There are press stories describing AT&T’s approach to address E911 requirement. I could not locate the press release at their site, but interesting approach develops if one combine news item at Reuters and at TopTechNews. The basic idea is to demand explicit identification of the location while reconnecting after a disconnect. If the location remains the same as before or if the new location is in one of the covered areas, then AT&T service will resume; if on the other hand, the area of the new location is not covered (only 50% of the nation is covered) or if the user declines to provide location information, the service will be interrupted, even though access to 911 will be provided. One AT&T spokesperson is quoted as saying that this is “not the most elegant solution” and another one is quoted as saying that “this is the best that technology can offer.” But one hopes that they continue to deliver the incoming calls. After all, AT&T benefits from terminating calls especially when the user does not make any outgoing calls. The news accounts are not clear about what happens when the user has traveled to foreign country. This sure looks like an over-reaction to a well intended and modest regulatory requirement.
Update: Andy has posted his thoughts on this matter. I would have expected that he will be disappointed with the high-handed approach taken by AT&T. It is not clear whether he realizes that he can not take his CV box to UK or France or half the places in US. We have to wait and see his reaction after he gives it a try.
Posted by aswath at October 11, 2005 05:29 PM
If I go to the France or the UK with my box I just don’t admit I’m there. It’s not like the USA based PSAPs will be much help to me there.
AT&T has not said the TA won’t work in those locations and my sources say they will as long as you say that you're still "home."
I'll check it out first chance I get, as I may be in Europe to see some clients later in the fall.