Hon Amy Adams
Minister for Communications and Information Technology

15 February 2013 Media Statement

Technical review of 111 service completed

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has announced the completion and findings of a technical review of the 111 emergency calling service.

The review covered the operation of the service to the point where calls are handed over by Telecom to emergency service providers. It did not cover the response of emergency service providers to 111 calls.

“The review shows the service is working well, however, we need to ensure it is well positioned to adapt to changing technology and needs,” Ms Adams says.

To support the future development of the system, improvements will be made to clarify the roles of the two governance groups which oversee and advise government on the 111 service.

The review has led to the development for the first time of overarching policy objectives which are to guide the future development of the 111 service.

The objectives are that:

• 111 calling is free of charge for genuine calls
• 111 calling is accessible to all New Zealanders who are connected to a public telecommunications network
• 111 calling is of sufficient quality and clarity across all supported channels of communication
• The availability of 111 calling on different devices and channels is transparent to users, and responds to evolving public expectations
• 111 calling has a very high level of reliability
• Emergency service providers can obtain sufficiently accurate and reliable caller location information to respond promptly to emergencies
• The security of any information relating to 111 calls is preserved

For more information about the changes go to: http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/technology-communication/communications/emergency-call-services/111-review

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