The FCC has officially adopted new rules for the accuracy of location data reported to dispatchers when someone dials 911 on a cell phone in the US. For the first time, vertical position data will be required, so first responders can locate people needing help in multi-story buildings.
The rules will be phased in starting April 2021. Vertical position will need to be accurate to within 3 meters for at least 80% of indoor 911 calls. The rules also impose new requirements on standard location data sent to dispatchers by wireless carriers, such as a dispatch-able street address and apartment number.
