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 Federal  Communications  Commission  FCC  02-  296 
 SEPARATE  STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  KEVIN  J  .  MARTIN 


 Re:  FCC  Clarifies  That  911  Call-  Forwarding  Rule  Does  Not  Preclude  Wireless  Carriers  From  Blocking  Fraudulent  911  Calls  From  Non-  Service  Initialized 
 Phones  Pursuant  to  State  and  Local  Law,  Public  Notice,  CC  Docket  No.  94-  102 
 I  write  separately  to  emphasize  my  support  for  this  public  notice,  which  makes  clear  that  the  Commission’s  rules  in  no  way  preclude  Public  Safety  Answering  Points 
 (PSAPs)  and  carriers  from  blocking  harassing  wireless  911  calls  from  non-  initialized  phones.  Harassing  911  calls  from  non-  initialized  phones  are  a  significant  problem  for 
 PSAPs,  causing  disruptions  to  emergency  telephone  services  and  a  waste  of  public  safety  resources.  Such  calls  have  been  a  source  of  real  concern  for  public  safety  officials.  For 
 example,  in  my  home  state  of  North  Carolina,  a  non-  initialized  wireless  phone  made  over  3600  harassing  911  calls  from  December  of  2001  to  January  of  2002.  See  Letter  from 
 James  R.  Hobson  to  Marlene  H.  Dortch  at  3,  CC  No.  94-  102  (May  31,  2002).  The  wireless  carrier  believed  it  was  unable  to  block  the  calls  based  on  its  understanding  of  the 
 Commission’s  rules.  See  id.  This  public  notice  should  put  an  end  to  such  confusion  and  make  clear  that  PSAPs  and  carriers  may  block  harassing  911  calls  pursuant  to  state  and 
 local  law.  I  am  pleased  that  the  Commission  has  addressed  the  issue,  and  I  strongly  support  the  Commission’s  efforts  to  help  public  safety  officials  focus  their  resources  on 
 true  emergencies. 
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