GCI certifies 911 calls now route by caller location, not registered address

GCI Communication Corp. certified Thursday that its IP-based wireless networks now route 911 calls and Real-Time Texts based on a caller's real-time device location rather than a registered service address, a change that matters most in a state where a traveler's phone may be hundreds of miles from their billing address.

The certification, filed with the FCC under PS Docket No. 24-287, confirms GCI has activated a hosted location-based routing solution using P-ANI and PIDF-LO header information to direct 911 traffic to the correct public safety answering point on its IP-based wireless networks. The filing certifies compliance with 47 C.F.R. § 9.10(s)(1)(ii) and § 9.10(s)(2) and satisfies an FCC mandate that took effect May 13, 2026, for non-nationwide carriers. GCI also certified that it and its third-party providers have implemented privacy and security safeguards for location data and are prohibited from using it for non-911 purposes without caller consent. Steve Faulkingham, GCI's vice president of network operations, signed the certification on July 9, 2026.