All smartphones sold in the European Union should now have Advanced Mobile Location enabled

Today, 17 March 2022, marks the entry into application of the Delegated Regulation 2019/320. This regulation requires all smartphones sold in the European Union (and other members of the European Economic Area) to have Advanced Mobile Location (AML), as standardised at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) [1] enabled.

In the event of an emergency communication, AML automatically provides the accurate location information (derived from the handsets’ location capabilities) of the caller to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in a manner that is compliant with privacy regulations.

Since December 2020, the European Electronic Communications Code requires all Member States of the European Union (and other members of the European Economic Areas) to make sure that PSAPs are able to receive handset-derived location data of the caller during an emergency communication [2]. The new legislation completes this requirement by extending the obligation on smartphone manufacturers.

Even though the two largest operating systems in Europe already support AML, the entry into application of this legislation is a major step for people’s safety in Europe, as it ensures certainty that smartphones in Europe will continue to integrate this life-saving technology.