response to the 

IRFA 

67. There were no comments filed 

that specifically addressed the proposed 

rules and policies presented in the 988 

Georouting Further Notice IRFA. 

However, several commenters discussed 

the potential impact of rules on nonnationwide CMRS providers. 

68. The Competitive Carriers 

Association (CCA), Southern 

Communications Services, Inc. 

(Southern Linc), and the Rural Wireless 

Association (RWA) advocated for the 

Commission to give providers flexibility 

to account for their individual networks, 

the limitations of current georouting 

solutions, or the challenges faced by 

non-nationwide providers. In addition, 

RWA advocated for the Commission to 

allow small rural non-nationwide CMRS 

providers to implement georouting 

solutions on a voluntary basis. 

Alternatively, RWA called for the 

Commission to allow small rural nonnationwide CMRS providers additional 

time, funds to subsidize efforts, and 

flexibility in developing georouting 

solutions. Several commenters also 

urged the Commission to give nonnationwide CMRS providers sufficient 

time to implement georouting solutions. 

The approach taken by the Third Report 

and Order addresses these comments by 

adopting rules that allow wireless 

providers to build on the success of 

georouting solutions that have been 

developed with SAMHSA and the 

Lifeline Administrator, while also 

providing the flexibility for small and 

other providers to implement georouting 

solutions that account for their network 

capabilities and are compatible with the 

Lifeline’s routing platform. 

Response to Comments by the Chief 

Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 

Business Administration 

69. Pursuant to the Small Business 

Jobs Act of 2010, which amended the 

RFA, the Commission is required to 

respond to any comments filed by the 

Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 

Business Administration (SBA), and to 

provide a detailed statement of any 

change made to the proposed rules as a 

result of those comments. The Chief 

Counsel did not file any comments in 

response to the proposed rules in this 

proceeding. 

Description and Estimate of the Number 

of Small Entities to Which the Rules 

Will Apply 

70. The RFA directs agencies to 

provide a description of, and where 

feasible, an estimate of the number of 

small entities that may be affected by 

the rules adopted herein. The RFA 

generally defines the term ‘‘small 

entity’’ as having the same meaning as 

the terms ‘‘small business,’’ ‘‘small 

organization,’’ and ‘‘small governmental 

jurisdiction.’’ In addition, the term 

‘‘small business’’ has the same meaning 

as the term ‘‘small business concern’’ 

under the Small Business Act. A ‘‘small 

business concern’’ is one which: (1) is 

independently owned and operated; (2) 

is not dominant in its field of operation; 

and (3) satisfies any additional criteria 

established by the SBA. 

71. Small Businesses, Small 

Organizations, Small Governmental 

Jurisdictions. Our actions, over time, 

may affect small entities that are not 

easily categorized at present. We 

therefore describe, at the outset, three 

broad groups of small entities that could 

be directly affected herein. First, while 

there are industry specific size 

standards for small businesses that are 

used in the regulatory flexibility 

analysis, according to data from the 

Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 

Office of Advocacy, in general a small 

business is an independent business 

having fewer than 500 employees. These 

types of small businesses represent 

99.9% of all businesses in the United 

States, which translates to 33.2 million 

businesses. 

72. Next, the type of small entity 

described as a ‘‘small organization’’ is 

generally ‘‘any not-for-profit enterprise 

which is independently owned and 

operated and is not dominant in its 

field.’’ The Internal Revenue Service 

(IRS) uses a revenue benchmark of 

$50,000 or less to delineate its annual 

electronic filing requirements for small 

exempt organizations. Nationwide, for 

tax year 2022, there were approximately 

530,109 small exempt organizations in 

the U.S. reporting revenues of $50,000 

or less according to the registration and 

tax data for exempt organizations 

available from the IRS. 

73. Finally, the small entity described 

as a ‘‘small governmental jurisdiction’’ 

is defined generally as ‘‘governments of 

cities, counties, towns, townships, 

villages, school districts, or special 

districts, with a population of less than 

fifty thousand.’’ U.S. Census Bureau 

data from the 2022 Census of 

Governments indicate there were 90,837 

local governmental jurisdictions 

consisting of general purpose 


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governments and special purpose 

governments in the United States. Of 

this number, there were 36,845 general 

purpose governments (county, 

municipal, and town or township) with 

populations of less than 50,000 and 

11,879 special purpose governments 

(independent school districts) with 

enrollment populations of less than 

50,000. Accordingly, based on the 2022 

U.S. Census of Governments data, we 

estimate that at least 48,724 entities fall 

into the category of ‘‘small 

governmental jurisdictions.’’ 

74. Wireless Carriers and Service 

Providers. Wireless 

Telecommunications Carriers (except 

Satellite) is the closest industry with a 

SBA small business size standard 

applicable to these service providers. 

The SBA small business size standard 

for this industry classifies a business as 

small if it has 1,500 or fewer employees. 

U.S. Census Bureau data for 2017 show 

that there were 2,893 firms that operated 

in this industry for the entire year. Of 

this number, 2,837 firms employed 

fewer than 250 employees. 

Additionally, based on Commission 

data in the 2022 Universal Service 

Monitoring Report, as of December 31, 

2021, there were 594 providers that 

reported they were engaged in the 

provision of wireless services. Of these 

providers, the Commission estimates 

that 511 providers have 1,500 or fewer 

employees. Consequently, using the 

SBA’s small business size standard, 

most of these providers can be 

considered small entities. 

75. Wireless Communications 

Services. Wireless Communications 

Services (WCS) can be used for a variety 

of fixed, mobile, radiolocation, and 

digital audio broadcasting satellite 

services. Wireless spectrum is made 

available and licensed for the provision 

of wireless communications services in 

several frequency bands subject to part 

27 of the Commission’s rules. Wireless 

Telecommunications Carriers (except 

Satellite) is the closest industry with an 

SBA small business size standard 

applicable to these services. The SBA 

small business size standard for this 

industry classifies a business as small if 

it has 1,500 or fewer employees. U.S. 

Census Bureau data for 2017 show that 

there were 2,893 firms that operated in 

this industry for the entire year. Of this 

number, 2,837 firms employed fewer 

than 250 employees. Thus under the 

SBA size standard, the Commission 

estimates that a majority of licensees in 

this industry can be considered small. 

76. The Commission’s small business 

size standards with respect to WCS 

involve eligibility for bidding credits 

and installment payments in the auction 

of licenses for the various frequency 

bands included in WCS. When bidding 

credits are adopted for the auction of 

licenses in WCS frequency bands, such 

credits may be available to several types 

of small businesses based average gross 

revenues (small, very small and 

entrepreneur) pursuant to the 

competitive bidding rules adopted in 

conjunction with the requirements for 

the auction and/or as identified in the 

designated entities section in part 27 of 

the Commission’s rules for the specific 

WCS frequency bands. 

77. In frequency bands where licenses 

were subject to auction, the Commission 

notes that as a general matter, the 

number of winning bidders that qualify 

as small businesses at the close of an 

auction does not necessarily represent 

the number of small businesses 

currently in service. Further, the 

Commission does not generally track 

subsequent business size unless, in the 

context of assignments or transfers, 

unjust enrichment issues are implicated. 

Additionally, since the Commission 

does not collect data on the number of 

employees for licensees providing these 

services, at this time we are not able to 

estimate the number of licensees with 

active licenses that would qualify as 

small under the SBA’s small business 

size standard. 

78. Wireless Telephony. Wireless 

telephony includes cellular, personal 

communications services, and 

specialized mobile radio telephony 

carriers. The closest applicable industry 

with an SBA small business size 

standard is Wireless 

Telecommunications Carriers (except 

Satellite). The size standard for this 

industry under SBA rules is that a 

business is small if it has 1,500 or fewer 

employees. For this industry, U.S. 

Census Bureau data for 2017 show that 

there were 2,893 firms that operated for 

the entire year. Of this number, 2,837 

firms employed fewer than 250 

employees. Additionally, based on 

Commission data in the 2022 Universal 

Service Monitoring Report, as of 

December 31, 2021, there were 331 

providers that reported they were 

engaged in the provision of cellular, 

personal communications services, and 

specialized mobile radio services. Of 

these providers, the Commission 

estimates that 255 providers have 1,500 

or fewer employees. Consequently, 

using the SBA’s small business size 

standard, most of these providers can be 

considered small entities. 

79. Wireless Telecommunications 

Carriers (except Satellite). This industry 

comprises establishments engaged in 

operating and maintaining switching 

and transmission facilities to provide 

communications via the airwaves. 

Establishments in this industry have 

spectrum licenses and provide services 

using that spectrum, such as cellular 

services, paging services, wireless 

internet access, and wireless video 

services. The SBA size standard for this 

industry classifies a business as small if 

it has 1,500 or fewer employees. U.S. 

Census Bureau data for 2017 show that 

there were 2,893 firms in this industry 

that operated for the entire year. Of that 

number, 2,837 firms employed fewer 

than 250 employees. Additionally, 

based on Commission data in the 2022 

Universal Service Monitoring Report, as 

of December 31, 2021, there were 594 

providers that reported they were 

engaged in the provision of wireless 

services. Of these providers, the 

Commission estimates that 511 

providers have 1,500 or fewer 

employees. Consequently, using the 

SBA’s small business size standard, 

most of these providers can be 

considered small entities. 

80. Wired Telecommunications 

Carriers. The U.S. Census Bureau 

defines this industry as establishments 

primarily engaged in operating and/or 

providing access to transmission 

facilities and infrastructure that they 

own and/or lease for the transmission of 

voice, data, text, sound, and video using 

wired communications networks. 

Transmission facilities may be based on 

a single technology or a combination of 

technologies. Establishments in this 

industry use the wired 

telecommunications network facilities 

that they operate to provide a variety of 

services, such as wired telephony 

services, including VoIP services, wired 

(cable) audio and video programming 

distribution, and wired broadband 

internet services. By exception, 

establishments providing satellite 

television distribution services using 

facilities and infrastructure that they 

operate are included in this industry. 

Wired Telecommunications Carriers are 

also referred to as wireline carriers or 

fixed local service providers. 

81. The SBA small business size 

standard for Wired Telecommunications 

Carriers classifies firms having 1,500 or 

fewer employees as small. U.S. Census 

Bureau data for 2017 show that there 

were 3,054 firms that operated in this 

industry for the entire year. Of this 

number, 2,964 firms operated with 

fewer than 250 employees. 

Additionally, based on Commission 

data in the 2022 Universal Service 

Monitoring Report, as of December 31, 

2021, there were 4,590 providers that 

reported they were engaged in the 

provision of fixed local services. Of 

these providers, the Commission 


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estimates that 4,146 providers have 

1,500 or fewer employees. 

Consequently, using the SBA’s small 

business size standard, most of these 

providers can be considered small 

entities. 

82. Local Exchange Carriers (LECs). 

Neither the Commission nor the SBA 

has developed a size standard for small 

businesses specifically applicable to 

local exchange services. Providers of 

these services include both incumbent 

and competitive local exchange service 

providers. Wired Telecommunications 

Carriers is the closest industry with an 

SBA small business size standard. 

Wired Telecommunications Carriers are 

also referred to as wireline carriers or 

fixed local service providers. The SBA 

small business size standard for Wired 

Telecommunications Carriers classifies 

firms having 1,500 or fewer employees 

as small. U.S. Census Bureau data for 

2017 show that there were 3,054 firms 

that operated in this industry for the 

entire year. Of this number, 2,964 firms 

operated with fewer than 250 

employees. Additionally, based on 

Commission data in the 2022 Universal 

Service Monitoring Report, as of 

December 31, 2021, there were 4,590 

providers that reported they were fixed 

local exchange service providers. Of 

these providers, the Commission 

estimates that 4,146 providers have 

1,500 or fewer employees. 

Consequently, using the SBA’s small 

business size standard, most of these 

providers can be considered small 

entities. 

83. Incumbent Local Exchange 

Carriers (Incumbent LECs). Neither the 

Commission nor the SBA have 

developed a small business size 

standard specifically for incumbent 

local exchange carriers. Wired 

Telecommunications Carriers is the 

closest industry with an SBA small 

business size standard. The SBA small 

business size standard for Wired 

Telecommunications Carriers classifies 

firms having 1,500 or fewer employees 

as small. U.S. Census Bureau data for 

2017 show that there were 3,054 firms 

in this industry that operated for the 

entire year. Of this number, 2,964 firms 

operated with fewer than 250 

employees. Additionally, based on 

Commission data in the 2022 Universal 

Service Monitoring Report, as of 

December 31, 2021, there were 1,212 

providers that reported they were 

incumbent local exchange service 

providers. Of these providers, the 

Commission estimates that 916 

providers have 1,500 or fewer 

employees. Consequently, using the 

SBA’s small business size standard, the 

Commission estimates that the majority 

of incumbent local exchange carriers 

can be considered small entities. 

84. Competitive Local Exchange 

Carriers (CLECs). Neither the 

Commission nor the SBA has developed 

a size standard for small businesses 

specifically applicable to local exchange 

services. Providers of these services 

include several types of competitive 

local exchange service providers. Wired 

Telecommunications Carriers is the 

closest industry with a SBA small 

business size standard. The SBA small 

business size standard for Wired 

Telecommunications Carriers classifies 

firms having 1,500 or fewer employees 

as small. U.S. Census Bureau data for 

2017 show that there were 3,054 firms 

that operated in this industry for the 

entire year. Of this number, 2,964 firms 

operated with fewer than 250 

employees. Additionally, based on 

Commission data in the 2022 Universal 

Service Monitoring Report, as of 

December 31, 2021, there were 3,378 

providers that reported they were 

competitive local service providers. Of 

these providers, the Commission 

estimates that 3,230 providers have 

1,500 or fewer employees. 

Consequently, using the SBA’s small 

business size standard, most of these 

providers can be considered small 

entities. 

85. Interexchange Carriers (IXCs). 

Neither the Commission nor the SBA 

have developed a small business size 

standard specifically for Interexchange 

Carriers. Wired Telecommunications 

Carriers is the closest industry with a 

SBA small business size standard. The 

SBA small business size standard for 

Wired Telecommunications Carriers 

classifies firms having 1,500 or fewer 

employees as small. U.S. Census Bureau 

data for 2017 show that there were 3,054 

firms that operated in this industry for 

the entire year. Of this number, 2,964 

firms operated with fewer than 250 

employees. Additionally, based on 

Commission data in the 2022 Universal 

Service Monitoring Report, as of 

December 31, 2021, there were 127 

providers that reported they were 

engaged in the provision of 

interexchange services. Of these 

providers, the Commission estimates 

that 109 providers have 1,500 or fewer 

employees. Consequently, using the 

SBA’s small business size standard, the 

Commission estimates that the majority 

of providers in this industry can be 

considered small entities. 

86. Local Resellers. Neither the 

Commission nor the SBA have 

developed a small business size 

standard specifically for Local Resellers. 

Telecommunications Resellers is the 

closest industry with a SBA small 

business size standard. The 

Telecommunications Resellers industry 

comprises establishments engaged in 

purchasing access and network capacity 

from owners and operators of 

telecommunications networks and 

reselling wired and wireless 

telecommunications services (except 

satellite) to businesses and households. 

Establishments in this industry resell 

telecommunications; they do not 

operate transmission facilities and 

infrastructure. Mobile virtual network 

operators (MVNOs) are included in this 

industry. The SBA small business size 

standard for Telecommunications 

Resellers classifies a business as small if 

it has 1,500 or fewer employees. U.S. 

Census Bureau data for 2017 show that 

1,386 firms in this industry provided 

resale services for the entire year. Of 

that number, 1,375 firms operated with 

fewer than 250 employees. 

Additionally, based on Commission 

data in the 2022 Universal Service 

Monitoring Report, as of December 31, 

2021, there were 207 providers that 

reported they were engaged in the 

provision of local resale services. Of 

these providers, the Commission 

estimates that 202 providers have 1,500 

or fewer employees. Consequently, 

using the SBA’s small business size 

standard, most of these providers can be 

considered small entities. 

87. Toll Resellers. Neither the 

Commission nor the SBA have 

developed a small business size 

standard specifically for Toll Resellers. 

Telecommunications Resellers is the 

closest industry with a SBA small 

business size standard. The 

Telecommunications Resellers industry 

comprises establishments engaged in 

purchasing access and network capacity 

from owners and operators of 

telecommunications networks and 

reselling wired and wireless 

telecommunications services (except 

satellite) to businesses and households. 

Establishments in this industry resell 

telecommunications; they do not 

operate transmission facilities and 

infrastructure. Mobile virtual network 

operators (MVNOs) are included in this 

industry. The SBA small business size 

standard for Telecommunications 

Resellers classifies a business as small if 

it has 1,500 or fewer employees. U.S. 

Census Bureau data for 2017 show that 

1,386 firms in this industry provided 

resale services for the entire year. Of 

that number, 1,375 firms operated with 

fewer than 250 employees. 

Additionally, based on Commission 

data in the 2022 Universal Service 

Monitoring Report, as of December 31, 

2021, there were 457 providers that 


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reported they were engaged in the 

provision of toll services. Of these 

providers, the Commission estimates 

that 438 providers have 1,500 or fewer 

employees. Consequently, using the 

SBA’s small business size standard, 

most of these providers can be 

considered small entities. 

88. Other Toll Carriers. Neither the 

Commission nor the SBA has developed 

a definition for small businesses 

specifically applicable to Other Toll 

Carriers. This category includes toll 

carriers that do not fall within the 

categories of interexchange carriers, 

operator service providers, prepaid 

calling card providers, satellite service 

carriers, or toll resellers. Wired 

Telecommunications Carriers is the 

closest industry with a SBA small 

business size standard. The SBA small 

business size standard for Wired 

Telecommunications Carriers classifies 

firms having 1,500 or fewer employees 

as small. U.S. Census Bureau data for 

2017 show that there were 3,054 firms 

in this industry that operated for the 

entire year. Of this number, 2,964 firms 

operated with fewer than 250 

employees. Additionally, based on 

Commission data in the 2022 Universal 

Service Monitoring Report, as of 

December 31, 2021, there were 90 

providers that reported they were 

engaged in the provision of other toll 

services. Of these providers, the 

Commission estimates that 87 providers 

have 1,500 or fewer employees. 

Consequently, using the SBA’s small 

business size standard, most of these 

providers can be considered small 

entities. 

89. All Other Telecommunications. 

This industry is comprised of 

establishments primarily engaged in 

providing specialized 

telecommunications services, such as 

satellite tracking, communications 

telemetry, and radar station operation. 

This industry also includes 

establishments primarily engaged in 

providing satellite terminal stations and 

associated facilities connected with one 

or more terrestrial systems and capable 

of transmitting telecommunications to, 

and receiving telecommunications from, 

satellite systems. Providers of internet 

services (e.g. dial-up ISPs) or Voice over 

Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, via 

client-supplied telecommunications 

connections are also included in this 

industry. The SBA small business size 

standard for this industry classifies 

firms with annual receipts of $40 

million or less as small. U.S. Census 

Bureau data for 2017 show that there 

were 1,079 firms in this industry that 

operated for the entire year. Of those 

firms, 1,039 had revenue of less than 

$25 million. Based on this data, the 

Commission estimates that the majority 

of ‘‘All Other Telecommunications’’ 

firms can be considered small. 

90. Radio and Television 

Broadcasting and Wireless 

Communications Equipment 

Manufacturing. This industry comprises 

establishments primarily engaged in 

manufacturing radio and television 

broadcast and wireless communications 

equipment. Examples of products made 

by these establishments are: 

transmitting and receiving antennas, 

cable television equipment, GPS 

equipment, pagers, cellular phones, 

mobile communications equipment, and 

radio and television studio and 

broadcasting equipment. The SBA small 

business size standard for this industry 

classifies businesses having 1,250 

employees or less as small. U.S. Census 

Bureau data for 2017 show that there 

were 656 firms in this industry that 

operated for the entire year. Of this 

number, 624 firms had fewer than 250 

employees. Thus, under the SBA size 

standard, the majority of firms in this 

industry can be considered small. 

91. Semiconductor and Related 

Device Manufacturing. This industry 

comprises establishments primarily 

engaged in manufacturing 

semiconductors and related solid state 

devices. Examples of products made by 

these establishments are integrated 

circuits, memory chips, 

microprocessors, diodes, transistors, 

solar cells and other optoelectronic 

devices. The SBA small business size 

standard for this industry classifies 

entities having 1,250 or fewer 

employees as small. U.S. Census Bureau 

data for 2017 show that there were 729 

firms in this industry that operated for 

the entire year. Of this total, 673 firms 

operated with fewer than 250 

employees. Thus under the SBA size 

standard, the majority of firms in this 

industry can be considered small. 

92. Software Publishers. This industry 

comprises establishments primarily 

engaged in computer software 

publishing or publishing and 

reproduction. Establishments in this 

industry carry out operations necessary 

for producing and distributing computer 

software, such as designing, providing 

documentation, assisting in installation, 

and providing support services to 

software purchasers. These 

establishments may design, develop, 

and publish, or publish only. The SBA 

small business size standard for this 

industry classifies businesses having 

annual receipts of $47 million or less as 

small. U.S. Census Bureau data for 2017 

indicate that 7,842 firms in this industry 

operated for the entire year. Of this 

number 7,226 firms had revenue of less 

than $25 million. Based on this data, we 

conclude that a majority of firms in this 

industry are small. 

Description of Projected Reporting, 

Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance 

Requirements for Small Entities 

93. The Third Report and Order 

adopts rules that require small and other 

wireless providers to implement 

georouting solutions for wireless 988 

calls. Specifically, the Third Report and 

Order requires providers to have the 

capability to provide georouting data 

with 988 calls to the Lifeline 

Administrator in a format that is 

compatible with the Lifeline’s routing 

platform. Additionally, small and other 

providers must provide georouting data, 

when available, with 988 calls sufficient 

to allow routing of the 988 call by the 

Lifeline Administrator to the 

appropriate crisis center based on the 

geographic area where the handset is 

located at the time the 988 call is 

initiated. The Third Report and Order 

also adopts a definition of georouting 

data that requires wireless providers to 

aggregate location data generated from 

cell-based location technology to a level 

that will not identify the location of the 

cell site or base station receiving the 988 

call or otherwise identify the precise 

location of the handset. 

94. In the SFNPRM, the Commission 

sought comment on the costs and 

benefits of deploying georouting 

solutions to help the Commission 

evaluate the impact of relevant 

proposals on small entities. We 

recognize that small providers may face 

operational limitations and costs when 

implementing georouting solutions for 

wireless 988 calls. However, the record 

reflects that nationwide CMRS 

providers have already developed and 

implemented or are in the process of 

implementing georouting solutions for 

wireless 988 calls, which can minimize 

cost implications for small entities by 

serving as models for georouting 

solutions. The Third Report and Order 

adopts rules that allow wireless 

providers flexibility to leverage these 

georouting solutions, and we expect that 

our approach will reduce compliance 

costs for wireless providers, including 

small entities. Moreover, we estimate 

that the public safety benefits resulting 

from the requirements adopted in the 

Third Report and Order far exceed 

implementation costs. 


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Steps Taken To Minimize the 

Significant Economic Impact on Small 

Entities, and Significant Alternatives 

Considered 

95. The RFA requires an agency to 

provide, ‘‘a description of the steps the 

agency has taken to minimize the 

significant economic impact on small 

entities . . . including a statement of 

the factual, policy, and legal reasons for 

selecting the alternative adopted in the 

final rule and why each one of the other 

significant alternatives to the rule 

considered by the agency which affect 

the impact on small entities was 

rejected.’’ 

96. The Third Report and Order 

adopts rules that are designed to give 

flexibility where appropriate to ensure 

that wireless providers, including small 

providers, can determine the best 

approach for compliance based on the 

needs of their networks. The Third 

Report and Order considers comments 

advocating for allowing the deployment 

of georouting solutions for wireless 988 

calls on a purely voluntary basis. We 

conclude, however, that purely 

voluntary implementation undermines 

our goal of ensuring that the clear public 

interest benefits of georouting are 

realized nationwide in a timely manner. 

The Third Report and Order also 

declines to exempt non-nationwide 

CMRS providers as requested by RWA, 

but instead adopts flexible requirements 

that allow small and other wireless 

providers to leverage the georouting 

solutions that have been developed by 

nationwide providers in collaboration 

with SAMHSA and the Lifeline 

Administrator to implement technically 

feasible solutions that are compatible 

with the Lifeline’s routing platform. 

97. With respect to ‘‘georouting data,’’ 

the Third Report and Order adopts a 

definition that balances the need to 

maintain callers’ privacy by not 

requiring wireless providers to transmit 

more precise geolocation data with 

wireless 988 calls, while still ensuring 

that the 988 Lifeline has sufficient 

aggregated location data to route 

wireless 988 calls to geographically 

appropriate crisis centers. We decline to 

require wireless providers to use a 

specific method for aggregating cellbased location data or to mandate one 

particular geographic boundary for 

georouting solutions, minimizing 

potential burdens by allowing small and 

other wireless providers flexibility to 

employ technically feasible options that 

are best suited for their networks to 

meet this requirement. 

98. The Third Report and Order 

further minimizes the potential burdens 

of wireless providers, including small 

providers, by excluding 988 calls 

transmitted using roaming capabilities 

from application of the georouting 

requirements to account for technical 

limitations identified in the record. The 

Third Report and Order declines, 

however, to limit the application of 

georouting rules to voice calls carried 

end-to-end on IP networks, as requested 

by some commenters. Instead, we adopt 

requirements that minimize potential 

burdens by giving wireless providers the 

flexibility to work with the Lifeline 

Administrator on a case-by-case basis to 

address any individualized network 

considerations and by providing nonnationwide providers with an ample 

compliance time frame to develop 

technical solutions. 

99. The Third Report and Order 

considers alternative georouting 

solutions that bypass the 988 Lifeline’s 

centralized routing system but 

concludes that the benefits of 

centralized routing far outweigh the 

costs of localized routing. Specifically, 

we find that maintaining the 988 

Lifeline’s centralized routing process 

will help preserve the Lifeline 

Administrator’s critical role in routing 

988 calls to crisis centers, simplify the 

administration of the Lifeline, and allow 

for faster implementation of georouting 

solutions. 

100. With respect to compliance 

timelines, the Third Report and Order 

adopts an implementation time frame 

for nationwide CMRS providers that 

aligns with the timelines identified for 

deploying the georouting solutions 

developed in coordination with 

SAMHSA and the Lifeline 

Administrator. To further reduce the 

burden on small entities and address 

technical and resource challenges, we 

grant a longer compliance timeline to 

non-nationwide CMRS providers. 

Specifically, we establish an 

implementation time frame following 

the effective date of the georouting rule 

of 30 days for nationwide CMRS 

providers and 24 months for all nonnationwide CMRS providers. 

101. Further, the Third Report and 

Order gives wireless providers 

flexibility to implement georouting 

solutions that may require broader 

routing requirements by revising 

existing 988 voice and texting rules to 

permit routing to the national suicide 

prevention and mental health crisis 

hotline system without need for 

translation to the toll free access 

number. Finally, we decline the 

National Emergency Number 

Association’s (NENA) request to 

establish an expiration date for the 

georouting requirements set forth in the 

Third Report and Order, but may 

consider technological developments in 

the future. 

Report to Congress 

102. The Commission will send a 

copy of the Third Report and Order, 

including this FRFA, in a report to be 

sent to Congress pursuant to the 

Congressional Review Act. In addition, 

the Commission will send a copy of the 

Third Report and Order, including this 

FRFA, to the Chief Counsel for 

Advocacy of the SBA. A copy of the 

Third Report and Order and FRFA (or 

summaries thereof) will also be 

published in the Federal Register. 

Ordering Clauses 

103. Accordingly, it is ordered that, 

pursuant to the authority found in §§ 1, 

2, 4, 201, 218, 251(e), 301, 303, 307, 

309(a), 316, 332 of the Communications 

Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 

152, 154, 154, 201, 218, 251(e), 301, 303, 

307, 309(a), 316, and 332, this Report 

and Order is adopted and will become 

effective 30 days after publication in the 

Federal Register. 

104. It is further ordered that part 52 

of the Commission’s rules is amended as 

set forth in appendix A, and such rule 

amendment will become effective 30 

days after publication in the Federal 

Register. 

105. It is further ordered that the 

Commission’s Office of the Secretary, 

shall send a copy of this Third Report 

and Order, including the Final 

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, to the 

Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 

Business Administration. 

106. It is further ordered that the 

Office of the Managing Director, 

Performance and Program Management, 

shall send a copy of this Third Report 

and Order in a report to be sent to 

Congress and the Government 

Accountability Office pursuant to the 

Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 

801(a)(1)(A). 

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 52 

Communications common carriers, 

Telecommunications, Telephone. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene Dortch, 

Secretary. 

Final Rules 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Federal Communications 

Commission amends 47 CFR part 52 as 

follows: 

PART 52—NUMBERING 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 52 

continues to read as follows: 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 88905 

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 153, 154, 

155, 201–205, 207–209, 218, 225–227, 251– 

252, 271, 303, 332, unless otherwise noted. 

■ 2. Amend § 52.200 by revising 

paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 52.200 Designation of 988 for a National 

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis 

Hotline. 

* * * * * 

(b) All covered providers shall 

transmit all calls initiated by an end 

user dialing 988 to the national suicide 

prevention and mental health crisis 

hotline system maintained by the 

Assistant Secretary for Mental Health 

and Substance Use and the Secretary of 

Veterans Affairs. 

* * * * * 

■ 3. Amend § 52.201 by revising 

paragraph (a) to read as follows: 

§ 52.201 Texting to the National Suicide 

Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Hotline. 

(a) Support for 988 text message 

service. Beginning July 16, 2022, all 

covered text providers must route a 

covered 988 text message to the national 

suicide prevention and mental health 

crisis hotline system maintained by the 

Assistant Secretary for Mental Health 

and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

* * * * * 

■ 4. Add § 52.202 to read as follows: 

§ 52.202 Georouting of Wireless Calls to 

the National Suicide Prevention and Mental 

Health Crisis Hotline. 

(a) Georouting. All CMRS providers 

must: 

(1) Have the capability to provide 

georouting data with 988 calls to the 

Lifeline Administrator in a format that 

is compatible with the Lifeline’s routing 

platform, to allow routing of the 988 call 

by the Lifeline Administrator to the 

appropriate crisis center based on the 

geographic area where the handset is 

located at the time the 988 call is 

initiated. 

(2) Provide georouting data, when 

available, with 988 calls to the Lifeline 

Administrator sufficient to allow 

routing of the 988 call by the Lifeline 

Administrator to the appropriate crisis 

center based on the geographic area 

where the handset is located at the time 

the 988 call is initiated. 

(b) Scope of section. The requirements 

of this section are only applicable to 

CMRS providers, excluding mobile 

satellite service (MSS) operators, to the 

extent that they: 

(1)(i) Offer real-time, two way 

switched voice service that is 

interconnected with the public switched 

network; and 

(ii) Use an in-network switching 

facility that enables the provider to 

reuse frequencies and accomplish 

seamless hand-offs of subscriber calls. 

These requirements are applicable to 

entities that offer voice service to 

consumers by purchasing airtime or 

capacity at wholesale rates from CMRS 

licensees. 

(2) The requirements of this section 

do not apply to 988 calls transmitted 

using roaming capabilities. 

(c) Compliance. (1) By 30 days after 

December 12, 2024: Nationwide CMRS 

providers shall provide georouting data 

with wireless 988 calls. 

(2) By 24 months after December 12, 

2024: All CMRS providers shall provide 

georouting data with wireless 988 calls. 

(d) Definitions. For purposes of this 

section: 

Commercial mobile radio service 

(CMRS). A mobile service that is: 

(i)(A) Provided for profit, i.e., with the 

intent of receiving compensation or 

monetary gain; 

(B) An interconnected service; and 

(C) Available to the public, or to such 

classes of eligible users as to be 

effectively available to a substantial 

portion of the public; or 

(ii) The functional equivalent of such 

a mobile service described in paragraph 

(i)(A) of this definition. 

(iii) A variety of factors may be 

evaluated to make a determination 

whether the mobile service in question 

is the functional equivalent of a 

commercial mobile radio service, 

including: Consumer demand for the 

service to determine whether the service 

is closely substitutable for a commercial 

mobile radio service; whether changes 

in price for the service under 

examination, or for the comparable 

commercial mobile radio service, would 

prompt customers to change from one 

service to the other; and market research 

information identifying the targeted 

market for the service under review. 

(iv) Unlicensed radio frequency 

devices under part 15 of this chapter are 

excluded from this definition of 

Commercial mobile radio service. 

Georouting data. Location data 

generated from cell-based location 

technology that is aggregated to a level 

that will not identify the location of the 

cell site or base station receiving the 988 

call or otherwise identify the precise 

location of the handset. 

Lifeline Administrator. The Lifeline 

Administrator controls the 988 call 

routing platform pursuant to contract 

with the Substance Abuse Mental 

Health Services Administration. 

Nationwide CMRS provider. A CMRS 

provider whose service extends to a 

majority of the population and land area 

of the United States. 

Non-nationwide CMRS provider. Any 

CMRS provider other than a nationwide 

CMRS provider. 

[FR Doc. 2024–25912 Filed 11–8–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 


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