FCC requires IP-based providers to offer backup-power options to ensure 911 availability

According to recent FCC data, almost 50% of residential telephone connections—57 million—are legacy wireline, so it is critical to ensure that proper education campaigns are in place when a transition to IP-based technology occurs, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said. There is precedent for such an educational program, as Clyburn cited the government’s efforts—via radio, newspaper notices and in-home assistance– during the analog to digital television broadcast transition.

“All this work was done for an estimated 16 to 19 million households that did not subscribe to pay TV, because the number one goal was for no one to be left behind,” Clyburn said. “There is no budget from Congress, no mandate to ensure that they understand and get prepared for the change in their telephone services, which arguably is more critical than television … because it could mean life or death, if you cannot dial 911.”

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai supported the order, based on it reflecting that consumers have the freedom to choose whether to purchase the carrier-installed battery backup for their landlines.

“I support today’s order, because it adopts that consumer-driven approach and recognizes that no one-
size-fits-all solution will work when it comes to disaster preparedness,” Pai said. “As the order puts it, ‘consumers may desire different amounts of backup power—or none at all—depending on their individual 
circumstances.’ That’s exactly right. Enabling consumers to make their own choices allows them to do 
what’s best for them and their families.”

O’Reilly did not oppose the measure but expressed concerns that the order adds burden to carriers to offer a backup-power option without certainty that consumers will choose to purchase it.

“I worry that this items adds burdens for little benefit,” O’Reilly said. “I think back to an example on record: one provider that tried to promote its VoIP service by advertising the availability of backup power in the wake of a hurricane that caused significant outages saw little to no uptake as a result, and landline losses continued at a steady pace, despite the lack of backup power with alternative services.”