INC NEWS - Durham Issues Analog Cell Phone Warning

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy C. Blalock

Senior Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov <mailto:Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov> 

 

For Immediate Release:  February 8, 2008

 

Durham's 911 Center Issues Warning for Analog Cell Phone Users

Analog Users Should Contact Their Service Providers for Assistance
Before Feb. 19 

System Shut Down

 

Durham, N.C. - As cellular phone service providers prepare to shut down
their analog phone systems within the next two weeks, Durham analog
users should make plans now to upgrade their cell phones since they will
no longer have service, including the ability to dial 911, after
February 19. 

 

According to James Soukup, director of Durham Emergency Communications
Center (DECC), more than one million cell phone users across the United
States will lose phone service and access to 911 on February 19.  "We
have been advised that AT&T Mobility, Alltel, Cellular One, Verizon
Wireless and other cellular providers will be turning off their analog
networks on February 19 due to a change in Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) requirements," Soukup said.  "This means that our
residents who use analog cell phones, which include most cell phones
that are more than five years old, will be unable to dial 911 for
emergency assistance."

 

According to Soukup, U.S. Cellular has stated that despite the change in
FCC requirements, it would continue providing analog service to its
customers until late 2008.  "Digital phone users will not be affected by
this shutdown," Soukup said.  "Digital phones differ from analog phones
because they can have text or instant messaging capabilities, Internet
browsing capabilities, an MP3 player, integrated camera or a SIM card.
The February 19th deadline is only critical for analog uses.  We want to
make sure analog users are aware of this upcoming change and can take
the necessary steps now to ensure they have 911 access."

 

Both the DECC and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
advises cell phone users who cannot tell if their phones will be
affected by this change, should not contact the DECC, but instead take
them to any local cellular phone retail location for assistance. 

 

For more information about the national analog cell phone system shut
down, visit the FCC's Web site at 
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/analogcellphone.html. 

 

About Durham Emergency Communications Center 

The Durham Emergency Communications Center (DECC) is dedicated to
providing Durham's citizens with the fastest and most efficient response
to emergency calls possible while insuring the safety of police, fire
and EMS personnel.  The DECC provides 24-hour, seven-day-a-week 911
access to citizens and user agencies in and around Durham County.  To
learn more about DECC, visit the City's Web site at 
www.durhamnc.gov/departments/911/. 

 

###

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/private/inc-list/attachments/20080208/0a0d7538/attachment-0001.htm 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 3070 bytes
Desc: image002.jpg
Url : http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/private/inc-list/attachments/20080208/0a0d7538/attachment-0001.jpeg