eircom and comreg conspire to confuse the public about the emergency 112 number

probe

There is no excuse for continuing to use the "999" number in Ireland. It should be have been deleted from phone books and every other publication once the 112 standard emergency number was established.

The 112 number should be conspicuously advertised on Garda cars, ambulances, fire brigade vehicles, phone books, and in all other media references to the emergency services. Without any mention of 999.

While "999" should continue to be ported to the 112 service (ie if anyone calls 999, they are automatically connected to the 112 service, ad infinitum), 999 is not used anywhere else in Europe, whereas 112 works everywhere in the EU and beyond - and in most countries worldwide when called from a mobile phone.

The continued use of a mixed 999/112 advertising message is confusing and yet another indication of the appalling state of regulation of the telecommunications industry in Ireland by Comreg!

Once the 112 "brand" is well established in Ireland, Irish people will be aware of it, and if/when they are involved in an emergency situation on the continent, they will easily remember it when the need arises.


http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0211/breaking63.htm

rmacm

Where on earth in that story is there anything do to with anyone conspiring with anyone? Yeah so the awareness of the number is low, if there's an information campaign organised to make people more aware of it fair enough.....I think you might be seeing conspiracies where there are none.

java

Your title is misleading. 999 has NOTHING to do with eircom.

PaddyTheNth

What has this issue got to do with either eircom or comreg? OP you're an idiot.

Victor

probe wrote: »

999 is not used anywhere else in Europe

Are you sure?

mukki

PaddyTheNth wrote: »

What has this issue got to do with either eircom or comreg? OP you're an idiot.

shsssss i hear a banning mod comming

rmacm

PaddyTheNth wrote: »

What has this issue got to do with either eircom or comreg? OP you're an idiot.

Take 2 days off for personal abuse.

Victor wrote: »

Are you sure?

It's used in the UK and Poland too if I remember correctly + a few other former British colonies.

mukki wrote: »

shsssss i hear a banning mod comming

I've arrived.

seamus

I fail to see the issue, really. If you ring either number, you get the same service. Where's the confusion?

I imagine if you go abroad and you ring 999 you'll also be redirected to the appropriate emergency service. I would also be surprised if dialling 911 here didn't direct you to the emergency services.

FusionNet

where is Muldy and scully when you need them?? Oh I guess the Irish version would be Garda Inspector John & Mary..!!

So Rory, would calling someone a LuLa be regarded as personal abuse or just be seen as a nice way of someone posting something misinformed and silly?!!!

rmacm

FusionNet wrote: »

where is Muldy and scully when you need them?? Oh I guess the Irish version would be Garda Inspector John & Mary..!!

I'm willing to bet that Mary couldn't possibly be as hot as Scully.

FusionNet wrote: »

So Rory, would calling someone a LuLa be regarded as personal abuse or just be seen as a nice way of someone posting something misinformed and silly?!!!

Lol LuLa I haven't heard that one in a long time (usually used by one of my parents after myself or my brother/sister did something stupid). It's hardly abusive but I'd prefer if people remained civil while discussing stuff.

liamo

OP, The tone of your post may be a little overdone but I think you have a valid point (conspiracies aside, that is).

Solair

seamus wrote: »

I fail to see the issue, really. If you ring either number, you get the same service. Where's the confusion?

I imagine if you go abroad and you ring 999 you'll also be redirected to the appropriate emergency service. I would also be surprised if dialling 911 here didn't direct you to the emergency services.

Not the case at all.

There are telephone numbers here starting with 911 and there are umpteen other emergency numbers (old ones) in use across Europe.

The only two numbers that will get you the emergency services here are 112 or 999.

Some mobile phone handsets have several country's emergency numbers programmed into them and initiate a GSM Emergency Call (does not depend on a number at all) when you dial any of them. However, this is not even an officially supported feature, rather just something that some manufacturers do.

112 will ALWAYS work on a GSM handset, it even overrides the SIM lock and will automatically connect you to the strongest available signal, even if that's on another network. Often, you can even dial it without a SIM card inserted!

You can dial 112 or, figure your way through this lot! (And they're just the European ones!)


National Numbers:
Country Police Fire Ambulance
Austria 133 122 144
Belgium 101 100 100
Bulgaria 166 160 150
Cyprus 199 199 99
Czech Republic 158 150 155
Denmark 112 112 112
Estonia 110 112 112
Finland 10022 112 112
France 17 18 15
Greece 100 199 166
Hungary 107 105 104
Iceland 112 112 112
Ireland 999 999 999
Italy 113/112 115 118
Latvia 02 01 03
Liechtenstein 117 118 112
Lithuania 02 01 03
Luxembourg 113 112 112
Netherlands 112 112 112
Norway 112 110 113
Poland 997 998 999
Portugal 112 112 112
Romania 955 981 961
Slovak Republic 158 150 155
Slovenia 113 112 112
Spain 091/062 080 061
Sweden 112 112 112
United Kingdom 999 999 999

Full article : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_telephone_number#Europe

Really, right across Europe they need to simply start advertising 112 all the time and just support their old numbers indefinitely but, not advertise them anymore.

Otherwise, the new 112 code will simply never catch on.

112 has been around since 1992 !! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1-1-2