The Federal Communications Commission has rejected requests from cell phone companies that asked for extensions to a federal requirement for enhanced 911 systems, AP/SiliconValley.com reports.
The FCC denied petitions from:
- Alltel;
- Centennial Communications;
- Dobson Cellular;
- Leap Wireless International;
- Nextel Partners, a Sprint Nextel subsidiary;
- Sprint Nextel;
- Qwest Wireless; and
- Verizon Wireless.
The companies failed to provide 95% of their subscribers with location-capable handsets by Dec. 31, 2005. Alltel, Nextel Partners, Sprint Nextel and U.S. Cellular were referred for FCC enforcement action and could be subject to fines due to low penetration rates and lack of suitable future compliance plans, according to an FCC spokesperson.
The FCC has directed most of the companies to follow its reporting requirements beginning Feb. 1 to keep the FCC informed of their progress,
AP/SiliconValley.com reports (
AP/SiliconValley.com, 1/5).