dmcowen674
No Lifer
Many folks on here know I've been working on this system for years now.
It does amazinly well given the fluid nature of RF.
I'm not quite sure what the FCC Chief is after here.
Anyone close to the Washington insiders have any idea?
Is he trying to require a GPS unit is every handset?
That won't work when you're in a metal building whether you are in a city full of cell towers or out in the country.
Or is he asking for triangulation Technology be installed where the handsets are GPS only?
Examples:
Nextel and Verizon is GPS in handset only
AT&T and T-Mobile are RF Triangulation only
4-5-2007 FCC seeks to reform 911 Cellular call tracking
People make more 911 calls from cellular telephones than landlines these days, and police and firefighters increasingly worry about finding those callers in distress.
Contrary to what is portrayed on television crime shows, the accuracy of the technology that guides rescuers to cell phone callers can range from a few yards to several miles, even though federal law requires providers to guarantee that their callers can be located in emergencies.
Aiming to improve accuracy, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin told The Associated Press this week that he will propose significant changes in the 911 system.
Network technology uses cell phone towers to zero in on a caller through a process known as triangulation. But to triangulate, there need to be at least three towers near the caller, which is unlikely in rural areas.
The second method uses satellite technology embedded in the phone. Rescuers use a geographical information system that guides them to the caller, often with great accuracy. While those phones are desirable in rural areas, they may be ill-suited in the urban canyons common to cities.
Federal law and FCC rules require that providers using the network method should be accurate to within 300 meters ? that's about three football fields ? for 95 percent of calls and within 100 meters for 67 percent of calls.
For the satellite method, responders must be guided to within 150 meters for 95 percent of calls and 50 meters for 67 percent of calls.
The FCC does not do any independent testing to ensure compliance, but rather acts on complaints. For assurances on accuracy, they rely on the companies themselves.
The flaw in the system is that carriers are permitted to use a large area, such as an entire state, to calculate their accuracy rate. Through averaging they may score well overall, but there may be gaps in some areas that are not addressed.
"It doesn't do any good for people in Buffalo and Albany if things are going well in New York City," Martin said.
The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials has urged the agency to require that testing be done on a community-level basis and Martin agrees. He said he will ask the full commission to issue an order granting APCO's request.
APCO also has asked that the providers share their accuracy data with rescuers, something else the chairman agrees with.
Martin also said he will address the network-versus-handset technology issue, something that may have a profound effect on the makers of the nation's 200 million-plus cell phones.
A "notice of proposed rulemaking" on the issue will be circulated at the commission in the next few weeks.
It does amazinly well given the fluid nature of RF.
I'm not quite sure what the FCC Chief is after here.
Anyone close to the Washington insiders have any idea?
Is he trying to require a GPS unit is every handset?
That won't work when you're in a metal building whether you are in a city full of cell towers or out in the country.
Or is he asking for triangulation Technology be installed where the handsets are GPS only?
Examples:
Nextel and Verizon is GPS in handset only
AT&T and T-Mobile are RF Triangulation only
4-5-2007 FCC seeks to reform 911 Cellular call tracking
People make more 911 calls from cellular telephones than landlines these days, and police and firefighters increasingly worry about finding those callers in distress.
Contrary to what is portrayed on television crime shows, the accuracy of the technology that guides rescuers to cell phone callers can range from a few yards to several miles, even though federal law requires providers to guarantee that their callers can be located in emergencies.
Aiming to improve accuracy, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin told The Associated Press this week that he will propose significant changes in the 911 system.
Network technology uses cell phone towers to zero in on a caller through a process known as triangulation. But to triangulate, there need to be at least three towers near the caller, which is unlikely in rural areas.
The second method uses satellite technology embedded in the phone. Rescuers use a geographical information system that guides them to the caller, often with great accuracy. While those phones are desirable in rural areas, they may be ill-suited in the urban canyons common to cities.
Federal law and FCC rules require that providers using the network method should be accurate to within 300 meters ? that's about three football fields ? for 95 percent of calls and within 100 meters for 67 percent of calls.
For the satellite method, responders must be guided to within 150 meters for 95 percent of calls and 50 meters for 67 percent of calls.
The FCC does not do any independent testing to ensure compliance, but rather acts on complaints. For assurances on accuracy, they rely on the companies themselves.
The flaw in the system is that carriers are permitted to use a large area, such as an entire state, to calculate their accuracy rate. Through averaging they may score well overall, but there may be gaps in some areas that are not addressed.
"It doesn't do any good for people in Buffalo and Albany if things are going well in New York City," Martin said.
The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials has urged the agency to require that testing be done on a community-level basis and Martin agrees. He said he will ask the full commission to issue an order granting APCO's request.
APCO also has asked that the providers share their accuracy data with rescuers, something else the chairman agrees with.
Martin also said he will address the network-versus-handset technology issue, something that may have a profound effect on the makers of the nation's 200 million-plus cell phones.
A "notice of proposed rulemaking" on the issue will be circulated at the commission in the next few weeks.
