FCC grants E9-1-1 Galileo request to AT&T

August 25, 2020  - By

AT&T logoOn Aug. 19, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a request for authorization from AT&T Services to use Galileo for emergency location purposes.

AT&T plans to use Galileo in conjunction with GPS to improve the accuracy of its E9-1-1 location services on mobile devices, and facilitate faster response from emergency services when wireless callers dial 9-1-1.

The request was approved by the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau .

The FCC found that AT&T had satisfied the conditions for commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers to integrate foreign satellite signals into E9-1-1 services.

Under E9-1-1 requirements established in 2015, CMRS providers seeking to use foreign signals for E9-1-1 services must meet several conditions, including ensuring that integrating non-U.S. signals won’t cause interference with the E9-1-1 system.

Carriers also need to submit a signal integration plan including a mechanism to detect, mitigate and disable Galileo signals if they cause harmful interference.

Read the order here.

About the Author: Tracy Cozzens

Senior Editor Tracy Cozzens joined GPS World magazine in 2006. She also is editor of GPS World’s newsletters and the sister website Geospatial Solutions. She has worked in government, for non-profits, and in corporate communications, editing a variety of publications for audiences ranging from federal government contractors to teachers.