FCC proposes 911 fines for mobile carriers

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed fines totaling $2.8 million to three wireless carriers for failing to meet coverage requirements for an emergency dialing service called E911, the agency said Thursday.

The FCC levied the fines against Sprint Nextel, Alltel, and U.S. Cellular for failing to meet a Dec. 31, 2005, deadline for having 95 percent of their networks capable of using enhanced 911, an emergency dialing service that gives dispatchers the location of the call.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said public safety is a top priority at the agency.

"I recognize that the public expects us to get these issues right," he said in a statement. "Alltel, Sprint Nextel, and U.S. Cellular failed to meet this critical deadline by a significant margin, despite the clear requirements of the Commission and the needs of their consumers."

Sprint Nextel would pay a fine of just over $1.3 million under the FCC's proposal, which the carriers can appeal. Alltel's fine would be $1 million, and U.S. Cellular's would be $500,000, an FCC spokesman said.

As of the December 2005 deadline, 81 percent of Sprint's network had E911 service capabilities, while 74 percent of Nextel's network did, according to the FCC. The two companies merged in 2005. About 84 percent of Alltel's customers had E911 service, and about 89 percent of U.S. Cellular's customers did.

Alltel and U.S. Cellular have since reached the 95 percent threshold, but Sprint Nextel has not, the FCC said. As of December 2005, 15 million Sprint Nextel customers did not have E911 service, the agency said.

Martin called the fines "significant and appropriate."

"On the wireless side, Americans increasingly expect that dialing 911 also means first responders can pinpoint a caller’s location, even when the caller is incapacitated or does not know where he or she is," he added. "Our actions today underscore the critical importance that 911 services play in the lives of the public."