Title 47

SECTION 9.14

9.14 Emergency calling requirements.

§ 9.14 Emergency calling requirements.

(a) Emergency call handling requirements for TTY-based TRS providers. TTY-based TRS providers must use a system for incoming emergency calls that, at a minimum, automatically and immediately transfers the caller to an appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). An appropriate PSAP is either a PSAP that the caller would have reached if the caller had dialed 911 directly, or a PSAP that is capable of enabling the dispatch of emergency services to the caller in an expeditious manner.

(b) Additional emergency calling requirements applicable to internet-based TRS providers. (1) The requirements of paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (iv) of this section shall not apply to providers of VRS and IP Relay to which § 9.14(c) and (d) apply.

(2) Each provider of internet-based TRS shall:

(i) When responsible for placing or routing voice calls to the public switched telephone network, accept and handle emergency calls and access, either directly or via a third party, a commercially available database that will allow the provider to determine an appropriate PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority that corresponds to the caller's location, and to relay the call to that entity;

(ii) Implement a system that ensures that the provider answers an incoming emergency call before other non-emergency calls (i.e., prioritize emergency calls and move them to the top of the queue);

(iii) Provide 911 and E911 service in accordance with paragraphs (c) through (e) of this section, as applicable;

(iv) Deliver to the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority, at the outset of the outbound leg of an emergency call, at a minimum, the name of the relay user and location of the emergency, as well as the name of the relay provider, the CA's callback number, and the CA's identification number, thereby enabling the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority to re-establish contact with the CA in the event the call is disconnected;

(v) In the event one or both legs of an emergency call are disconnected (i.e., either the call between the TRS user and the CA, or the outbound voice telephone call between the CA and the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority), immediately re-establish contact with the TRS user and/or the appropriate PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority and resume handling the call; and

(vi) Ensure that information obtained as a result of this section is limited to that needed to facilitate 911 services, is made available only to emergency call handlers and emergency response or law enforcement personnel, and is used for the sole purpose of ascertaining a user's location in an emergency situation or for other emergency or law enforcement purposes.

(c) E911 Service for VRS and IP Relay before January 6, 2021, for fixed services, and before January 6, 2022, for non-fixed services - (1) Scope. The following requirements of paragraphs (c)(1) through (4) of this section are only applicable to providers of VRS or IP Relay. Further, these requirements apply only to 911 calls placed by registered users whose Registered Location is in a geographic area served by a Wireline E911 Network and is available to the provider handling the call.

(2) E911 Service. VRS or IP Relay providers must, as a condition of providing service to a user:

(i) Provide that user with E911 service as described in this section;

(ii) Request, at the beginning of each emergency call, the caller's name and location information, unless the VRS or IP Relay provider already has, or has access to, Registered Location information for the caller;

(iii) Transmit all 911 calls, as well as ANI, the caller's Registered Location, the name of the VRS or IP Relay provider, and the CA's identification number for each call, to the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority that serves the caller's Registered Location and that has been designated for telecommunications carriers pursuant to § 9.4, provided that “all 911 calls” is defined as “any communication initiated by an VRS or IP Relay user dialing 911”;

(iv) Route all 911 calls through the use of ANI and, if necessary, pseudo-ANI, via the dedicated Wireline E911 Network, provided that nothing in this subparagraph shall preclude routing the call first to a call center to ascertain the caller's location in the event that the VRS or IP Relay provider believes the caller may not be located at the Registered Location; and

(v) Make the Registered Location, the name of the VRS or IP Relay provider, and the CA's identification number available to the appropriate PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority from or through the appropriate automatic location information (ALI) database.

(3) Service level obligation. Notwithstanding the provisions in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, if a PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority is not capable of receiving and processing either ANI or location information, a VRS or IP Relay provider need not provide such ANI or location information; however, nothing in this paragraph affects the obligation under paragraph (c)(2)(iv) of this section of a VRS or IP Relay provider to transmit via the Wireline E911 Network all 911 calls to the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority that serves the caller's Registered Location and that has been designated for telecommunications carriers pursuant to § 9.4.

(4) Registered location requirement. VRS and IP Relay providers must:

(i) Obtain from each Registered internet-based TRS user, prior to the initiation of service, the physical location at which the service will first be used; and

(ii) If the VRS or IP Relay is capable of being used from more than one location, provide their registered internet-based TRS users one or more methods of updating the user's Registered Location, including at least one option that requires use only of the iTRS access technology necessary to access the VRS or IP Relay. Any method used must allow a registered internet-based TRS user to update the Registered Location at will and in a timely manner.

(d) E911 Service for VRS and IP Relay on or after January 6, 2021, for fixed services, and on or after January 6, 2022, for non-fixed services - (1) Scope. The following requirements of paragraphs (d)(1) through (4) of this section are only applicable to providers of VRS or IP Relay. Further, these requirements apply only to 911 calls placed by registered users whose dispatchable location is in a geographic area served by a Wireline E911 Network and is available to the provider handling the call.

(2) E911 Service. VRS or IP Relay providers must, as a condition of providing service to a user:

(i) Provide that user with E911 service as described in this section;

(ii) Request, at the beginning of each emergency call, the caller's name and dispatchable location, unless the VRS or IP relay provider already has, or has access to the location information described in paragraph (d)(4) of this section;

(iii) Transmit the following to the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority that serves the caller's dispatchable location and that has been designated for telecommunications carriers pursuant to § 9.4:

(A) All 911 calls, provided that “all 911 calls” is defined as “any communication initiated by an VRS or IP Relay user dialing 911;”

(B) ANI, the name of the VRS or IP Relay provider, and the CA's identification number for each call; and

(iv) Route all 911 calls through the use of ANI and, if necessary, pseudo-ANI, via the dedicated Wireline E911 Network, provided that nothing in this subparagraph shall preclude routing the call first to a call center to ascertain the caller's location in the event that the VRS or IP Relay provider is unable to obtain or confirm the caller's location information; and

(v) Make the location information described in paragraph (d)(4) of this section, the name of the VRS or IP Relay provider, and the CA's identification number available to the appropriate PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority from or through the appropriate automatic location information (ALI) database.

(3) Service level obligation. Notwithstanding the provisions in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, if a PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority is not capable of receiving and processing either ANI or location information, a VRS or IP Relay provider need not provide such ANI or location information; however, nothing in this paragraph affects the obligation under paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this section of a VRS or IP Relay provider to transmit via the Wireline E911 Network all 911 calls to the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority that serves the caller's dispatchable location and that has been designated for telecommunications carriers pursuant to § 9.4.

(4) Location requirements. To meet E911 service requirements, VRS and IP Relay providers must provide location information with each 911 call as follows:

(i) Fixed VRS and IP Relay services. Providers of fixed VRS and IP Relay services must provide automated dispatchable location with each 911 call.

(ii) Non-fixed VRS and IP Relay services. For non-fixed VRS and IP Relay services (service that is capable of being used from more than one location), VRS and IP Relay service providers must provide location information in accordance with paragraph (d)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, if technically feasible. Otherwise, VRS and IP Relay service providers must either provide location information in accordance with paragraph (d)(4)(ii)(B) or (C), or meet paragraph (d)(4)(ii)(D) of this section.

(A) Provide automated dispatchable location, if technically feasible.

(B) Provide Registered Location information that meets the following requirements:

(1) The service provider has obtained from the customer, prior to the initiation of service, the Registered Location (as defined in § 9.3) at which the service will first be used;

(2) The service provider has provided end users one or more methods of updating their Registered Location, including at least one option that requires use only of the internet-based TRS access technology necessary to access the VRS or IP Relay. Any method used must allow an end user to update the Registered Location at will and in a timely manner; and

(3) If the VRS or IP Relay is capable of being used from more than one location, if it is not possible to automatically determine the Registered internet-based TRS user's location at the time of the initiation of an emergency call, verify the current location with the user at the beginning of an emergency call.

(D) Route the caller to a call center.

(e) E911 Service for IP CTS on or after January 6, 2021, for fixed services, and on or after January 6, 2022, for non-fixed services - (1) Scope. The following requirements of paragraphs (e)(1) through (4) of this section are only applicable to “covered IP CTS providers,” who are providers of IP CTS to the extent that the IP CTS provider, itself or through an entity with whom the IP CTS provider contracts, places or routes voice calls to the public switched telephone network. Further, these requirements apply only to 911 calls placed by a registered user whose dispatchable location is in a geographic area served by a Wireline E911 Network and is available to the provider handling the call.

(2) E911 Service. Covered IP CTS providers must, as a condition of providing service to a user:

(i) Provide that user with E911 service as described in this section;

(ii) Transmit or provide the following to the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority that serves the caller's dispatchable location and that has been designated for telecommunications carriers pursuant to § 9.4:

(A) All 911 calls, provided that “all 911 calls” is defined as “any communication initiated by an IP CTS user dialing 911;”

(B) With the call, a telephone number that is assigned to the caller and that enables the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority to call the 911 caller back directly, while enabling the caller to receive captions on the callback; and

(iii) Route all 911 calls through the use of ANI and, if necessary, pseudo-ANI, via the dedicated Wireline E911 Network, provided that nothing in this subparagraph shall preclude routing the call first to a call center to ascertain the caller's location in the event that the covered IP CTS provider is unable to obtain or confirm the caller's location information; and

(iv) Make the location information described in paragraph (e)(4) of this section and callback number available to the appropriate PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority from or through the appropriate automatic location information (ALI) database.

(3) Service level obligation. Notwithstanding the provisions in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, if a PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority is not capable of receiving and processing either ANI or location information, a covered IP CTS provider need not provide such ANI or location information; however, nothing in this paragraph affects the obligation under paragraph (e)(2)(iii) of this section of a covered IP CTS provider to transmit via the Wireline E911 Network all 911 calls to the PSAP, designated statewide default answering point, or appropriate local emergency authority that serves the caller's dispatchable location and that has been designated for telecommunications carriers pursuant to § 9.4.

(4) Location requirements. To meet E911 service requirements, covered IP CTS providers must provide location information with each 911 call as follows:

(i) Fixed IP CTS. Providers of fixed IP CTS must provide automated dispatchable location with each 911 call.

(ii) Non-fixed IP CTS. For non-fixed IP CTS (service that is capable of being used from more than one location), covered IP CTS providers must provide location information in accordance with paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, if technically feasible. Otherwise, covered IP CTS providers must either provide location information in accordance with paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(B) or (C), or meet paragraph (e)(4)(iii)(D) of this section.

(A) Provide automated dispatchable location, if technically feasible.

(B) Provide Registered Location information that meets the following requirements:

(1) The service provider has obtained from the customer, prior to the initiation of service, the Registered Location (as defined in § 9.3) at which the service will first be used; and

(2) The service provider has provided end users one or more methods of updating their Registered Location, including at least one option that requires use only of the internet-based TRS access technology necessary to access the IP CTS. Any method used must allow an end user to update the Registered Location at will and in a timely manner.

(D) Route the caller to a call center.

[84 FR 66760, Dec. 5, 2019, as amended at 85 FR 67450, Oct. 23, 2020]