On 2 June Dutch regulator ACM (Autoriteit Consument en Markt) issued a public consultation on new draft policy rules 112 accessibility from a mobile handset (in Dutch: aankiesbaarheid). You can find the consultation in (Dutch) here. Responses can be filed until 23 June 2020.
The policy rules concern ACM’s enforcement of article 11.10 Telecommunications Act (Telecommunicatiewet). The most important changes that are brought about by the new policy rules are as follows:
- If the mobile handset is capable to use Voice over Wifi and Voice over Wifi is offered by the operator, the operator, in a situation of lack of network coverage on the current location of the user, needs to enable dialing to 112 via Voice over Wifi and be reachable for the 112 dispatch (call-back). Only if Voice over Wifi is not available the 112 call can be routed over a roaming network. In the latter case a call-back option for the 112 dispatch is not possible
- Operators do not only need to provide cell location data but also device-based location data in the form of AML location data if this is supported by the handset of the user. AML stands for Advanced Mobile Location. If the call is routed over a roaming network cell data needs to be provided and the IMEI of the mobile handset of the user (1).
The intended changes will require operators to make technical changes in their networks. The final policy rules are expected to become effective as of 1 January 2021.
(1) for more info on what AML actually is check out the site of the EENA.