2013 Maryland Code
PUBLIC SAFETY
§ 1-301 - Definitions

§1-301.

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) “Additional charge” means the charge imposed by a county in accordance with § 1-311 of this subtitle.

(c) “Board” means the Emergency Number Systems Board.

(d) “Commercial mobile radio service” or “CMRS” means mobile telecommunications service that is:

(1) provided for profit with the intent of receiving compensation or monetary gain;

(2) an interconnected, two-way voice service; and

(3) available to the public.

(e) “Commercial mobile radio service provider” or “CMRS provider” means a person authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide CMRS in the State.

(f) “County plan” means a plan for a 9-1-1 system or enhanced 9-1-1 system, or an amendment to the plan, developed by a county or several counties together under this subtitle.

(g) (1) “Customer” means:

(i) the person that contracts with a home service provider for CMRS; or

(ii) the end user of the CMRS if the end user of the CMRS is not the contracting party.

(2) “Customer” does not include:

(i) a reseller of CMRS; or

(ii) a serving carrier under an arrangement to serve the customer outside the home service provider’s licensed service area.

(h) “Enhanced 9-1-1 system” means a 9-1-1 system that provides:

(1) automatic number identification;

(2) automatic location identification; and

(3) any other technological advancements that the Board requires.

(i) “FCC order” means an order issued by the Federal Communications Commission under proceedings regarding the compatibility of enhanced 9-1-1 systems and delivery of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 service.

(j) “Home service provider” means the facilities-based carrier or reseller that contracts with a customer to provide CMRS.

(k) “Next generation 9-1-1 services” means an Internet Protocol (IP)-based system, comprised of hardware, software, data, and operational policies and procedures, that:

(1) provides standardized interfaces from emergency call and message services to support emergency communications;

(2) processes all types of emergency calls, including voice, text, data, and multimedia information;

(3) acquires and integrates additional emergency call data useful to call routing and handling;

(4) delivers the emergency calls, messages, and data to the appropriate public safety answering point and other appropriate emergency entities;

(5) supports data or video communications needs for coordinated incident response and management; and

(6) provides broadband service to public safety answering points or other first responder entities.

(l) “9-1-1-accessible service” means telephone service or another communications service that connects an individual dialing the digits 9-1-1 to an established public safety answering point.

(m) “9-1-1 fee” means the fee imposed in accordance with § 1-310 of this subtitle.

(n) (1) “9-1-1 service carrier” means a provider of CMRS or other 9-1-1-accessible service.

(2) “9-1-1 service carrier” does not include a telephone company.

(o) (1) “9-1-1 system” means telephone service that:

(i) meets the planning guidelines established under this subtitle; and

(ii) automatically connects an individual dialing the digits 9-1-1 to an established public safety answering point.

(2) “9-1-1 system” includes:

(i) equipment for connecting and outswitching 9-1-1 calls within a telephone central office;

(ii) trunking facilities from a telephone central office to a public safety answering point; and

(iii) equipment to connect 9-1-1 calls to the appropriate public safety agency.

(p) “9-1-1 Trust Fund” means the fund established under § 1-308 of this subtitle.

(q) “Public safety agency” means:

(1) a functional division of a public agency that provides fire fighting, police, medical, or other emergency services; or

(2) a private entity that provides fire fighting, police, medical, or other emergency services on a voluntary basis.

(r) “Public safety answering point” means a communications facility that:

(1) is operated on a 24-hour basis;

(2) first receives 9-1-1 calls in a 9-1-1 service area; and

(3) as appropriate, dispatches public safety services directly, or transfers 9-1-1 calls to appropriate public safety agencies.

(s) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

(t) “Wireless enhanced 9-1-1 service” means enhanced 9-1-1 service under an FCC order.