STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER MIGNON L. CLYBURN
Re: Wireless E911 Location Accuracy Requirements, Second Report and Order, PS Docket 
No. 07-114; Wireless E911 Location Accuracy Requirements, E911 Requirements for IP-
Enabled Service Providers, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of 
Inquiry, PS Docket No. 07-114, WC Docket No. 05-196.
As I have mentioned before, one of the top priorities of this agency should be the safety 
of consumers. The accuracy of wireless E-9-1-1 location services has become an increasingly 
important public safety concern, because our citizens have become more dependent on their 
mobile wireless devices. This surge in the demand for mobile wireless services reflects, in large 
part, an increased demand for innovative broadband applications.  But as the Fourteenth Report 
on Mobile Services highlights, this increased demand for mobile services, is also a result of more 
people opting to rely solely on their mobile wireless service for their communications needs.  As 
the percentage of citizens who only rely on mobile services increases, so should our focus on 
improving the location accuracy of E-9-1-1 for emergency services. 
The Order and Notices we adopt today, send important messages about the direction our 
communications industry should take with regard to improving E-9-1-1 services. As the history 
leading up to the Second Report and Order suggests, consensus by all stakeholders is a more 
effective way to make our citizens safer than litigation. I congratulate APCO, NENA, AT&T, 
Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless, for reaching a workable compromise on location 
accuracy standards, and for putting the safety of our citizens ahead of other interests. 
The Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry, demonstrate a 
comprehensive and balanced approach to promoting more accurate E-9-1-1 services. I was 
particularly pleased to see the Further Notice address the different problems that service providers 
face in challenging environments, such as certain rural areas.  It may be the case, that all service 
providers, large and small, face technical challenges in providing E-9-1-1 services. It is also true 
however, that these problems are more acute in hard to serve areas, where 3G networks are not 
currently deployed. Therefore, we should promote improved location accuracy standards, while 
recognizing that different areas may require different approaches to achieving those standards.  I 
was also pleased to see that both Notices recognize the importance of considering the interests of 
persons living with disabilities.  I commend the parties, such as AT&T and CTIA, who urged all 
stakeholders to account for those interests in developing E-9-1-1 technical solutions.  
The Notice of Inquiry properly asks about the feasibility of extending location accuracy 
requirements to the many new wireless devices and applications, that provide the equivalent of 
mobile telephony but because of technical classifications, are not subject to our E-9-1-1 rules.  
Consumers have come to expect, that they can make VoIP phone calls from their computers as 
well as from their iPhones and other smart phones.  It is reasonable for them to expect that they 
can access E-9-1-1 services when using VoIP technology.  The Commission should ensure that its 
E-9-1-1 rules adapt to keep pace with consumer expectations.  I encourage large carriers, smaller 
service providers, and other stakeholders, to provide us with the relevant information we need to 
take a proper, thorough, look at this issue. I thank the staff of the Public Safety and Homeland 
Security Bureau for their hard work on these items.