The FCC 22-88 Report and Order, Explained

Every year, around 240 million 911 calls are made in the US. To ensure that these calls reach the right emergency services provider, a complex ecosystem of emergency providers and regulations is in place. Emergency call systems have been improved over time with new laws like Kari's Law and MLTS regulations prompted by RAY BAUM’s Act. However, following a multi-carrier 911 outage in September 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced specific guidelines to improve emergency services infrastructure reliability. The FCC 22-88 Report and Order requires service providers to adopt procedures to notify Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) of network outages or potential outages. This regulation aims to create robust risk mitigation strategies, reduce potential disruptions in emergency services, and ensure that citizens can rely on the 911 system during emergencies.