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ACMA Proposal On Emergency VoIP |
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Written by PRESS RELEASE
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Monday, 18 June 2007 |
The critical importance of free-of-charge access to emergency
services using new telecommunications technologies was emphasised today
with the release of proposed amendments to the regulatory obligations
for telecommunications providers.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is proposing changes to the Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Determination 2002
to confirm the obligation to provide free-of-charge access to emergency
call services for ‘two-way' and ‘dial-out only' voice over internet
protocol (‘VoIP') services. The proposals are designed to provide
greater certainty for consumers about access to emergency call services
as new and innovative services are introduced.
ACMA's proposals deliver on recommendations for emergency call access contained in the Examination of Policy and Regulation relating to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Services report by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, released in November 2005.
‘ACMA's proposals implement the relevant recommendations of the
VoIP report' said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. ‘The current emergency
call service arrangements have served the Australian public well and it
is intended to maintain this safeguard.'
‘Many VoIP providers already provide free-of-charge access to
triple zero and these proposals clarify that the obligation applies to
all VoIP services capable of dialling into the public telephone
network.'
ACMA is also proposing that VoIP services must be flagged in the
Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) so that the emergency call
service operator will know to ask the caller for location information.
The IPND is a national database of all listed and unlisted public
telephone numbers, customer name and address information and the name
of the customer's carriage service provider.
The details of the proposed changes are contained in a consultation
paper and draft amendment, released for public comment today and
available on the ACMA website.
The closing date for comment on the proposals is Monday 2 July 2007.
Backgrounder
The emergency call service is an operator-assisted service designed
to connect callers to an emergency service organisation in a
life-threatening or time critical situation. ACMA regulates the
emergency call service through the Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Determination 2002.
Australia's primary emergency call service number is 000, which can
be dialled from any fixed or mobile phone. There are also two secondary
emergency call service numbers: 112, which is available from all GSM
mobile phones, and 106, which connects to the text-based relay service
for people who are deaf or who have a hearing or speech impairment. All
calls to the emergency numbers, whether from fixed, mobile or
payphones, are free of charge.
Emergency calls are initially handled by Emergency Call Persons (ECPs). ACMA's Telecommunications (Emergency Call Person) Determination 1999 specifies Telstra as the ECP for 000 and 112 and the Australian Communication Exchange Ltd as the ECP for 106.
ECPs determine from the caller which emergency service is required
and establish the location of the caller through information from the
IPND and from the caller. The ECP then switches the call to the
pre-nominated answer point for the requested emergency service
organisation.
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