Media Contact: 
Will Wiquist
will.wiquist@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

FCC SETTLES INVESTIGATION WITH SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR 911 OUTAGE IN FOUR WEST VIRGINIA COUNTIES
Company Agrees to Pay $227,000 Penalty and Implement a Compliance Plan
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WASHINGTON, April 24, 2023—The Federal Communication Commission’s Enforcement Bureau today announced a settlement to resolve its investigation into whether Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel) failed to deliver 911 calls during a 911 outage in April 2022 in four West Virginia counties.  As Congress and the Commission have found, robust and reliable 911 service is a critical national priority, as those calling first responders must be able to rely on their calls being completed.  To settle this matter, Shentel will implement a compliance plan and pay a $227,200 civil penalty.

FCC rules require interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers to transmit all 911 calls to 911 call centers.  Beginning April 6, 2022, Shentel experienced a 911 service outage in Boone, Wyoming, Lewis, and McDowell Counties in West Virginia, where Shentel provided interconnected VoIP service.  During the outage, Shentel customers who dialed 911 experienced one-way audio and could not be heard by 911 operators.  The disruption was resolved on April 22, 2022. 

In a Consent Decree issued today, Shentel agreed to implement a compliance plan designed to ensure compliance with the FCC’s rules, including its 911 rules, in addition to agreeing to the civil penalty. 

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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).