If you call 999 from a mobile phone ...

[MrsSpenserGregson]

What information comes up on the call handler's screen?

Last night I watched a BRILLIANT Danish film called The Guilty (you must watch it!!) in which the emergency call handler's screen displayed the name, address, mobile number and landline of the person calling (they were calling from a mobile phone).

Do call handlers in the UK get all this information? Whenever I've had to dial 999 (thankfully not very often) it has taken ages to give my name and address, especially since my surname is very unusual and requires spelling phonetically. Surely if it was already on the screen the call handler would recognise it?

I've googled and I can see that this information is available in the Netherlands but I can't find anything which says it's available in the UK ....

No they don’t and usually films have artistic license to help the storyline.

One thing I wish was wider known in the UK is that calling 999 will not give the call handler any details as to your location etc. BUT if you dial 112 which is the European international emergency number, it transits via satellites so the call handler can trace where you are via GPS. This can be life saving if people need urgent help and don't know where they are. Oddly, this fact is poorly known in the UK though.

So if - say - I call 999 while having an anaphylactic reaction (which I've had to do previously), can the call handler see any of my details other than my mobile number? If I pass out during the call, what happens?

(This really did happen to me in the past, but I was ringing from a landline which I guess must have been traced to my address, as I woke up to police and paramedics breaking down my front door!)

KitKat1985
Where did you get that information from?

I used to work on 999 service and have never heard that before

Unless you have rung them before, they get absolutely diddly squat. You're lucky if they can find what town you're in.

If you ring from a landline they will have your location.

If it is deemed to be a genuine emergency, they can contact your phone provider and ask for your information, but they have to believe it is a life or death situation. They won't do it as standard for a silent line.

It was taught to me by a paramedic who was delivering a course to myself and colleagues (I'm a nurse).

It also works in my car as I have a Fiesta with the Ford Sync system for Emergency Assistance, so in an emergency it will dial 112 and send GPS co-ordinates in case the driver is unconscious etc.

www.gpsworld.com/emergency-112-calls-in-europe-saving-lives-with-gnss/

This explains how 112 works with emergency assistance in Fiestas and other newer cars that have the same technology.

www.ford.co.uk/shop/research/technology/driving-experience/ford-sync-with-emergency-assistance

When I worked on the 999 service and calls from mobiles be they 999 calls or 112 calls all showed co-ordinates which where provided to the police/fire brigade/ambulance and they could feed these into their system to get a rough location of the caller
There is also a mast reference number which would again pinpoint an approximate area
I have read before where paramedics give the information you have advised but have to say that they are incorrect, or they were when I was working in the service

I was about to give up my landline, but I'm keeping it now!

I was about to give up my landline, but I'm keeping it now!

So just phone 112 as a pp has repeatedly explained.

Major cross-post there @Cherrysoup - I started typing my last post, got interrupted by a customer, and finally posted it much later. During which time the other helpful posts (unlike yours) had been posted.

112 it is!

@KitKat1985 thank you! I wonder why I've never heard of that before. I have nightmares about having another anaphylactic reaction and not being able to tell the operator where I am

Definitely use 112. We found this out by a paramedic who couldn't find our place of work.

They found me with no details, no name, address or phone number when I called 101 from my mobile. I'd gone to bed and had a bit of a shock when they turned up. Same happens with 111 and 999 (I have an abusive ex so have had to call a few times). I think they call your phone provider (O2, EE, Virgin,etc) to get your details if they're concerned. Obviously only works if your phone is registered and you're at home but they did say they could track a rough location if not.

excessive That’s why they had your details, you had called previously.

Getting info from phone providers takes time and will only be given in certain circumstances. It isn’t used routinely for dropped calls.

999 and 112 are exactly the same when made from a mobile phone. Normally, when you dial a number, the phone says "set upo a call to 123456" to the network. Emergency calls are different, in that the phone will instead say "emergency call (sim installed)" or "emergency call (no sim)". The dialled number is not sent.

The network operator thus has the option to allow or disallow the call. UK operators will not carry an emergency call with no SIM installed. There must be a SIM in there, although it does not need to be active. The call will be prioritised over the air interface. If your own network is not available, it may be carried by another operator.

The network operator then connects the call to the emergency operator, using the cell ID as part of the dialled number. The emergency operator then knows roughly where you are - at least well enough to work out which police, fire and ambulance authority to connect you to. Your phone number is also sent through, and this is used to do a real-time query to your network for an actual location. In addition, your phone may also have sent a silent text message to the emergency operator with your GPS co-ordinates. This is a recent innovation.

For calls made from fixed lines, the emergency operators have a database of numbers against street address. You can't withhold your number.

I'm unsure as to what information they receive but I urge you all to download the app 'WHAT THREE WORDS'

It's divided the world into three metre squares and assigns each one and specific 3 words.
Give them to the call handler and they'll be able to see where you are - they work off the system too.

Oh I watched that film the other day, brilliant! And I really had to concentrate as it was subtitled.

Random and in there.

Point still stands.

Download 'what3words' - saves valuable time when it really counts.

They traced me the first time I called. I'd refused to give my details. I didn't realise it wasn't standard. I guess it depends on what they hear when you call? They do also do that thing where they ask you to dial a number (I think it's 5) when you can't talk as I've also had to do that (not the same call). Whether they do that with everyone, I don't know. I guess by then I was flagged on the system.

On the subject of emergency location, there have been occasions where people have been unable to describe where they are. What3words is starting to be used by some emergency authorities as a mechanism for people to explain where they are. This is an app which can be downloaded to a phone and allows someone to describe a location as three words rather than needing to read out a grid reference or a lat/long.

excessive There are numerous police systems that can be checked, for example you might have been a witness to an assault years ago or reported a road accident. Not to mention voters roll, phone book. I look for people frequently at work and most of the time I can find some trace of them somewhere on our systems.

Network providers won’t do it routinely and it has to be proportionate and justified for them to release personal data.

I had to phone 999 once,and your mobile does give them information about you.
I know because I asked them.
But he said it remains with them only.
I wouldn`t be overly worried.

Another one just here to agree that is is a really brilliant film. Watched with DCs 15 and 19 and we all loved it.

Even 911 works in the U.K. and will transmit directly to the emergency services.