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Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-110

§615b Definitions

Title 47 › CHAPTER 5 — WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › SUBCHAPTER VI — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS › § 615b

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Act defines key words used in it. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Transportation. "State" means any State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory or possession. "Public safety answering point" or "PSAP" means the place chosen to take 9‑1‑1 calls and send them to emergency crews. "Wireless carrier" means a provider of commercial mobile service or any radio service the FCC requires to offer wireless 9‑1‑1. "Enhanced wireless 9‑1‑1 service" means the service the FCC named in the proceeding CC Docket No. 94‑102 (RM‑8143) or any follow‑on proceeding. "Wireless 9‑1‑1 service" means any 9‑1‑1 service from a wireless carrier, including enhanced wireless 9‑1‑1. "Emergency dispatch providers" includes both government and non‑government groups that do dispatching. "IP‑enabled voice service" has the meaning given to "interconnected VoIP service" in 47 C.F.R. 9.3. "Other emergency communications service" means sending emergency info to a PSAP by wire or radio and may include 9‑1‑1 and enhanced 9‑1‑1. An "other emergency communications service provider" is either an entity the FCC requires to provide those services under the Communications Act, or, if the FCC does not require it, an entity that chooses to provide them and is approved by the proper local or State 9‑1‑1 authority. "Enhanced 9‑1‑1 service" means delivering 9‑1‑1 calls with automatic number identification (caller’s phone number) and automatic location identification (caller’s location), or similar successor data, over the wireline E911 network as defined in 47 C.F.R. 9.3 as of July 23, 2008, and equivalent networks, and also includes what the Commission named in WC Docket Nos. 04‑36 and 05‑196 or any successor proceeding.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §615b

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this Act:
(1)Secretary
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Transportation.
(2)State
The term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States.
(3)Public safety answering point; PSAP
The term “public safety answering point” or “PSAP” means a facility that has been designated to receive 9–1–1 calls and route them to emergency service personnel.
(4)Wireless carrier
The term “wireless carrier” means a provider of commercial mobile services or any other radio communications service that the Federal Communications Commission requires to provide wireless 9–1–1 service.
(5)Enhanced wireless 9–1–1 service
The term “enhanced wireless 9–1–1 service” means any enhanced 9–1–1 service so designated by the Federal Communications Commission in the proceeding entitled “Revision of the Commission’s Rules to Ensure Compatibility with Enhanced 9–1–1 Emergency Calling Systems” (CC Docket No. 94–102; RM–8143), or any successor proceeding.
(6)Wireless 9–1–1 service
The term “wireless 9–1–1 service” means any 9–1–1 service provided by a wireless carrier, including enhanced wireless 9–1–1 service.
(7)Emergency dispatch providers
The term “emergency dispatch providers” shall include governmental and nongovernmental providers of emergency dispatch services.
(8)IP-enabled voice service
The term “IP-enabled voice service” has the meaning given the term “interconnected VoIP service” by section 9.3 of the Federal Communications Commission’s regulations (47 CFR 9.3).
(8)1 Other emergency communications service
The term “other emergency communications service” means the provision of emergency information to a public safety answering point via wire or radio communications, and may include 9–1–1 and enhanced 9–1–1 service.
(9)Other emergency communications service provider
The term “other emergency communications service provider” means—
(A)an entity other than a local exchange carrier, wireless carrier, or an IP-enabled voice service provider that is required by the Federal Communications Commission consistent with the Commission’s authority under the Communications Act of 1934 [47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.] to provide other emergency communications services; or
(B)in the absence of a Commission requirement as described in subparagraph (A), an entity that voluntarily elects to provide other emergency communications services and is specifically authorized by the appropriate local or State 9–1–1 service governing authority to provide other emergency communications services.
(10)Enhanced 9–1–1 service
The term “enhanced 9–1–1 service” means the delivery of 9–1–1 calls with automatic number identification and automatic location identification, or successor or equivalent information features over the wireline E911 network (as defined in section 9.3 of the Federal Communications Commission’s regulations (47 C.F.R. 9.3) as of July 23, 2008) and equivalent or successor networks and technologies. The term also includes any enhanced 9–1–1 service so designated by the Commission in its Report and Order in WC Docket Nos. 04–36 and 05–196, or any successor proceeding.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 106–81, Oct. 26, 1999, 113 Stat. 1286, known as the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999, which enacted sections 615 to 615b of this title, amended section 222 and 251 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under section 609 and 615 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1999

Amendments

note set out under section 609 of this title and Tables. The Communications Act of 1934, referred to in par. (9)(A), is act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999, and not as part of the Communications Act of 1934 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2008—Par. (8). Pub. L. 110–283, § 201(b), added par. (8) defining “other emergency communications service”. Pub. L. 110–283, § 101(3), added par. (8) defining “IP-enabled voice service”. Pars. (9), (10). Pub. L. 110–283, § 201(b), added pars. (9) and (10).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 615b

Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110