EENA Update 22/07/2026
EENA’s newsletter brings you the latest updates in emergency communications.
In this edition, you can read about read about NG112 in Cyprus, lessons from the Telstra outage, new NG911 reliability rules, robotaxi-related 911 calls, and more!
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EENA news
Press release: Travelling across the EU? Some countries still fail to protect emergency callers
Millions of Europeans travel across the EU every summer expecting to receive the same level of protection when calling 112. However, despite clear legal obligations under the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), several Member States have yet to implement key emergency communication technologies, resulting in unequal levels of protection across Europe.
EENA’s latest press release highlights the continued lack of compliance with EU requirements for Advanced Mobile Location (AML) and mobile-based public warning systems, as well as the growing risk to uninterrupted access to 112 during the 2G/3G shutdown. EENA calls on both the remaining non-compliant Member States and the European Commission to take urgent action to ensure all citizens and travellers can rely on consistent, effective communications across the EU.
Reflections on a decade of transformation in critical communications
Over the past decade, the critical communications sector has undergone a profound transformation, driven by the transition from narrowband radio networks to broadband technologies, evolving user requirements, and a rapidly changing security landscape. Advances in standards, interoperability and mission-critical services are redefining how emergency responders communicate and collaborate.
In a feature published in Critical Communications Today, Mladen Vratonjić, Board Chair of The Critical Communications Association (TCCA) between 2015-2026 and EENA Vice-President, reflects on the key milestones that have shaped the sector over the last ten years, highlighting the progress made towards resilient, broadband-enabled critical communications while looking ahead and acknowledging the challenges that remain.
Read the feature here (Critical Communications Today).
Webinars
SUNSHINE Training Webinar: Using EU Space Services for Secure Communications and Space Situational Awareness
10 September 2026 at 9:30-13:30 CET
This half-day training webinar, organised under the EU-funded SUNSHINE project, explores how secure satellite communications and Space Situational Awareness services can support civil protection and disaster management. Participants will gain an overview of the purpose, capabilities and operational applications of GOVSATCOM, discover the future potential of IRIS² for resilient communications, and learn how SSA contributes to monitoring and assessing threats originating from space. Through expert presentations and interactive sessions, the webinar highlights how these EU Space Programme components can strengthen disaster resilience.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Projects
RESILIACT launches to advance impact-based disaster risk management
The Horizon Europe project RESILIACT has launched, bringing together 27 partners from 11 countries to strengthen disaster preparedness through improved impact forecasting, early warning, and resilient governance. By combining data from multiple sources, the project will develop a digital platform that helps authorities anticipate the consequences of natural hazards and take timely, targeted action before impacts escalate.
Running until 2029, RESILIACT will demonstrate its solutions across several European pilot sites and beyond, supporting emergency services, civil protection authorities, municipalities and policymakers with advanced decision-support tools. As a project partner, EENA will lead stakeholder engagement activities and contribute to the establishment of the RESILIACT Forum, helping foster collaboration and knowledge exchange across the disaster resilience community.
Support research on community preparedness and warning systems
One of the SUNSHINE Project’s Ambassadors is conducting a short expert survey exploring how warning systems can be better integrated into national community preparedness programmes.
If you work in emergency management, civil protection or a related field, your insights can help inform future approaches to strengthening community resilience and complementing local warning mechanisms. The anonymous survey takes less than five minutes to complete, and your contribution will support academic research with practical relevance for the emergency services community.
Participate in the survey here.
Emergency communications around the world
Cyprus takes next steps towards a Next Generation 112 emergency system
Cyprus has signed a contract to deploy a Next Generation 112 (NG112) emergency communications system, marking a major step in modernising the country’s emergency response capabilities. Over the next 20 months, the new platform will enable emergency services to receive voice calls, real-time text, photos, video, precise location data and automatic eCall alerts, improving response times, accessibility and coordination across all emergency services.
Read more here (Cyprus Inform).
Telstra outage traced to neglected software update
A Senate inquiry into Australia’s nationwide Telstra outage found that the disruption was caused by a missed software update and an undocumented design change to a critical network time server. The failure affected voice and data services, including emergency calls, highlighting how weaknesses in change management and system maintenance can have far-reaching consequences for critical communications infrastructure.
Read more here (The Guardian).
FCC approves new rules to strengthen NG911 reliability
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has unanimously approved new rules to strengthen the reliability and interoperability of Next Generation 911 (NG911) networks. Introduced in response to recent multi-state 911 outages, the measures require greater network resilience and redundancy while also launching a consultation on mandatory interstate interoperability testing to support seamless emergency communications across jurisdictions.
Read more here (Urgent Communications).
Argentina takes the next step towards the implementation of mobile emergency alert systems
Argentina is moving forward with AlertAR, a nationwide mobile emergency alert system that will use Cell Broadcast technology to send real-time, location-specific warnings directly to phones in affected areas. The system will not require an app, registration or internet connection, helping authorities communicate quickly with the public during disasters and other emergencies.
Robotaxi passengers trigger unexpected 911 calls
As robotaxi services expand, sleeping or unresponsive passengers are increasingly triggering emergency calls because remote operators cannot physically check or wake them. The incidents, most of which do not require hospital treatment, are placing additional pressure on first responders and highlighting the operational challenges of managing emergencies in driverless vehicles.
Read more here (The Seattle Times).
Phones alerted millions before earthquakes in Venezuela
A powerful double earthquake in Venezuela demonstrated the life-saving potential of smartphone-based early warning systems, with Google’s Android Earthquake Alerts sending warnings to more than 11 million people seconds before the strongest shaking arrived.
Read more here (The New York Times).
From our community
EENA Vice President, Mladen Vratonjic, retires as TCCA Chair. Tero Pesonen and Nina Myren appointed to lead the association
Following the retirement of long-serving Chair Mladen Vratonjic, who led the association for more than a decade, The Critical Communications Association (TCCA) has announced the appointment of Tero Pesonen as its new Board Chair and Nina Myren as Vice Chair.
EENA congratulates Tero and Nina on their appointments and looks forward to continuing its collaboration with TCCA. We also thank Mladen for his outstanding contribution to the critical communications community and wish him every success in this new chapter while looking forward to his continued work within EENA.
Read more here (Critical Communications Today).
NENA 2026 Conference & Expo took place in Columbus, Ohio, from 27 June to 2 July
The NENA 2026 Conference & Expo took place in Columbus, Ohio, from 27 June to 2 July, bringing together emergency communications professionals for a week of sessions, workshops, networking and discussions on the future of 911.
The next annual event will take place in Nashville, Tennessee, from 26 June to 1 July 2026.