When every second counts: How NG112 is rethinking emergency communications

At EENA 2026 in Riga, Next Generation 112 (NG112) took centre stage as Europe’s emergency communications landscape rapidly shifts toward an IP-based future. From cutting-edge routing architectures to real-world interoperability challenges, the sessions revealed both the promise and the complexity of building truly seamless emergency access. Let’s break it down!

Next Generation 112 consistently requires more advanced ways to transmit caller location directly through IP-based emergency networks.

Emergency communications in Europe are moving towards NG112, which is based on an IP packet-switched network called ESInet. Emergency Services IP Network is a core network used to carry emergency communications over IP.

In this model, emergency calls are routed through the ESInet to the PSAP.

When a caller dials an emergency number, the call first enters the ESInet architecture. The primary component it reaches is the ESRP (Emergency Services Routing Proxy), which acts like the entry point for emergency calls. From there, the system starts figuring out where the caller is and where the call should go.

The ESInet uses several functions in sequence, comprising the LIS (Location Information Service) and the ECRF (Emergency Call Routing Function) to route the call to the most appropriate PSAP. The FG (Forest Guide) interconnects ESInets.

ESInet enables much more advanced routing than traditional systems. While it does not rely exclusively on it, it can use precise location data from PIDF-LO, route calls based on language skills, prioritise specific call types such as real-time text, and even adjust routing based on situations like environmental hazards (e.g., a toxic cloud). It is also designed to support cross-border emergencies, although this remains a key challenge in practice.

Implementation is fragmented across countries, creating problems for interoperability. Without a unified ESInet and a single entry point, accessibility remains scattered across different apps and systems, and important functions like roaming callbacks or cross-border handovers can fail.

One proposed solution is a standards-based single entry point that connects all emergency communications into one trusted system. This would allow voice, video and data to move seamlessly across borders and ensure that emergency access is consistent, reliable and inclusive for all users, including those relying on accessibility tools.

Other means than traditional number-based communications were mentioned. Web-based solutions also allow individuals in distress to contact emergency services directly via their existing web browser, without requiring the installation of a dedicated native application during an emergency.

Another key challenge related to NG112 implementation is that current emergency services are trapped in a “technical maze” where fragmented, non-integrated systems create significant barriers to effective response.

The main challenges identified include siloed accessibility in proprietary apps that lack priority or roaming capabilities, loss of critical location data during cross-border transfers, and frequent failures of emergency callbacks due to a lack of identity in legacy networks.

To resolve this, the idea is to move away from these operational silos by adopting the ETSI TS 103 479 standard and implementing a Single Entry Point (ESInet).

This unified, bidirectional interface would act as a “golden gate” for all originating networks, enabling Total Conversation (voice, video, and text) and ensuring that multimedia data flows seamlessly across borders while supporting secure, verified callbacks through temporal identities. Ultimately, the goal is to replace the current “proprietary maze” with a standards-based, universal highway that provides a single, secure door for help.