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Federal Communications Commission
1919 - M Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554 News media information 202 / 418-0500
Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
ftp.fcc.gov

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).

February 19, 1997

Report No. CC 97-7
COMMON CARRIER ACTION
FCC CREATES NEW 311 CODE FOR NON-EMERGENCY POLICE CALLS AND 711 CODE FOR ACCESS TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES

The Commission today announced it has made available a new code, 311, as a means of quick access to non-emergency police and other government services. The Commission stated that use of this code could improve the effectiveness of 911 emergency services by alleviating congestion on 911 circuits. The Commission also made available 711 for quick access to Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), a service that allows persons with hearing or speech disabilities to use the telephone. Both numbers will be available for use nationwide.

In a First Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM), the Commission directed Bell Communications Research (Bellcore), in its capacity as North American Numbering Plan (NANP) administrator, to set aside 311 as a code to be used for the public to reach non-emergency police and other government services. The Order does not obligate any entity to adopt 311, rather it ensures that any local entity that wishes to use 311 has the option to do so. Wherever 311 is currently in use for other purposes, that use would be allowed to continue until the local government in that area was prepared to activate a non-emergency 311 service. The Commission required that when a provider of telecommunications services receives a request from an entity (for example a local police chief or local fire chief) to use 311 for access to non-emergency police and other government services in a particular jurisdiction, that provider must ensure that, within six months of the request: (1) it takes any steps necessary (for example reprogramming switch software) to complete 311 calls from its subscribers to a requesting 311 entity in its service area; and (2) entities that were assigned 311 for non-compliant use at the local level prior to the effective date of the First Report and Order relinquish the number.

The Commission also directed Bellcore to assign 711 for access to TRS, stating this may further the goals of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the Americans With Disabilities Act by significantly facilitating TRS access. In addition, the Commission required that all providers of telephone exchange service be able to allow their customers to call 611 and 811 to reach their repair and business service offices. The Commission also said that a local exchange carrier may not itself offer enhanced services using a 411 code, or any other N11 code, unless that local exchange carrier offers access to the code on a reasonable, nondiscriminatory basis to competing enhanced service providers to facilitate distribution of their enhanced services in the local service area for which it is using the code.

In addition, the Commission issued an FNPRM seeking comment on issues related to 711 implementation. The FNPRM seeks comment on the technical feasibility of developing an N11 "gateway" offering access to multiple TRS providers; the possibility of providing both voice and text TRS services through the same abbreviated N11 code; the proprietary nature of N11 codes; and the Commission's proposal to transfer the administration of N11 codes at the local level from the incumbent local exchange carriers to the NANP administrator.

The Commission found that the 1996 Act amendments to the Communications Act of 1934 granted the Commission exclusive jurisdiction over those portions of the NANP that pertain to the United States as well as authority to delegate to State commissions or other entities all or any portion of such jurisdiction. The Commission allowed incumbent LECs to continue to perform the N11 code administration functions that they performed at the time of enactment of the 1996 Act amendments to the Communications Act, until further Commission action.

Action by the Commission February 18, 1997 by First Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 97-51). Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Ness, and Chong.

-FCC-

News media contact: Rochelle Cohen at (202) 418-0253.
Common Carrier Bureau contact: Elizabeth Nightingale at (202) 418-2352.

	NEWS
	Federal Communications Commission 1919 - M Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20554	News media information 202 / 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov
	This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
	February 19, 1997
	Report No. CC 97-7 COMMON CARRIER ACTION FCC CREATES NEW 311 CODE FOR NON-EMERGENCY POLICE CALLS AND 711 CODE FOR ACCESS TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES
	The Commission today announced it has made available a new code, 311, as a means of quick access to non-emergency police and other government services. The Commission stated that use of this code could improve the effectiveness of 911 emergency services by alleviating congestion on 911 circuits. The Commission also made available 711 for quick access to Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), a service that allows persons with hearing or speech disabilities to use the telephone. Both numbers will be available for use nationwide. In a First Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM), the Commission directed Bell Communications Research (Bellcore), in its capacity as North American Numbering Plan (NANP) administrator, to set aside 311 as a code to be used for the public to reach non-emergency police and other government services. The Order does not obligate any entity to adopt 311, rather it ensures that any local entity that wishes to use 311 has the option to do so. Wherever 311 is currently in use for other purposes, that use would be allowed to continue until the local government in that area was prepared to activate a non-emergency 311 service. The Commission required that when a provider of telecommunications services receives a request from an entity (for example a local police chief or local fire chief) to use 311 for access to non-emergency police and other government services in a particular jurisdiction, that provider must ensure that, within six months of the request: (1) it takes any steps necessary (for example reprogramming switch software) to complete 311 calls from its subscribers to a requesting 311 entity in its service area; and (2) entities that were assigned 311 for non-compliant use at the local level prior to the effective date of the First Report and Order relinquish the number. The Commission also directed Bellcore to assign 711 for access to TRS, stating this may further the goals of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the Americans With Disabilities Act by significantly facilitating TRS access. In addition, the Commission required that all providers of telephone exchange service be able to allow their customers to call 611 and 811 to reach their repair and business service offices. The Commission also said that a local exchange carrier may not itself offer enhanced services using a 411 code, or any other N11 code, unless that local exchange carrier offers access to the code on a reasonable, nondiscriminatory basis to competing enhanced service providers to facilitate distribution of their enhanced services in the local service area for which it is using the code. In addition, the Commission issued an FNPRM seeking comment on issues related to 711 implementation. The FNPRM seeks comment on the technical feasibility of developing an N11 "gateway" offering access to multiple TRS providers; the possibility of providing both voice and text TRS services through the same abbreviated N11 code; the proprietary nature of N11 codes; and the Commission's proposal to transfer the administration of N11 codes at the local level from the incumbent local exchange carriers to the NANP administrator. The Commission found that the 1996 Act amendments to the Communications Act of 1934 granted the Commission exclusive jurisdiction over those portions of the NANP that pertain to the United States as well as authority to delegate to State commissions or other entities all or any portion of such jurisdiction. The Commission allowed incumbent LECs to continue to perform the N11 code administration functions that they performed at the time of enactment of the 1996 Act amendments to the Communications Act, until further Commission action. Action by the Commission February 18, 1997 by First Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 97-51). Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Ness, and Chong. -FCC- News media contact: Rochelle Cohen at (202) 418-0253. Common Carrier Bureau contact: Elizabeth Nightingale at (202) 418-2352.