ICASA prescribes emergency numbers

By Damaria Senne, ITWeb senior journalist

Johannesburg, 25 Oct 2007

The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has published draft regulations prescribing free phone numbers. This would allow South Africans continued access to emergency services, even if their phones have been disconnected.

Last week, in the Government Gazette, ICASA prescribed 112, 10111, 10177 and 107 as emergency numbers available to citizens. SIM-locked, SIM-less or soft-locked phones must not be a barrier to subscribers accessing emergency numbers, the draft regulations say.

Communications licensees are also required to provide the location and identity of the caller to the 112 emergency centres, and emergency organisations throughout SA. Customer information should include user name, surname or company, street name, house number or town, as well as latitude, longitude or altitude of the caller, the draft regulations say.

The regulations also provide that in instances where the emergency call was made from a public phone or community service telephone, the licensee shall ensure caller line identification is sent to the 112 emergency centre.

The regulations will apply to all communications network service providers, as well as communications service providers.

The draft regulations provide that the Department of Communications will fund the emergency centres with approval from National Treasury. The ICT industry will also be asked to make contributions when required.

Existing measures

Cell C says the draft regulations may have severe implications as the mobile operator already provides emergency services through an agreement with International SOS. However, media relations manager Pamella Mongoato Radebe did not elaborate on these potential implications.

Vodacom also supports emergency services through its arrangement with Netcare 911. MTN SA head of regulatory affairs Graham de Vries says 112 emergency services have always been available to MTN`s customers, regardless of a subscriber`s account status.

"Since the inception of MTN services in 1994, MTN has provided access to the 112 emergency service to its customers free of charge. All the costs related to calls by MTN customers to the 112 emergency service have always been covered by MTN."

De Vries adds that, in the event that a customer of another GSM network makes a call to the 112 emergency service, and the call is not within the other operator`s network coverage, MTN will complete the call to the 112 emergency call centre.

Vodacom chief communications officer Dot Field says the mobile operator will present its viewpoint to ICASA around the 23 November. MTN will consider the proposals made by ICASA and make its written submissions in due course, De Vries says.

Automatic ID

Another challenge is the requirement for communications providers to provide automatic location identity, says Cell C`s Radebe.

Last week, the mobile operators told the National Council of Provinces that the 12-month period for them to capture prepaid customer data to fulfil the requirements of the Regulation of Interception and Provision of Communication-related Information Act is too short.

Cell C also notes there is the possibility that all telecoms operators may have to pay interconnection fees to Telkom, as most of the 112 calls will be rerouted to a fixed number (police station, hospital, etc). This issue will be further substantiated in the mobile operator`s submission to ICASA.

Cell C says the regulations do not provide any clarity regarding the coexistence of 112 emergency call centres, to be run by government, and emergency services offered by operators.

The operator says the industry has written a letter to the Department of Communications seeking clarity on some of the provisions of the draft regulations, including the location of the emergency centres to be run by government. Communications department spokesman Albi Modise was unable to confirm receipt of the letter.