FCC gets around to proposing fines for E911 misses
The FCC's goal of 95 percent network compliance for enhanced 911 (E911) capability came and went long ago -- December 31, 2005, to be specific -- but like all good bureaucracies, it's just now taking the time to propose a few fines for the carriers that failed to comply. At the deadline, Alltel was apparently at 84 percent, US Cellular rocked out at 89 percent, Sprint came in at 81 percent, and future partner in marriage Nextel was at 74 percent, leaving significant swaths of their respective networks without the ability to locate subscribers in the event of an emergency. For their failures, Sprint Nextel's looking at about a $1.3 million slap on the wrist, Alltel can expect $1 million, and US Cellular about $500,000. Not enough to drive any of the three to the verge of bankruptcy -- and really, not enough for any of the three to even notice when the cash gets pulled out of the coffers. Way to be, FCC.[Via Phone Scoop]
Filed under: Alltel, Sprint, Misc, US Cellular
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brad @ Sep 9th 2007 1:49PM
If they really want it fixed they should force the offenders to add the percentage to all the ads they produce.
Big John @ Sep 9th 2007 3:33PM
I don't know what's worse -- no compliance or the FCC finally getting around to this. I can presume there have been warnings at the very least during this almost two year interim, does anyone have evidence of this?
tetu81 @ Sep 9th 2007 11:24PM
I know it isn't necessarily fair to compare apples to cucumbers (or whatever produce you fancy) but CBS was fined $550,000 for the Janet Jackson booby incident. Seems to me that the FCC is saying one booby is about as bad 10% of a company's cell users not being locatable in an emergency. I don't buy it.