PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 13-22 Released: January 9, 2013 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES COMMENT AND REPLY COMMENT DATES FOR THE FURTHER NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING IN THE NEXT GENERATION 911 PROCEEDING PS Docket No. 11-153, PS Docket No. 10-255 Section III.A Comments Due: January 29, 2013 Section III.A Reply Comments Due: February 8, 2013 All Other Section Comments Due: March 11, 2013 All Other Section Reply Comments Due: April 9, 2013 On December 12, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to facilitate the deployment of Text-to-911 and other Next Generation 911 applications (Text-to-911 FNPRM). 1 The Text-to-911 FNPRM proposed to require all wireless carriers and certain “over the top” providers of interconnected text messaging services to support the ability of consumers to send text messages to 911. In addition, in order to inform consumers and prevent confusion, the Text-to-911 FNPRM proposed to require all wireless carriers and interconnected text message providers to send automated “bounce back” error messages to consumers attempting to text to 911 when the service is not available. Section III.A of the Text-to-911 FNPRM proposed that when consumers attempt to text to 911 in areas where text-to-911 is not supported, or in other instances where the text cannot be transmitted to the 911 call center, they will receive an automated message saying that text-to-911 is not supported and directing them to make a 911 voice call. The Text-to-911 FNPRM sought comment on the appropriate timetable for implementing this bounce back capability, and recommended rapid implementation to avoid the risk of consumer confusion. Due to the important public safety consideration of reducing consumer confusion, the Text-to-911 FNPRM sought an expedited comment schedule for Section III.A. Accordingly, the Text-to-911 FNPRM set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments in Section III.A at 20 and 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. The Text-to-911 FNPRM set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments in all other sections of the Text-to-911 FNPRM at 60 and 90 days after publication in the Federal Register. 1 In the Matter of Facilitating the Deployment of Text-to-911 and Other Next Generation 911 Applications; Framework for Next Generation 911 Deployment, PS Docket No. 11-153, PS Docket No. 10-255, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 11-134, 26 FCC Rcd 13615 (rel. Dec. 12, 2012) (Text-to-911 FNPRM). On January 9, 2013, the Federal Register published a summary of the Text-to-911 FNPRM. 2 Accordingly, comments in Section III.A must be filed on or before January 29, 2013; and reply comments must be filed on or before February 8, 2013. Comments on all other sections must be filed on or before March 11, 2013; and reply comments on other sections must be filed on or before April 9, 2013. The Text-to-911 FNPRM sets forth the comment filing instructions. For further information regarding this proceeding, contact Timothy May, Policy Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, (202) 418-1463. --FCC-- 2 See 78 Fed. Reg. 1799 (Jan. 9, 2013).