EENA Update 30/09/2026
EENA’s newsletter brings you the latest updates in emergency communications.
In this edition, you can read about emergency call outages in Georgia and Canada, 112 implementation in Indonesia, public warning testing and implementation, cybersecurity threats, and more.
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EENA news
Dear readers,
A recent EENA webinar confirmed that many stakeholders have either not yet started preparing for real-time text (RTT) or are only now beginning this work. With the June 2027 deadline for deploying RTT for 112 emergency communications approaching, we strongly encourage you to act now.
Successful deployment requires early and close cooperation between emergency services, mobile operators, device manufacturers and operating-system providers. Please do not wait until the second quarter of next year to begin these discussions.
If you need help identifying or contacting the relevant stakeholders, please reach out to EENA through our contact form—as early as possible. We are here to support you.
Gary Machado
Executive Director
2G/3G shutdown
New EENA document: Case study on Iceland’s 2G and 3G switch-off
EENA’s latest document looks at how Iceland completed the switch-off of its 2G and 3G networks while maintaining access to 112.
The document explores Iceland’s step-by-step approach to the transition, including the use of formal GO/NO-GO decisions and the 1280 test service, which allowed users to check whether their device could still place an emergency call. It also shares lessons from the transition for PSAPs, mobile operators and regulators preparing for the switch-off of legacy networks.
Review finds some 4G devices unable to reach 112 in Iceland
A government review of Iceland’s 2G and 3G switch-off found that some devices which otherwise worked normally on 4G networks were unable to make calls to 112. The issue led authorities to delay the final shutdown, introduce a test number and publicise a temporary alternative emergency number. Around 30,000 devices were considered incompatible with 112 at the beginning of 2026. This had fallen to around 6,000 when the final 3G network was switched off on 1 June, and to around 4,200 by early August. Iceland’s regulator is continuing to work with mobile operators to reduce the number of affected devices.
Read more here (Iceland Review)
Eir to begin switching off 3G network in Ireland
Irish telecoms operator Eir will begin switching off its 3G network on 1 October, starting in Donegal before gradually extending the shutdown across the rest of Ireland. Eir said affected customers have been contacted directly and may need to change their phone settings, replace their SIM card or move to a newer device. The company said calls and text messages will continue to work normally following the switch-off, while customers relying on 3G will need to take action to continue using mobile data services.
Read more here (Irish Independent)
Webinars
Emergency communications handling around the world: Costa Rica
6 October 2026 at 16:00 CET
This webinar series looks at emergency calls handling systems in different countries to better understand their challenges and provide a broader overview of emergency communications across Europe and beyond. In this webinar, we will hear from Costa Rica.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Overview of Breathing Emergency Detection on Pixel Watch
20 October 2026 at 16:00 CET
Google has launched Breathing Emergency Detection, a first-of-its-kind feature on Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Watch 5, and it has been CE marked for the European market and is available in certain EU countries. Breathing Emergency Detection can automatically place a call to emergency services if it detects a persistent drop in oxygen saturation to dangerously low levels and the user is unresponsive. In this webinar, we will explore the underlying sensing technology, clinical validation, how it works and address questions about the feature.
This webinar is sponsored by Google. Registration is open for our ESSN members.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Register here for the webinar.
Emergency communications handling around the world: Hong Kong
27 October 2026 at 11:00 CET
This webinar series looks at emergency calls handling systems in different countries to better understand their challenges and provide a broader overview of emergency communications across Europe and beyond. In this webinar, we will hear from Hong Kong.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Emergency communications around the world
Finland aims to launch cell broadcast warning system by end of 2026
Finland is aiming to introduce a new cell broadcast public warning system by the end of 2026, allowing rapid and geographically targeted emergency warnings to be sent directly to mobile phones across all networks without requiring users to download an app. The government has submitted proposed legislative changes to enable the introduction of the system, with funding already allocated for its development and rollout. Cell broadcast will complement Finland’s existing warning channels, which include the 112 Suomi app, radio, teletext and, when necessary, television.
Indonesia moves towards nationwide 112 emergency number
Indonesia is moving towards adopting 112 as a single emergency number, with a pilot project launching in Bali ahead of a planned nationwide rollout over the next two years. The free service will be available from mobile phones and landlines and will bring together emergency services including fire, medical assistance, disaster response and public safety under a coordinated system. The government is also working on technical and operational arrangements to integrate emergency response systems across different authorities.
Technical disruption affects 112 calls in Georgia
Georgia’s 112 emergency hotline experienced a technical disruption on 20 September, causing delays to incoming emergency calls for several hours. Authorities published eight alternative phone numbers for people who were unable to reach 112 while technical teams worked to resolve the issue. The service returned to normal later the same day, with emergency calls once again coming through without difficulty.
911 outage affects six Canadian provinces
A technical issue with Bell Canada’s Next Generation 911 network disrupted 911 services across six provinces on 17 September, affecting Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The disruption affected the routing of some emergency calls to 911 centres, with authorities in several areas providing alternative ways to seek emergency assistance. The issue was detected at around 03:13 ET and brought backup systems online while technicians investigated. Service was restored around 04:40, although some connections took longer to recover. Canada’s telecommunications regulator has asked Bell to provide a post-outage report covering the cause, impact on accessibility services and measures to prevent similar disruptions.
Russian-linked forensic software used by European law enforcement agencies
A US-based digital forensics company accused by US prosecutors of concealing its Russian ownership has supplied software to law enforcement agencies across Europe and been involved in EU-backed research projects. Oxygen Forensics develops technology used to extract and analyse data from smartphones and computers, with its products reportedly used by authorities in several European countries. US prosecutors allege that the company was actually developed and managed from Russia and that its Russian owners also controlled a company supplying related technology to Russian security services. The case has raised concerns about the use of sensitive technology within European law enforcement, although the US complaint does not allege that the software contained malicious code or was used to gain unauthorised access to customer data.
EU study identifies early warning among priorities for future disaster resilience
A new study from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre looks at how the EU can strengthen its disaster resilience towards 2040 as climate-related hazards, security threats and other risks become increasingly interconnected. The study identifies 12 priority capabilities, including early warning and detection, continuity of essential services, cyber resilience and cross-border cooperation. It also highlights the importance of interoperable technologies and EU-wide standards, with maintaining essential services identified as a key priority for future resilience.
Read more here (Brussels Times).
Lithuania tests public warning system during nationwide exercise
Lithuania is testing its public warning and information system on 29 September as part of Vytis Vault 2026, the country’s largest mobilisation exercise. Warning sirens will sound for three minutes, while emergency alerts will also be sent to mobile phones. Lithuania currently has 1,163 warning sirens, covering around 69% of the population. The country plans to expand the network to 1,438 sirens by 2029 and increase the number connected to a centralised warning system.
Sofia to test emergency warning sirens
Sofia will test its National Early Warning and Public Alert System on 1 October, with emergency sirens sounding across the Bulgarian capital from 11:00. The routine test will check the technical readiness and functioning of the warning system. Authorities are informing residents, schools and other institutions in advance to avoid unnecessary concern when the sirens are activated.
From our community
ETSI to test cross-border emergency communications interoperability
ETSI will hold its second PEMEA Plugtests event from 2–5 November in Heraklion, Greece, focusing on interoperability between different implementations of the Pan-European Mobile Emergency Application (PEMEA) standards framework. Testing will focus particularly on cross-border emergency communications and roaming, including end-to-end communication between emergency apps and PSAPs. It will also cover capabilities such as real-time text, audio and video, instant messaging, file exchange, authentication and callback. The event is open to PSAPs, emergency authorities, service and application providers, network operators and other relevant stakeholders.
EENA was here
Panel discussion on mobile satellite services
On 29 September, EENA participated in a panel discussion “From Coverage to Continuity – Resilient Mobile Satellite Services for Europe and Beyond” hosted by MEP François Kalfon at the European Parliament and provided its view on how mobile satellite services can improve access to emergency services.
NaN3 – PT Emergency Communications
EENA took part in the 42nd meeting of NaN3, the CEPT project team on emergency communications, held on 29–30 September in Lisbon. NaN3 monitors and analyses technical and regulatory developments in emergency communications, including access to emergency services, caller location information, accessibility for end-users with disabilities, public warning systems and (NG)eCall.
CERIS Innovation Uptake Workshop
EENA took part in the CERIS Innovation Uptake Workshop on 29–30 September in Brussels. The event brought together experts, policymakers, security practitioners and innovators to exchange experiences and discuss how to support the uptake of innovative security solutions.