EENA’s newsletter brings you the latest updates in emergency communications.
In this edition, you can read about EENA’s upcoming events and webinars, France’s Next Generation eCall integration, problems with the Greek public warning system, Brazil working on creating a public services LTE network, and much more.
Subscribe to the newsletter here!
EENA News
NG112 & AI DAYS – Register now!
Join us under the Tenerife sun for our upcoming member’s seminar on advancements in Next Generation 112 and Artificial Intelligence! Register now for the event on 4-5 December at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
112 AWARDS 2025
Are you aware of someone who has taken action, big or small, to enhance the safety and security of others? Let us know! EENA is considering having the 112 Awards Ceremony in 2025 as part of our annual event on 9-11 April 2025 in Helsinki. The 112 Awards Ceremony aims to reward citizens and public safety organisations that have worked to improve the safety and security of others.
Submit your applications through the online form by 6 September 2024.
Learn more & submit your story!
New Information Hub on Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/444
We are excited to introduce EENA’s new information hub on the implementation of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/444. This regulation, effective from 5 March 2023, ensures emergency communications in the EU are compatible, interoperable, reliable, and accessible, covering caller location, accessibility for users with disabilities, and PSAP routing.
The hub provides easy access to details on Member State’s reporting obligations and deadlines, helping ensure compliance and promoting best practices across Europe.
EENA 2025 Conference – Save the date!
The annual EENA Conference will be held on 9-11 April 2025 in Helsinki! Mark your calendars for this event filled with interesting sessions and presentations and get ready to network with hundreds of public safety professionals. More information will follow soon.
Stay tuned for the call for abstracts for the conference programme next week!
Webinars
Enhancing emergency communications routing and location transmission reliability with
SIP PIDF-LO
10 September 2024, 14:00 CEST
Join this webinar to explore SIP PIDF-LO’s role in enhancing the routing of emergency communications and caller location transmission reliability. The webinar will also discuss the collaboration effort needed across the emergency communications supply chain to ensure seamless integration of SIP PIDF-LO across Europe.
Add to your calendar.
Tech transitions: Implementing change effectively in the emergency field
24 September 2024, 14:30 CEST
This webinar explores the important aspects of technology implementation and change management. Participants will learn about the strategies 112 Finland and the London Fire organisations use to integrate new technologies effectively and manage the associated changes. The session will highlight real-world challenges and solutions, offering practical knowledge.
Avatar 112 deaf experimentation
1 October 2024, 14:30 CEST
Join our webinar to discover a project using a “Digital Human” avatar with Italian Sign Language (LIS) to improve emergency communication for the hearing impaired. Utilizing AI, computer vision, NLP, 3D techniques, and 5G technology on the Questit Algho platform, this initiative aims to reduce social barriers and enhance emergency management. We’ll evaluate its efficiency and effectiveness in real-world scenarios, focusing on avatar responsiveness and user experience.
EENA Certification Programme for PSAPs
14 October 2024, 15:30 CEST
This webinar will present the PSAP Certification Programme’s renewed standard and process. The renewed certification is organised into three levels, each focusing on key technical and operational functionalities essential for Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). Originally launched ten years ago, the certification programme’s renewal was announced at the 2024 EENA Conference.
Want to know more about our webinars? Visit our website to learn more!
Emergency communications around the world
Charter Communications fined $15 million by the FCC
The FCC has settled with Charter Communications for $15 million after an investigation revealed the company violated 911 and network outage notification rules. Charter admitted to failing to report both planned and unplanned outages, including one affecting over 1,000 emergency call centres. As part of the settlement, Charter will pay the penalty and implement a compliance plan with advanced cybersecurity measures to ensure future adherence to FCC regulations.
FFTelecoms seeks input on Next-Gen Emergency Call integration for 4G/5G networks
The French telecom federation, FFTelecoms, seeks feedback on an updated voice interconnect specification based on SIP/SDP. This update supports the introduction of Next Generation Emergency Calls (NG eCalls) over 4G/5G networks, which aligns with new EU regulations. NG eCalls enable rapid assistance for motorists in collisions by automatically sending an emergency call and location data to the 112 emergency number. Starting in 2025, IVS-equipped vehicles will legally be able to send these NG eCalls.
Read more here (Telecompaper).
Brazil’s government starts work on public services LTE network
The Brazilian government is moving forward with a project to create a secure, private communication network for government agencies, approved by the Monitoring Group for the Implementation of Solutions for Interference Problems in the 3.5 GHz band (Gaispi). The plan includes a fixed, encrypted fibre-optic network across 6,500 service points and a mobile LTE network to unify fragmented agency communications and improve emergency response capabilities. The project, overseen by the 3.5 GHz Band Management Entity (EAF) and operated by Telebras, will be implemented in two phases to enhance security, efficiency, and interoperability among federal agencies.
Read more here (Telecompaper).
Greek emergency system is criticized for unnecessary alerts
The Greek emergency notification system, known as 112, has been criticised for sending frequent and sometimes unnecessary alerts, leading to public scepticism. While the system is crucial for public safety, many Greeks have reported issues with its implementation, such as inconsistent location tracking and overly broad alerts. Some suggest improvements, including a tiered alert system based on severity, to enhance reliability and credibility. Despite the concerns, experts emphasise the system’s life-saving potential and stress the importance of public education and trust in its use.
Finland’s emergency centres have adopted new instructions to reduce overreacting
Last November, Finland adopted new task-handling instructions for emergency centres. The new instructions review the necessity of sending an ambulance more carefully. A new urgency category, which focuses on advisory tasks, has been adopted. The goal is to save resources by decreasing overreacting to emergency calls. The risk of underreacting is being considered, but measuring the cases where emergency calls were underreacted is difficult.
Read more here (YLE, in Finnish/Swedish)
Upcoming in our network
Webinar: Accessibility & interoperability of emergency communications and answering of emergency communications
5 September 2024 15:30 CEST
The ETSI STF 642 team will present the European Commission’s standards TS 103 919 and EN/HS 303 919 on emergency communication accessibility and interoperability. These standards outline the technical requirements for IP multimedia-based emergency communications for mobile and VoIP services, and their handling by PSAPs.
More information is available on ETSI’s website.
BAPCO 2025 opens call for proposals
BAPCO has opened their call for proposals for their annual event, which will take place in 2025. This call for content is looking at ideas and innovations to help frontline workers and practical case studies from end-users. The call for proposals is open until the 9 September 2024.
Read more and apply here.
6th NG112 Emergency Communications with NG eCall Plugtests
ETSI, in cooperation with EENA, is organising an NG112 Emergency Communications with NG eCall Plugtests event in Malaga, Spain, with the support of ETSI TC EMTEL and TC MSG. The University of Malaga will host this event from 30 September to 4 October 2024. Remote participation will be possible.
Learn more and register before 31 August here!