EENA has been alerted by some of our members about a surge in automatic false calls originating from Android devices. In some cases, false calls may originate from a handset without the handset owner realizing or being aware that their mobile phone is making an emergency call.
Both Google and Samsung are aware of the matter and are releasing updates which are being rolled out now or very soon and until the end of June. EENA hopes to see a decrease in the number of automatic false calls shortly and strongly encourages our members to share their own experiences on the matter. EENA’s Executive Director, Gary Machado, has reached out to members who may have been affected by this issue with more information.
At EENA, we have observed a general trend by private companies to offer more and more means to access 112 automatically. While it always starts with good intentions, it is crucial to keep in mind that false calls should be reduced to a minimum and that – as much as possible – PSAPs should be involved as early as possible in the process and informed about changes that may impact their operations. EENA remains a platform for all stakeholders in the public safety sector and remains available for discussion on this issue, so that improvements to safety and emergency communications brought by the smartphone industry over the last years (e.g. the deployment of Advanced Mobile Location) may continue to improve public safety.