Feds Want To Trace Cell Phones’ 911 Calls

Federal regulators are prepared to adopt rules that would help emergency dispatchers locate people who call 911 from cellular phones.

Each year millions of people call 911 from cellular phones but, unlike the calls made from regular phones, the caller’s location is not automatically sent to emergency dispatchers.

The Federal Communications Commission today was expected to require cellular companies within five years to upgrade their networks with technology that would tell 911 dispatchers the location of an emergency caller to within 400 feet.

Until then, the FCC would require cellular companies within a year to 18 months to give 911 dispatchers the capability to call back the person making an emergency call.