NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12
th
Street, S.W.
Washington, D. C.  20554
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).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Fax-On-Demand   202 / 418-2830
TTY 202/418-2555
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
ftp.fcc.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
January 30, 2014              Rochelle Cohen, (202) 418-1162
Email: rochelle.cohen@fcc.gov
FCC SETS PATH FOR WIDESPREAD TEXT-TO-911 DEPLOYMENT
Building on the Commitments Made by the Nation’s Four Largest Wireless Carriers, 
FCC Encourages Other Text Providers to Offer Text-to-911; 
Seeks Comment on Regulatory Proposals to Meet Goal
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission said today that text providers should enable 
the public to text 911 in an emergency, encouraging providers that have not begun deploying text-to-911 to 
forge solutions to meet this goal. The Commission also sought further comment on regulatory proposals to 
help ensure that Americans will be able to send these texts by the end of the year, regardless of which text 
provider they use, in areas where 911 call centers can receive texts.
Noting Americans’ increasing reliance on text messaging, the Commission said that access to 911 is a core 
value that should be maintained as technology changes. Reports indicate that 91 percent of American adults 
own a cell phone, and 81 percent of cell phone owners use text messaging. In addition, Internet-based 
(“over the top”) text messaging applications are an increasingly popular alternative to the text messaging 
provided by wireless carriers (called short messaging service, or SMS). While voice calling to 911 remains 
the preferred method, consumers also expect to be able to send a text to 911 and have it reach authorities. 
Yet text-to-911 is not currently available in most areas or on most texting platforms. 
In adopting a policy statement that outlines objectives for text-to-911, the Commission noted that the 
nation’s four largest wireless carriers, with the support of leading public safety organizations, voluntarily 
committed to make text-to-911 available to their customers by May 15, 2014, in areas where the 911 call 
center is prepared to receive texts. The Commission recognized the leadership of these wireless carriers and 
the 911 call centers that are deploying text-to-911, and said that action is needed to make the service 
uniformly available. 
Accordingly, the Commission encouraged all wireless providers as well as other “interconnected” text 
providers (that is, “over the top” text providers with applications that support sending and receiving text 
messages to and from phone numbers) to work with the public safety community to develop similar 
commitments to support text-to-911 in a timely manner and to propose a solution for consideration by the 
FCC. If stakeholders develop a satisfactory proposal, the Commission stated that it would only need to 
codify the solution to ensure that it applies to all providers equally, including new entrants to the
marketplace, and gives clarity to the 911 community.
In addition, the Commission is considering a proposed rule that text-to-911 be made available by all text 
providers by the end of this year. To that end, the Commission adopted a Second Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on the proposed year-end timeframe and several aspects of 
implementation, particularly relating to the technical ability of “interconnected” text providers to comply 
with a text-to-911 mandate, as well as longer-term text-to-911 issues. To help inform and protect consumers 
2as text-to-911 is deployed, the Commission previously adopted rules requiring text providers to send an 
automatic “bounce-back” text message to consumers who try to text 911 where the service is not available.  
Text-to-911 helps keep pace with how consumers communicate today and can provide a lifesaving 
alternative in situations where a person who is deaf, hard of hearing or has a speech disability is unable 
to make a voice call, where voice networks are congested, or where a 911 voice call could endanger the 
caller. Approximately 15 percent of the United States population, or 34.5 million people, are deaf or hard of 
hearing, and approximately 7.5 million people have speech disabilities. However text-to-911 is a 
complement to, not a substitute for, existing voice-based 911 service, so consumers should use a voice call 
to contact 911 during an emergency when possible.
Action by the Commission January 30, 2014, by Policy Statement and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 
14-6). Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O’Rielly with Chairman Wheeler, 
Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O’Rielly issuing statements.
– FCC –
For more news and information about the FCC please visit: www.fcc.gov