Emergency Number 112: Is It Active In Australia?

is 112 an emergency number in australia

In Australia, 112 is recognised as a secondary emergency number that will automatically transfer callers to the country's main emergency call service line, Triple Zero (000). The number 112 is an international standard emergency number that works on digital mobile phones everywhere in the world. However, it does not work on landlines in Australia.

Characteristics Values
Australia's main emergency number 000
Secondary emergency number 112
Works on landlines No
Works on digital mobile phones Yes
Works internationally Yes
Requires a SIM card or PIN number No
Requires mobile coverage Yes
Connects to Police, fire or ambulance services
Cost of call Free

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112 is an international standard emergency number

Australia's main emergency service number is Triple Zero (000), which can be used to reach the police, fire, or ambulance services. However, 112 is also recognised as an emergency number in Australia.

112 is an internationally recognised emergency number, which means that it can be used to reach emergency services from anywhere in the world. This is especially useful when travelling or if you do not know the local emergency number. In Australia, dialling 112 will automatically transfer you to Australia's emergency 000 call service. This means that you will be connected to the same emergency response services as if you had dialled 000 directly.

Telstra, an Australian telecommunications company, has Triple Zero Emergency Service Answer Points located around Australia. These Answer Points function as the Emergency Call Person (ECP) for both 000 and 112 emergency call numbers. When a person dials 000 or 112, they first speak to a Telstra operator, who then transfers the call to the requested Emergency Service Organisation (ESO) such as the police, fire, or ambulance services.

One advantage of 112 is that it can be dialled on any GSM phone, anywhere in the world, and does not require a SIM card or PIN number to make the call. However, mobile coverage must be available from at least one carrier for the call to go through. It is important to note that 112 does not work on landlines in Australia and can only be dialled on a digital mobile phone.

While 112 is a useful alternative to 000 in certain situations, it is important to remember that 000 is the main emergency number in Australia and can be dialled from any fixed or mobile phone, as well as certain Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. Additionally, with the recent switch-off of 3G networks in Australia, some older 4G phones that do not support Voice over LTE (VoLTE) will not be able to make emergency 000 calls and will be blocked on Australian networks. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure your device is compatible with VoLTE emergency calling.

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112 calls are handled by Telstra

112 is an international standard emergency number in Australia that will automatically transfer you to Australia's emergency number, 000. Telstra answers calls to the emergency service numbers 000 and 112 and transfers the call, along with information about the caller's location, to the relevant emergency service. Telstra has Triple Zero Emergency Service Answer Points located across Australia, which function as the Emergency Call Person (ECP) for 000 and 112 emergency calls. When a person dials 000 or 112, they first speak to a Telstra Triple Zero Emergency Call Service Operator, who then transfers the call to the required Emergency Service Organisation (ESO)—Police, Fire, or Ambulance services.

Telstra's Triple Zero Emergency Call Service should be used when seeking an emergency response from Police, Fire, or Ambulance services in life-threatening or time-critical situations. This service is free of charge to the caller, even if the service is active, suspended, disconnected, or out of credit for a prepaid service. It is an offence to make a non-emergency call to the Triple Zero Emergency Call Service under the Criminal Code Act.

While 112 is an international standard emergency number, it can only be dialled on a digital mobile phone in Australia. It does not require a SIM card or PIN number to make the call, but mobile coverage must be available from at least one carrier for the call to go through. It is important to note that 112 does not work on landlines in Australia.

In addition to 000 and 112, Australia has two other emergency service numbers: 106 and 911. 106 is a text-based emergency service for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment and can only be used with a teletypewriter (TTY) or a device for the deaf. 911 is the emergency number used in the United States and cannot be used to reach Australian emergency services.

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112 calls are free of charge

In Australia, 112 is a secondary emergency number that will automatically transfer you to the country's main emergency call service, Triple Zero (000). Calls to 112 are free of charge, and this also applies to calls made to 000. Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, answers calls to both 112 and 000 and transfers the call, along with the caller's location, to the relevant emergency service organisation (ESO) – police, fire, or ambulance services.

The Triple Zero Emergency Call Service should only be used when seeking an emergency response from police, fire, or ambulance services in life-threatening or time-critical situations. It is an offence to make a non-emergency call to this service under the Criminal Code Act. Calls to 000 can be made without unlocking the keypad or entering a security-protection PIN, and they can be made even if your mobile provider does not have network coverage in the area. Your 000 call will be carried on any available mobile network, but you must be in the coverage area of one of the mobile providers in Australia to make emergency calls.

Calls to 112 and 000 are free of charge from any type of phone, and 000 can be dialled from any fixed or mobile phone, pay phone, and certain Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. Similarly, 112 can be dialled from any digital mobile phone, and it does not require a SIM card or PIN number to make the call. However, mobile coverage must be available from at least one carrier for the call to go through.

It is important to note that 112 does not work from landlines in Australia, and it cannot be contacted by text message. In addition, 112 is an international standard emergency number, so it will work on any GSM phone worldwide, which is useful if you don't remember the local emergency number while travelling.

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112 works on digital mobile phones

In Australia, 000 is the main emergency service number. However, 112 is also an emergency number that can be used on digital mobile phones. Telstra, an Australian telecommunications company, answers calls to both 000 and 112 and transfers the call to the required emergency service organisation (ESO) such as the police, fire, or ambulance services.

The number 112 is widely recognised as the European emergency number. It was established as the single European emergency number in 1991 and is available on GSM mobile networks. The European Emergency Number Association (EENA), founded in 1999, has campaigned for efficient implementation of the 112 service across Europe.

The choice of the number 112 has been cited as advantageous due to the use of different digits. With modern numeric keypads, using at least two different digits reduces the risk of accidental calls. This is particularly relevant for mobile phones, which can dial emergency numbers even with locked keypads. The ease of dialling 112 in difficult situations is also noted, as it only requires pressing the first and second buttons on the keypad.

The functionality of 112 on digital mobile phones extends beyond Europe. It is used in several countries outside the EU, such as Switzerland, South Africa, Egypt, China, and India. In some countries, 112 redirects to the local emergency number, such as 911 in the United States and 999 in Hong Kong.

Overall, the 112 emergency number is an important feature of digital mobile phones, providing access to emergency services in various parts of the world, including Australia.

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112 doesn't work on landlines in Australia

In Australia, the main emergency service number is Triple Zero (000) and can be used to contact the police, fire, or ambulance services. Calls to this number are free from any type of phone, and you can call 000 even if your mobile provider does not have network coverage in the area.

Australia also has two secondary emergency service numbers: 112 and 106. 112 is an international standard emergency number that will automatically transfer you to Australia's emergency 000 call service. However, it can only be dialled on a digital mobile phone and does not work on landlines in Australia. This is because, unlike 000, a SIM card or PIN number is not required to make the call, and it works with any GSM phone worldwide. This is especially useful when travelling, as you may not know the local emergency number.

The other secondary emergency number, 106, is a text-based relay emergency service for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. It can be called from a TTY (teletypewriter) or a device for the deaf.

It is important to remember that emergency services should only be contacted in life-threatening or time-critical situations. If the situation is not urgent, you should look up the number of your local emergency services.

Frequently asked questions

The emergency number in Australia is Triple Zero, or 000.

Yes, 112 is an emergency number in Australia. It is an international standard emergency number that will automatically transfer you to Australia's emergency 000 call service.

There is no difference between calling 112 and 000 from a mobile phone in Australia. However, 112 does not work from landlines in Australia. The advantage of 112 is that it works on any GSM phone, anywhere in the world, which is useful if you don't remember the local emergency number.

When you call 112 or 000, you will first speak to a Telstra Triple Zero Emergency Call Service Operator who will ask whether you need the police, fire services, or ambulance. Your call will then be transferred to the required emergency service organisation, and the operator will stay on the line until the call is answered.

No, you cannot contact 112 or 000 by text message.

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