112 emergency number

[rocketron]

Went to a drivers awareness course yesterday, cos i got caught doing 72 on A470, which is 60 regulated.
One interesting thing told us was the international emergency telephone no. 112.
This is useable in EU and many other countries. First came about around 1991 and up an running in UK in 2009.
So your first on scene of an incident, ascertain situation, grab your mobile, whack in 112 and as soon as connection is made help already knows your location within metres. All you have to do then is describe it. How good is that!
So how come I didn't know that.Have never seen it advertised.
Some of my mates in fire and RNLI, and some local authority bods on the course didn't either!
WE all knew 999, even before phone boxes had "A" and "B" buttons!

 

[grim_d]

It must have been in the UK for a bit longer than that? Almost since I can remember having a mobile phone 112 has been valid for emergency calls.

 

[rtbcomp]

What's the difference between using 999 and 112 on a mobile? Do they only know where you are if you have GPS phone?

 

[gavuk]

I was told the same .....here....is a link to a discussion I started

 

[rtbcomp]

I see now, didn't realise you could triangulate with the mobile network

 

[gavuk]

The police did just that when Jill Dando was mudered,they knew where people were by phones around the murder scene

 

[madkayaker]

It uses whatever masts are there for signal and triangulates from the mast to your location the someway you can with Hf radios and VHF

 

[GrahamGKD]

I see now, didn't realise you could triangulate with the mobile network

My phone has a 'GPS' satnav facility but it can't be true GPS as it will only work if there is network coverage (not sure if it has to 'see' more than one base station?). Normal GPS only needs a clear view of the sky, although differential (I think that's what they call it?) GPS uses a base station of some type to enhance the accuracy.

 

[Hitch]

A lot of the GPS phones, i think need signal, to be able to provide the maps etc.
If you had downloaded map software, such as CoPilot you don't need network coverage.

 

[Robotstar5]

What's the difference between using 999 and 112 on a mobile? Do they only know where you are if you have GPS phone?

112 will get you through on any network available regardless of your provider.

 

[rkde]

112 has been in the UK for as long as I can recall, it was in place back when we used to have turn a round dial on the phone, 112 was introduced as in an emergency 999 took too long to dial as the phones where not fast

I can't recall when we change to a phone with a number pad on it but it was a very long time ago

 

[roofman]

112 has been in the UK for as long as I can recall, it was in place back when we used to have turn a round dial on the phone, 112 was introduced as in an emergency 999 took too long to dial as the phones where not fast

I can't recall when we change to a phone with a number pad on it but it was a very long time ago

yea about the same time as picking the phone up and listing to next door cos you had a "party line"...and booking an overseas call with the operator

 

[brightspark]

[/B]yea about the same time as picking the phone up and listing to next door cos you had a "party line"...and booking an overseas call with the operator

and sending telegrams take away out tv computers satnav and mobile phones and our bums will fall out

 

[Robotstar5]

112 has been in the UK for as long as I can recall, it was in place back when we used to have turn a round dial on the phone, 112 was introduced as in an emergency 999 took too long to dial as the phones where not fast

I can't recall when we change to a phone with a number pad on it but it was a very long time ago

The change from pulse to tone dialling signalled the demise of the Strowger exchange.

 

[Engineer1964]

Funny enough today is European Emergeny 112 Day

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/112/events/index_en.htm

According to the latest Eurobarometer survey, only 26 % of Europeans know that they can dial just three digits – 112 – anytime anywhere in Europe, to get immediate help from local police, ambulance or fire brigade services.