III. Background Information and Issues
The impetus for introducing 2-1-1 dialing in California finds its genesis in the actions of the federal government and other states. On July 31, 2000, the FCC issued its N11 Third Report and Order assigning the 2-1-1 dialing code as a national abbreviated dialing code to be used for access to community I&R providers.7 2-1-1 dialing is currently in use in the States of Georgia, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.
The FCC noted in its N11 Third Report and Order that the assignment of the 2-1-1 code to I&R providers satisfies the public interest standards for assignments of N11 codes, and recognizes that a great public need can be met through the implementation of a 2-1-1 dialing program. The use of the 2-1-1 dialing code has the potential to provide Californians with easy access to information concerning child care services, housing assistance, physical and mental health resources, aging and hospice services, educational and other programs. Such information is not currently available through the 9-1-1 emergency code or the 3-1-1 police non-emergency code.
To determine whether and how to implement 2-1-1 dialing in California, R.02-01-025 identified four issues:
"1. What authority, if any, does the Commission have to implement 2-1-1 dialing and address nonconforming use of the 2-1-1 abbreviated dialing code?
"2. Assuming such authority exists, are the proposed guidelines and application package attached hereto as Appendix A [of R.02-01-025] consistent with the public interest?
"3. Should the Commission require all local exchange carriers [including competitive local exchange carriers but excluding wireless carriers] to tariff 2-1-1 service? What technical, operational, economic and administrative concerns provide a basis for exempting a local exchange carrier from a requirement to implement 2-1-1 dialing? Are there specific local exchange carriers regulated by this Commission that should be exempt from providing 2-1-1 dialing?
"4. What rules and regulations should the Commission adopt to ensure 2-1-1 dialing is implemented for all Californians in furtherance of the public interest?"8
These form the central questions for resolution in this rulemaking.
In addition, the Scoping Memo expanded upon these questions, and identified six questions concerning the providers of the referral services and ten questions concerning what steps utilities would need to take to enable the publicly switched network to originate and terminate 2-1-1 calls.9
7 See, N11 Third Report and Order, Ordering Paragraph 52 (rel. July 31, 2001.) Currently, petitions for modification and clarification of the N11 Third Report and Order are pending before the Federal Communications Commission. They will not, however likely impact the program being adopted. 8 R.02-01-125, p. 7. 9 Although we do not explicitly refer to these subsequent questions in this decision, they inform our discussion throughout.
