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47 U.S.C. § 615b — Definitions

Verified against govinfo.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on govinfo.gov
As used in this Act:
  1. (1)SecretaryThe term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Transportation.
  2. (2)StateThe term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States.
  3. (3)Public safety answering point; PSAPThe 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. (4)Wireless carrierThe 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. (5)Enhanced wireless 9–1–1 serviceThe 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. (6)Wireless 9–1–1 serviceThe 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. (7)Emergency dispatch providersThe term “emergency dispatch providers” shall include governmental and nongovernmental providers of emergency dispatch services.
  8. (8)1 Other emergency communications serviceThe 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. (9)Other emergency communications service providerThe term “other emergency communications service provider” means—
    1. (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
    2. (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. (10)Enhanced 9–1–1 serviceThe 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.