In-Building

FCC approves new 911 location-accuracy rules

• 29th January 2015

FCC commissioners unanimously approve rules requiring commercial wireless carriers to provide improved 911 location-accuracy information, including the first rules for wireless calls made from inside a building or other facility.

FCC wireless 911 location-accuracy rules should demand accountability, long-term improvement

• 27th January 2015

FCC commissioners have a lot to consider as they establish much-needed rules for location accuracy associated with 911 calls. Hopefully, they make wise choices, because countless lives will depend on it.

Speculation rampant as FCC vote nears on 911 location-accuracy rules

• 27th January 2015

Public-safety and industry representatives spent much of Monday scrambling for information about the conditions to be included in the 911 location-accuracy proposed rules that are scheduled to be voted upon by FCC commissioners during Thursday’s open meeting.

Nationwide wireless carriers alter proposed roadmap to improve location accuracy for indoor 911 calls

• 22nd January 2015

All four nationwide wireless carriers submit a joint filing to the FCC that outlines changes to their previous proposal on location accuracy for indoor 911 calls, including new performance metrics, greater focus on the vertical Z-axis coordinate and a willingness to work on privacy issues associated with a proposed new database of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth beacon infrastructure.

Kodiak Networks: Bruce Lawler discusses PTT-over-cellular offering, LMR-augmentation philosophy

• 14th January 2015

Bruce Lawler, chief products officer for Kodiak Networks, outlines key features of the company’s push-to-talk platform, including reliability, security, carrier relationships and interoperability with traditional LMR networks.

Top 5 stories: Week of Jan. 5–9

• 12th January 2015

FCC scheduled to vote on 911 indoor location-accuracy rules this month

• 9th January 2015

FCC commissioners are scheduled to consider the issue of indoor location accuracy for wireless 911 calls during its Jan. 29 meeting, the agency announces.

Challenges and opportunities abound in critical communications, panelists say

• 23rd December 2014

Tight budgets and competing projects will continue to put a strain on the public-safety communications industry, but manufacturers say they see still opportunities in the market, vendor representatives said during a recent webinar conducted as part of the IWCE Virtual Show.

Leveraging Wi-Fi, beacons as part of indoor-location solution ideal for active-shooter incidents, Guardly says

• 19th December 2014

Toronto-based Guardly says it can leverage a burgeoning technology—beacons—to provide accurate and specific indoor-location information quickly during an active-shooter incident.

It’s a busy time, but 911 practitioners should share their location-accuracy opinions with the FCC

• 18th December 2014

One of the hottest debates in the public-safety industry has revolved around the issue of FCC location-accuracy requirements for 911 calls made with cell phones that are being used inside a building. Those in the 911 community should consider sharing their views about what these location-accuracy rules should include, because they promise to impact the effectiveness of emergency responses for years to come.