As a critical network outage by CenturyLink lingered into a second day, still leaving several cities across Western Washington without reliable 911 service, the chairman of the FCC has announced a federal investigation.
“When an emergency strikes, it’s critical that Americans are able to use 911 to reach those who can help," FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced Friday. "The CenturyLink service outage is therefore completely unacceptable, and its breadth and duration are particularly troubling. I’ve directed the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau to immediately launch an investigation into the cause and impact of this outage."
Pai says the inquiry will include an examination of the effect that CenturyLink’s outage appears to have had on other providers’ 911 services.