FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai highlighted problems with multiline...

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai highlighted problems with multiline telephone systems and emergency communications, speaking Friday before the Congressional Next-Gen 911 Caucus, citing a recent situation in which a caller failed to successfully dial 911 from a hotel. Multiline telephone systems operate in “hotels, motels, office buildings, and schools,” Pai said, and “the truth of the matter is that we don’t know the extent of the problem. That’s why I launched an inquiry last month to gather the facts.” He sent a letter to the CEOs of the 10 largest hotel chains in the U.S., with responses due Feb. 14, he said. Pai said there’s a question of who should be picking up the other end of the line in an emergency call as well as the question of location. “In large office buildings or complexes, on college campuses, and in hotels, it’s not enough for first responders to show up at the front door, if one even exists,” Pai said. “Bringing accurate location information to these emergency personnel is critical."