Canadian wireless carriers have started testing technology to pinpoint the physical location of 911 callers, but will face challenges in meeting the February 2010 regulatory deadline, according to Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association president, Bernard Lord.

“It’s going to be a significant challenge to deploy this county-wide for next February,” Lord said yesterday, noting that the effort would cost “millions and millions of dollars.” Individual carriers will have to make their own decisions about whether to pass these costs on to consumers in the form of higher 911 access fees.

Canada’s telecom regulator, the CRTC, ordered cell phone companies to implement enhanced 911 technology after it became apparent that several people had died after emergency dispatchers were unable to pinpoint their exact whereabouts.

More than half of Canada’s 911 calls are now made using mobile phones.