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Good morning Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. My name is Michael
Amarosa and I am Senior Vice President of TruePosition, Inc. It is a privilege
to appear today as part of the Subcommittee's continuing oversight regarding
implementing E911 Emergency Calling Systems. Enhanced 911 or E 911 is the
technology that locates individuals calling for help from a wireless phone. The
technology saves lives, protects property, and contributes to a more secure
America.
In recent months wireless E911 implementation has made great progress. Carriers
are pursuing their responsibilities forthrightly. Moreover, several states and
local governments have under active consideration legislation that will address
the challenges of modernizing 911 communications centers-- public safety
answering points (PSAPs) -- to receive location information. Just as
significantly, Congress has passed legislation that integrates E911 with
homeland security initiatives by making funding available to local communities
as part of this National priority. The combination of focused and stable
responsibilities that are seriously enforced with clear requirements for
carriers and funding assistance for 911 communications centers is a major source
of the progress.
TruePosition is particularly proud that Cingular Wireless has implemented
location capability in more than 5200 cell sites across the country with
TruePosition technology. It highlights that TruePosition technology complies
with the accuracy and other requirements ("Phase II requirements") of
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This result brings tangible meaning
to E 911; those making calls on these networks can be located by PSAPs able to
receive the information. The delivery of this capability to the American public,
in conformance with the FCC's rules, brings a strong impetus to all interests
pursuing implementation. It reflects that the FCC's requirements are reasonable
and reachable.
TruePosition commends the Subcommittee, Chairman Upton and Representative
Markey, and other members for your lasting leadership on this important public
safety issue. Much progress can be traced to the Committee's conviction that E
911 brings faster emergency response to all areas of the country, rural, urban
and suburban, and that E 911 should be a reality. The recently established
Congressional E 911 Caucus, which Representatives Shimkus and Eshoo chair in the
House, is a further source of support to this critical effort.
Timely and effective emergency response means getting the right people with the
proper equipment to an emergency expeditiously. I spent 24 years working in
public safety and was honored to manage the largest 911 center in the Nation,
that of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), as Deputy Commissioner for
Technological and Systems Development. A fundamental principle of the NYPD was
to bring to public safety technologies that speed police, firefighter and
emergency medical service response to the citizen needing help. During my
tenure, the NYPD undertook and completed major upgrades of the systems
supporting 911. This effort included obtaining funding, designing the system
upgrades, and implementing the upgrades operationally. This endeavor reflects a
microcosm of the ongoing national effort to deploy wireless E 911. Since leaving
the NYPD, my role with TruePosition has given me the opportunity to work with
the range of 911 communications centers, large and small, urban, rural and
suburban. The challenges the system faces today in implementing E911 parallel
past efforts to bring modern technology to emergency response.
TruePosition's very existence evolves from wireless location technology. We have
made a substantial investment to develop and provide commercially available
location technologies that comply fully with requirements established by the
FCC. TruePosition's research, development, testing and implementation have made
E 911 a reality. We continue to work with the public safety community and with
carriers, both large and small, to bring about pervasive E 911. The result, not
only of our efforts, but those of government and carriers, is that we now see a
tangible demonstration of what E911 brings to emergency response.
TruePosition is providing location technology to wireless carriers in 37
markets. TruePosition's relationship with Cingular Wireless LLC represents the
most definitive and extensive rollout of E 911 to date. Recently, TruePosition
and Cingular Wireless expanded their relationship to encompass Cingular's GSM
network. The agreement reflects TruePosition's extensive expertise, testing and
experience in providing location solutions across the United States for the full
range of wireless technologies.
TruePosition has deployed its technology on over 5200 of Cingular's cell sites.
The implementation schedule agreed upon by Cingular and the FCC was met, and
Cingular continues to use our technology to fulfill new requests from 911
communications centers for location information that meets the FCC's accuracy
rules. The action by Cingular and TruePosition is a distinct and tangible
demonstration that E 911 is a reality.
TRUEPOSITION, INC.
TruePosition's systems work in almost any environment be it indoor, outdoor,
urban or suburban, "Anyphone, Anywhere" . The TruePosition system
provides nearly 100% yield and is not affected by obstructions such as tall
buildings or concrete walls. This capability is critical for emergency
responders, who depend upon accurate and precise information regarding the
location of the individual needing help.
When a person calls 911 from a traditional wireline phone, public safety
agencies typically can automatically determine the individual's location; if the
same person calls from a wireless phone, a public safety agency, historically
must rely on the caller to provide an accurate location. As almost 55 million
wireless calls to 911 are made annually from wireless phones, the continued
rollout of E 911 is critical.
TruePosition's technology is network-based; there is no modification necessary
to consumer handsets; nor will consumers need to purchase new GPS-equipped
handsets as is required by other E 911 solutions. This means that TruePosition's
system can locate any mobile phone, new as well as old. All existing phone sets
can be located on the TruePosition system within the requirements set by the
FCC, as soon as the wireless carrier completes deployment. There is no need to
wait years as consumers slowly replace their handsets. Our technology
encompasses the four major wireless air interfaces: automatic message processing
system (AMPS), code-division multiple access (CDMA), time-division multiple
access (TDMA) and Global System for Mobile communications (GSM).
The TruePosition system determines a wireless phone's geographical location
by collecting and processing the RF signals transmitted by the phone. When a
signal is transmitted -- when a phone call is placed -- the system gathers
information about the signal from nearby mobile base stations. The data are
transmitted to a processor that analyzes the information and computes the
position of the caller by using TruePosition's patented Time Difference of
Arrival (TDOA) and Angle of Arrival (AOA) algorithms. For a 911 call, the
TruePosition system then determines the location of the call and delivers the
information so that the appropriate PSAP can dispatch assistance to the caller.
Recently, TruePosition's technology, U-TDOA, one of three high-accuracy wireless
location technologies, has been formally standardized by the Third Generation
Partnership Project (3GPP), the official governing body for development and
standardization of GSM and UMTS networks. The 3GPP decision provides wireless
operators with the assurance that TruePosition's technology will have seamless
interoperability between various vendors' equipment and that the technology will
be widely accepted and maintained. It is another indication of the reality of E
911.
THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION E 911 MANDATE
Wireless telephone carriers are required to provide Automatic Location
Identification (ALI). Under the FCC's rules there are separate accuracy
requirements and deployment schedules for network-based and handset-based
technologies. The FCC has also developed different timetables depending on
carrier size. FCC enforcement actions have led to several of the largest
carriers committing to specific deployment schedules.
The FCC's efforts have been ongoing since 1994. The principal requirements have
been in place since 1996. The FCC's policies and enforcement actions demonstrate
substantial judgment and commitment, and encompass expertise in engineering,
economics and law. It has comprehended the investment that must be made and the
evolving technology. It has resolved difficult issues and struck a careful
balance between the critical need for location information by the American
public, while affording carriers and providers adequate time to come into
compliance. Through its action, the FCC has made clear how critical E 911 is; it
can be the difference as to whether assistance can arrive in time.
TruePosition's network technology network is not only effective but also fully
compliant with the FCC accuracy standards. The FCC has scrutinized carrier
progress. It has also sought to define the parameters of responsibilities among
the various interests so as bring accountability to the entire process. Overall,
the FCC has pursued a "results-oriented, cooperative approach" where
tangible displays of good faith are viewed as legitimate efforts to meet the
objective of pervasive E 911.
Recognizing the range of interests that must join together in this effort, and
the need to emphasize the public policy that E 911 be a reality, the FCC held a
productive forum addressing E 911 implementation. At the forum, the various
interests -- government agencies, carriers, and public safety organizations --
participated in day long discussions addressing how to achieve pervasive E 911.
The FCC's commitment toward bringing about E 911 to all Americans is
demonstrated by the leadership role it has shown.
THE 911 INFRASTRUCTURE
The discovery, development, and evaluation phase for wireless E 911 technology
is largely complete. Technology unquestionably capable of providing the level of
accuracy mandated by the FCC is available. Installation is largely accomplished
in several major markets demonstrating what can be accomplished with reasonable
effort.
For progress to continue, it is important that the FCC's principal regulations
be maintained with respect to implementation timing and location accuracy, as
that technology is available for deployment. The progress that has been made,
and that which will follow, can be attributed to delineating clearly the
responsibilities of each of the interests that needs to cooperate to implement E
911. The respective obligations of carriers, local exchange carriers and public
safety agencies must continue to be unmistakable.
In the context of the 911 communications centers, wireless E 911 deployment is a
systems problem, resulting in part from the reality that different components of
the system are independently controlled. In my experience, the key to successful
deployment in this situation lies in speeding up the lagging factors rather than
slowing the leading factors. As a practical matter, this means assuring
investment in the PSAP infrastructure, and delineating the responsibilities of
private interests (i.e. the carriers) carefully. The obligations of the wireless
carriers, the local exchange carriers, and the other entities that contribute to
E 911 effectiveness must be spelled out and they must be stable. Constant
changes to E 911 deployment deadlines and accuracy requirements must be
recognized as counterproductive.
There is reason for optimism. The recent progress in E 911 deployment carries a
very important implication for how soon E 911 becomes universally available. The
deployment of E 911 systems that has begun will produce vast and increasing
amounts of relevant information as an inevitable by-product. That information is
likely to prove invaluable to all of the wireless E 911 stakeholders --
consumers, public safety agencies, PSAP service providers, wireless carriers,
technology companies, and regulators. TruePosition believes that it will affect
public demand for wireless E 911 service; demonstrate best practices with
respect to design, deployment, and operation of wireless E 911 equipment and
service; and provide benchmarks against which to judge progress and performance.
Again, my experience in public safety counsels that once there is tangible
evidence of a service, and how it can speed emergency response, the public
comprehends the importance and advocates its priority. Once embraced by a
community's political leadership, the financial challenges to finding the public
investment necessary to enhance the emergency response infrastructure moves
toward resolution.
FUNDING THE 911 INFRASTRUCTURE
Public investment in ensuring that 911 communications centers are able to
receive and use E 911 and other information is a critical part of improving
homeland security and should be considered a National priority deserving of
financial assistance. The individuals who staff the local 911 centers are the
first responders a citizen contacts when facing an emergency. Confronting the
challenge of improving homeland security by improving the efficiency of the
Nation's 911 centers will provide tangible improvement toward getting the right
emergency help to an incident sooner.
The current PSAP infrastructure, the communications centers that receive 911
calls, face the challenge of integrating the varying technologies that bring
about automatic number information and automatic location information that are
the fundamentals of E 911. Without increased investment, the current PSAP
infrastructure will be constrained in its ability to bring E 911 to all
Americans. Investment must be directed to upgrading internal PSAP infrastructure
so that the location information and other caller information now being provided
by wireless carriers can be transmitted efficiently and effectively to the 911
communications center. Fostering investment in the PSAP infrastructure is a
critical element in bringing E 911 to the public. It will enhance the quality of
emergency response.
The funding issue encompasses at least two elements. The first is providing
adequate funding that allows each community to make the necessary upgrades to
receive E 911 information. The second is to analyze present funding mechanisms
to determine whether monies are appropriately directed.
We begin with one advantage. The formal institutional structures are in place.
There is no need to create a new significant governmental apparatus to provide
what is needed. State and local governments have built and managed 911
communication centers effectively. The centers are an important part of
providing core public safety services to their communities. In a very real way,
911 communications centers are instrumental in providing the most basic
government service and their performance is a measure of how well government is
responding to its citizens.
Funding assistance should be predicated on the specific objective of modernizing
customer premises equipment of the 911 centers, including design and
modification so that the 911 communication center infrastructure is capable of
effective and efficient receipt of automatic number, automatic location, and
other information via wirleline, wireless and emerging technology forms of
communication. Funding should also be available to train personnel to operate
the upgraded systems.
In this latter regard, the ongoing educational efforts of the National Emergency
Numbering Association (NENA) has significantly aided both small and large PSAPs
in understanding the FCC's rules and what must be undertaken to meet the formal
requirements for making a valid request to a carrier for wireless location
information. These efforts should continue and will assist in ensuring that
funds are properly directed to meet the goal of a nationwide E 911 capability.
In an important related issue, present funding structures for 911 communications
centers remain a very serious problem. There are numerous circumstances where
the monies assessed against wireless phone use, ostensibly for purposes of E 911
and other emergency communications service cost recovery, are much too often
diverted to fund other programs or cover state and local government fiscal
shortfalls. Any financial assistance should address and correct this problem.
TruePosition believes that this will ultimately be corrected. As wireless
location is implemented, it will produce material improvements in safety of life
and property. As dramatic episodes of the technology's effectiveness come to
light, it should create a public demand for installation in every community,
making the diversion of funds less likely. In the meantime, however, it is a
practice that should be actively discouraged.
An indication of progress is that several state legislatures in their current
sessions have under active consideration proposals that will establish or reform
funding mechanisms for PSAP implementation of E 911. These important endeavors,
when combined with Congress' action in the Wartime Supplemental Appropriations
Act, signed by the President on April 16, 2003, which recognized that
modernizing 911 communications centers so E 911 information can be received is
an integral part of homeland security, and makes available resources to state
and local governments, reflects significant progress.
SUMMARY
E 911 is a reality. Its place in providing a more secure homeland by providing
more expeditious response to the citizen as a critical tool for the Nation's
first responders is demonstrated by the progress made since the Subcommittee's
last hearing. TruePosition continues to work closely with large and small public
safety agencies and the dedicated associations and individuals that represent
them, to best integrate our system into the 911 communications centers that
receive emergency calls. We have also worked closely with wireless carriers in
their significant cooperative effort toward the goal of E 911 deployment. We
think that an emphasis on those circumstances where challenges remains, such as
the need for investment to upgrade the nation's 911 communication centers, while
maintaining the principal E 911 schedules and accuracy standards, is the most
direct and timely path to pervasive wireless E 911.
We commend the Subcommittee's leadership in bringing forth nationwide Enhanced
911 systems. E 911 will help individuals in need. It will save lives and
property and make all of us more secure.
TruePosition values the opportunity to appear before you today.
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