The APCO Wireless Model Communities represent a single PSAP or 9-1-1 System in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. These sites were selected as a means of providing each state with a "test site" for wireless 9-1-1 service deployment. It was anticipated that the Model Community would struggle to identify and overcome the financial, technological and operational challenges associated with the implementation of this life saving extension of the universal number, 9-1-1 to wireless instruments for reporting emergencies.

APCO Wireless recently reviewed the progress of these Model Communities toward their shared goal of full deployment. The benefit of their effort can now be used to assist others and perhaps alert the industry and others of unresolved issues related to deployment. A few of the results of that review are presented here.

1. Of the 51 sites, 46 completed a self-assessment document in time for this summary; the remaining 5 sites will have their data added to the final report by October 1, 2003. An estimate of the population served by these 46 responding agencies is in excess of 40 million people.
   As of this report, 25 of the Model Communities are providing Phase II Wireless 9-1-1 service. This represents 54% of the responding agencies. When compared to the August 1, 2003 report to the FCC that only about 1000 PSAPs across the Nation or 13% were operating at the Phase II level, the success of these sites is excellent.
2. Another 15 of the responding Model Communities report having achieved Phase I 9-1-1 service and are moving toward Phase II capability, despite some lingering issues, including funding. Of particular interest is the wide variance reported for the p-ani or data transfer charges of the LEC; while some Model Community Managers report this as a "no cost" item, others identify these costs as still being negotiated, while still others specify a per record charge and in some cases it is reported that there is a monthly per PSAP cost assessment. This inconsistency and variance can become a true impediment to deployment in the states that have no cost recovery mechanism beyond their normal funding stream.
3. Only 6 of the Model Communities or 11% have been unable to reach beyond the provision of wireline Enhanced 9-1-1 service. In simple terms these sites list costs as a reason for not making further progress. For example, the 2003 Report of the Florida Wireless 9-1-1 Board to the Governor, cites eleven counties which list the uncertainty of the recurring costs as an impediment to moving forward to even Phase I deployment.
4. The volume of wireless 9-1-1 calls has grown in every jurisdiction across the Nation. While the relationship of wireless calls to wireline calls ranges widely, the national average reaches nearly 49%.
5. The Model Communities reporting from 31 of the 46 locations (63%) find that wireless 9-1-1 callers truly expect and believe that the call taker knows their location. This common misperception has proven to be a tragic error in some cases.
6. Twenty five (25) of the forty (40) Model Community jurisdictions, responding to a question regarding delayed or denied service due to lack of location information from wireless 9-1-1 callers, reported that delays in response to those in times of emergency had occurred. This means that the usual standard of care and response, the Nation expects in relation to wire-line 9-1-1 calls, had failed according to 62.5% of the Model Community Managers.
7. Model Community Managers were asked specifically about accuracy testing during the deployment effort. Of the 21 responses to this question, a majority described their acceptance of Phase II as being based upon:
       a. demonstrations of accuracy from numerous locations, with known Lat/Long for comparison (n-4)
       b. demonstrations of reasonable accuracy from a few locations, mostly successful (n-5)
       c. demonstrations of accuracy, using both numerous locations and a few locations (n-3)
       d. demonstrations of accuracy that were conducted and reported to the Model Community Manager, without any involvement
           or direction (n-4)
8. Model Community Managers who responded (n-23) expressed a clear preference for accuracy reporting to the PSAP with inclusion of the Confidence Percentage (n-17) and Degree of Error Percentage (n-19). This is critical information as the industry through ESIF has already decided that confidence is not an important piece of information for PSAP Managers and now seeks to define adequate testing methodology, including the suggestion that a regional aggregate success rate is appropriate.
9. The operational and training implications of inconsistent screen displays and "re-bid processes" were cited in almost all of the Phase II capable sites (n-23 of 25).

The APCO Wireless Team will continue to review and refine these results. The information will be made available to other PSAP/System Managers via the APCO Website, APCO Bulletin and as appropriate at informational meetings in areas where wireless deployment still appears to have slowed.

Further, the practical experience of these Model Community Managers will be shared with governmental, industry and technology leaders in the hope of improving the process as well as the final product of enhanced wireless 9-1-1 services.

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