Better location identification for emergency calls
Biel/Bienne, 01.07.2022 - As of 1 July 2022, emergency calls made from mobile phones must transmit more specific caller location information than before. This applies to emergency calls, whether they were made from mobile phones or placed by vehicles in the event of a car accident. Thanks to the more accurate information, emergency services can organise their operations more quickly and efficiently.
The majority of smartphones sold on the market today have a satellite- and WLAN-based localisation function (Advanced Mobile Location, AML). As of 1 July 2022, when an emergency call is made the caller location information obtained using this function must be communicated automatically to the responsible emergency call centre based on the location and nature of the emergency. Using this information, emergency calls can be localised to within a few metres of the caller, which can significantly facilitate the work of the emergency services. A prerequisite for localisation is a terminal that supports this function.
Transmitting data in the case of a car accident
Today's road vehicles are equipped to trigger an emergency call automatically or manually via the SOS button to the number 112 (eCall 112) in the event of an accident. As of 1 July, accident data captured by a vehicle's on-board system must be made available to emergency call centres. The data includes the type of vehicle, the type of drive and the direction of travel. The Federal Council established the legal basis for these provisions in Switzerland through the latest revision of the Telecommunications Act (Art. 20 TCA) and the Ordinance on Telecommunications Services (Art. 29a OTS).
Adaptations of emergency call centres
The new requirements have been implemented by mobile network operators in close cooperation with the emergency services and OFCOM. The technical implementation of the requirements was more challenging than expected and in some cases no standardised solutions for Switzerland were available on the market. The Federal Council therefore postponed the planned date for the OTS provision to come into force by six months, until 1 July 2022. OFCOM's technical and administrative implementing provisions come into force at the same time. Emergency call centres that are not yet able to receive and process this information must adapt their systems by 31 December 2023.
Address for enquiries
Federal Office of Communications OFCOM
Press service, +41 58 460 55 50, media@bakom.admin.ch
Publisher
Federal Office of Communications
http://www.ofcom.admin.ch
