Emergency call services

Telephone service providers must offer a service that enables users to reach the appropriate emergency call centre in the event of danger to life and limb, health or property (emergency call service). They must guarantee routing and location identification for emergency calls.

Technical and Administrative Regulations for routing and location identification

Emergency call requirement

The Technical and Administrative Regulations specify the routing and location identification of emergency calls placed from fixed or mobile lines to the alarm centres responsible for the location and type of emergency.

Location information for emergency calls (AML and eCall)

Better location identification for emergency calls

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.

Call number display for emergency calls

The Ordinance on Telecommunications Services stipulates that telecommunications service providers must offer their subscribers the option of preventing their telephone number from being displayed on the called party's device. For security reasons, however, exceptions are made to override this option in certain cases. In particular, providers must guarantee that the caller's telephone number is displayed for those connections requiring location identification.

Identifying the location of emergency calls and display of the calling number

Reference model

In order to increase the safety and quality of the emergency call system in Switzerland, a reference model was developed on behalf of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications DETEC and the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors CCJPD. This shows which standards and services the different actors have to fulfil when transmitting emergency calls. It serves as a basis for defining the requirements for technical system leadership in relation to emergency calls.

Reference model emergency calls (PDF, 1 MB, 20.06.2023)

20.06.2023

Further development of the emergency call system in Switzerland

Switzerland's emergency call system should function more reliably. A new reference model for the transmission of emergency calls shows which standards and services the different actors have to fulfil. This will reduce the risk of outages and increase service availability for the Swiss population. The emergency services and Swisscom, together with the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), have identified and defined the necessary measures.

Last modification 20.06.2023