[Press Release] : 9-1-1 calls from subscribers to U.S. Cellular routed incorrectly; reasons unclear

[pr-l at news.gocolumbiamo.com]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: James McNabb - (573) 874-7400

9-1-1 calls from subscribers to U.S. Cellular routed incorrectly;
reasons unclear

COLUMBIA, MO (July 11, 2006) -- U.S. Cellular subscribers trying to
report an emergency in Columbia and Boone County may have been routed to
the incorrect 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the past
several weeks. It appears that this issue affects only US Cellular
customers. It should be stressed that there are no equipment or
operational problems at the Columbia/Boone County PSJC 9-1-1 PSAP. This
issue affects only US Cellular customers due to a US Cellular router
problem.

Several weeks ago, US Cellular subscribers who dialed 9-1-1 in Boone
County were routed to administrative phone lines in the Columbia/Boone
County Public Safety Joint Communications Center (PSJC), the 9-1-1 PSAP
for Boone County. These administrative lines are non-emergency lines and
are not staffed 24 hours a day or on weekends. 

Last week, a resident at 902 West Broadway dialed 9-1-1 from his/her US
Cellular phone to report a fire in his/her residence and were routed to
the 9-1-1 PSAP in Monroe County, Mo., about 50 miles northeast of
Columbia. Monroe County 9-1-1 relayed the information to Columbia/Boone
County PSJC. 

This morning, 9-1-1 calls from local US Cellular customers are again
reported to have been routed to the Monroe County 9-1-1 Center. 

A representative from US Cellular has been in contact with the
Columbia/Boone County PSJC and advised a defective router is to blame
for the problem and US Cellular is working on a solution. An exact time
frame for correcting the issue is unknown. 

US Cellular customers should be aware they if they dial 9-1-1 from the
local area, the call may be routed to the incorrect 9-1-1 center and a
delay in sending emergency responders may occur. 

For any call to 9-1-1, the caller should remain calm, listen to the
questions the communications operators ask, and answer them as
accurately as possible. Do not hang up until instructed to do so. 

- 30 -
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