Urban Myth dial 112
Submitted: Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 18:51
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outback epicurean
Hi
I have heard previously about being able to dial 112 on a mobile phone anywhere in outback Australia and summon help. I have always discounted this as I can't see how a mobile phone can connect if there is no reception. A few weeks ago, my wife was at a emergency training session at her work (Hospital) where a SES guy repeated this idea to dial 112 "anywhere in Australia, even if there is no mobile coverage". I cannot see how this can work and am concerend that reputatable people are giving out this message.
Am I missing something?
Reply By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 18:56
Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 18:56
112 will work when there is some sort of coverage - for a GSM phone, it must be GSM coverage from any company; for a CDMA or 3G phone, it needs Telstra ... some 3G phones also will do GSM too.
But, if there is no coverage from any company, like in most of outback Australia, it is not going to work.
Cheers
Andrew.
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Reply By: Stu050 - Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 18:58
Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 18:58
I believe that this will only work where there is cellular coverage.
The 112 emergency number is not network dependant; eg if you are connected to Optus, and there is no Optus signal, but there is Telstra signal, the 112 call will go out on the Telstra network.
112 will work if the phone is locked, or even if there is no sim card in the phone.
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Reply By: Member - Cruiser (NSW) - Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 18:59
Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 18:59
You must remember that to some people "anywhere in Australia" is where there is a McDonalds or KFC and there isnt anywhere outside of cities.
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Reply By: Member - Rob S (NSW) - Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 19:04
Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 19:04
Hi i found this on a sat phone hire company site, as follows.
A short note from us regarding mobile phones.
If dialling 000 please be aware that you can dial 112 from any mobile with or without reception from your particular network provider. Even if the phone is locked the phone will hunt for any other network available to get through to the 000 service. Please note at least one of the networks has to be available.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 22:30
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 22:30
but it HAS to have reception from a network, what the above is getting at is if u are an optus subscriber and dial 112 out of an Optus area but in range of say a telstra area it will connect. But if its in the middle of nowhere it sure wont.
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Reply By: djm67 - Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 20:21
Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 20:21
112 is the INTERNATIONAL emergency number for mobile phones.
While it is true in a fashion that you don't need phone coverage for it to work, it is important to remember that you must have mobile coverage from SOMEBODY'S network for this to work, just doesn't need to be your own carrier.
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Reply By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 20:56
Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 20:56
Let's cut to the chase and look at the official details of this emergency service feature.... Answers to the most common questions, which include this one, can be found at the ACMA website, in particular:
- ACMA Emergency Call Service - Calling Emergency
Services from Mobile Phones
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Monday, May 28, 2007 at 09:07
Monday, May 28, 2007 at 09:07
Great posting Andrew.... clears it all up for me.
Cheers
Brian
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Reply By: outback epicurean - Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 21:50
Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 21:50
Hi everyone, thanks for the responses, fantastic what you can get back over a couple of hours via this site.
happy camping
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Reply By: CapeYorkTroopy - Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 21:50
Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 21:50
Probably the same guys that are telling everybody to save an emergency contact in their phone.
They say it is so ambos can look through your phone so they can contact someone if you are in an accident.
This is rubbish.
All the ambos want to do is get you to hospital, not call your mum.
Once at hospital if your condition is that serious, the docs don't need permission to save you.
All the
first aid trainers were teaching this for a while but then it went away, I guess the ambos found out and told someone it was rubbish.
Cheers, Jack
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Follow Up By: greydemon - Monday, May 28, 2007 at 11:53
Monday, May 28, 2007 at 11:53
This system, known as ICE , was actually invented by an ambulance man and is spreading around the world. It's no big deal to put a contact number in your phone on the off chance that someone might need it, just put it under the name ICE (In Case of Emergency) and even though the hospital may not need to get permission to operate at least they will know where to deliver the body if they are too late. 8-)
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Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 00:07
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 00:07
But remember if you have no phone access on your network and you want 112 to work for an Emergency call, it will only work on another network of the same type.
e.g. if you have a GSM phone, it will NOT work if you are in a CDMA-only area or Next-G only area.
Currently, if you plan to travel in remote areas and you want to have phone access, realsitically your ONLY choice is Telstra Next-G.
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