PUBLIC NOTICE
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
DA 13-1241
Released:  May 29, 2013
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES 
EFFECTIVE DATE FOR TEXT-TO-911 BOUNCE-BACK RULES
PS DOCKET NOS. 11-153 and 10-255
Effective Date: June 28, 2013
On May 8, 2013, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in PS Docket Nos. 11-153 and 10-
255.1 The Report and Order adopted rules requiring all Commercial Mobile Radio Service providers and 
certain providers of interconnected text messaging services to provide an automatic “bounce-back” text 
message in situations where a consumer attempts to send a text message to 911 in a location where text-
to-911 is not available.2 The automatic bounce-back message will provide consumers with an immediate 
response that text-to-911 is not supported and to contact emergency services by another means, such as by 
making a voice call.  On May 29, 2013 the Report and Order was published in the Federal Register.3  
Therefore, pursuant to the Report and Order, the effective date for the rules is June 28, 2013.4
For additional information, contact Timothy May, timothy.may@fcc.gov, of the Public Safety 
and Homeland Security Bureau, Policy Division, at (202) 418-1463.  Press inquiries should be directed to 
Rochelle Cohen, (202) 418-1162.  
By the Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. 
--FCC--
  
1 In the Matter of Facilitating the Deployment of Text-to-911 and Other Next Generation 911 Applications, 
Framework for Next Generation 911 Deployment, PS Docket No. 11-153, PS Docket No. 10-255, Report and 
Order, FCC 13-64 (2013).
2 The Report and Order defines “interconnected text messaging services” as those providers that enable a consumer 
to send text messages to all or substantially all text-capable U.S. telephone numbers and receive text messages from 
the same.  Id. at para. 41.
3 78 Fed. Reg. 32169 (May 29, 2013).
4 Id.