AUGUSTA – The idea behind 911 – dial that number anywhere in the country to be connected to emergency services – is behind the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to create a series of “1-1” services available nationwide. Although the FCC has assigned the numbers, the agency is leaving it to the states to implement those services.

“These could be very expensive programs to implement,” said Tom Welch, chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission. “We have seen the experience with 911 service, and it is still not fully implemented in Maine.”

The 911 emergency number does not cover 30 percent of Maine’s population, and until Hancock and Washington counties decide to participate, state officials cannot predict when it will be operational statewide. It costs the state about $4.5 million a year to run its share of 911, and that is funded by a monthly charge that goes up to 50 cents per phone line in September. The cost of staffing the dispatch centers is several million dollars more and is paid mostly by county and local governments.

The FCC has set aside several numbers nationwide using the 911 model. The 211 number is for calls related to health and human services, 311 is for nonemergency police connections, 511 is for travel information and 711 is for the telephone relay service for the deaf or hearing-impaired. Maine already has the 711 and 911 services.

“These new numbers sound very interesting, and I think worthwhile,” said Rep. William Savage, D-Buxton, House chairman of the Legislature’s Utilities and Energy Committee. “But who is going to pay for them?”

Savage said it was difficult to garner support among lawmakers this session to increase the monthly charge on telephone bills to pay for the 911 service. He said there are already taxes, fees and surcharges added to phone bills and a lot of lawmakers are reluctant to add any more.

“But I would be open to looking at other options to fund some of these services if a good case can be made,” he said. “Like using a user-fee approach for the travel advisory number.”

Russell Charette at the Department of Transportation said charging user fees is one approach to funding the 511 service. He said while DOT Commissioner John Melrose has told him to develop the plans for a statewide system in Maine, no funding decisions have been made.

“This is still very much in the planning stages,” he said, “but the commissioner has said he wants to implement a system, so we are working on it.”

Charette estimated it would cost $200,000 a year to operate the travel advisory number, with some costs hard to estimate until planning is complete. For example, one approach would be an automated answering system in which a traveler punches in the route number and a computer-synthesized voice would give the status of construction delays or detour information. He said there are some federal funds available to help pay construction costs.

“Eventually we could see a system that automatically determines where the person is calling from, including from a cellphone, and that would determine the information they received,” he said.

A group of human services providers, led by United Way organizations across the state, are developing a plan for 211 services. John Shoos of United Way of Portland heads a task force established to look at options for developing a Maine system. The group is months away from making a recommendation.

“There are a lot of what we call ‘help lines’ out there, and United Way is helping to pay for a lot them,” he said. “So is state government. We think there are efficiencies by having one number, 211, for people to remember for nonemergency help.”

Shoos said Ingraham Volunteers in Portland gets close to 60,000 calls a year to its local help line. He said there are similar organizations in other areas of the state, as well as a number of toll-free help hot lines funded by state and local governments.

“We are trying to come up with a plan that works for Maine,” Shoos said, “but we realize it will take resources, and that has to be part of the plan.”

Shoos said Connecticut has some local 211 services and is working to implement a statewide system. He said that plan is funded by a surcharge on phone services and is one option Maine should consider. But that approach would be controversial.

“I would be very concerned about adding another surcharge on people’s phone bills,” said Public Advocate Steve Ward. “I think there is growing concern about these charges, and some people criticize them as a hidden tax.”

The Public Advocate’s Office is charged with representing consumers in matters before the Public Utilities Commission.

So far, no group has approached the PUC about the 311 service for nonemergency police calls. Of all the “1-1” numbers, only the 711 service is available statewide in Maine. The 711 service is paid for by all ratepayers as part of their basic rates under a mandate from the FCC. There are only about 400 users in Maine.

‘1-1’ numbers at a glance

How three-digit “1-1” numbers are being used:

111 ? long-distance access

211 ? nonemergency help calls related to health and human services

311 ? nonemergency police calls

411 ? generally used by phone companies for directory assistance

511 ? travel-advisory information

611 ? generally used by phone companies for repair service requests

711 ? telephone relay service for the deaf and hearing-impaired

811 ? not used because of possible confusion with toll-free 800 services

911 ? emergency police and fire calls