Australian carriers to provide precise mobile phone location for emergency calls

By eGovAsia Editors | Feb 2, 2011

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AUSTRALIA -- The Australian Communications and Media Authority has released new rules that would allow the police, fire brigade and ambulance services to readily access the location of callers using mobile phones.

ACMA, which regulares broadcasting, the Internet, radiocommunications and telecommunications in Australia, said the new rules require carriers to provide emergency service organizations with the most precise mobile phone location information available for emergency calls made from mobile phones.

"Locating callers quickly and with confidence is clearly a crucial element of the Triple Zero emergency call service. The ACMA’s new rules enable emergency service organizations to access the most precise location information that is currently available on the mobile networks and also to automatically capture the benefits from any future developments in location-based services offered by the mobile carriers," said Acting ACMA Chairman Richard Bean.

The new rules were made after consultation with mobile carriers, the Emergency Call Person (Telstra) and emergency services organizations, and have the support of all groups as an important step in improving the delivery of mobile location information to enhance the emergency call service.

The Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Amendment Determination 2011 (No. 1) will be implemented starting April 20.