999 or 112, they are the same.

[DT Ralge]

Sorry to dig up this old skeleton but i too have just been told it is better to phone 112 from a mobile than 999 as

 

1) "its quicker" - don't know if he meant gets answered quicker or possibly because of item 2 they need less communication of your location and less chance of a mistake (a person looking at a couple of smashed up cars with people stuck inside on fire won't be the clearest minded person to talk to)

 

2)" they get your position using GPS" - this spoils the merit of his advice as GPS is the acronym name of the satellite system, however in his defense he was speaking to a classroom full of people and is is easier to say gps which everybody relates to rather than explain how they can triangulate your position using information from the transmitters. Also as gps stands for global positioning system the statement is really correct as it is a system of finding your position on the globe just not the satellite system.

 

 

I would like to know if anybody knows if there is a difference between the two services.

Some of the comments on here seem to indicate you would get the exact same service from 999 ?

Perhaps they do goto the same call center in this country and 112 is just an international standard for the jet set. Worth remembering if you do travel abroad.

 

For now i am going to use 999 from the land line and the 112 number from my mobile(or hopefully not if you get what i mean).

 

Follow this link and there's a lot of info' from the EU perspective on 112 - it came about from an EU Directive in 2002, after all.

 

https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/112-united-kingdom

 

Dig deeper and you will find that one of the major elements of 112 is that the EU Mandate required all phone companies across the EU to give caller location from a 112 call. How is that done? Not absolutely sure but I have always thought it was down to a routing of all 112 calls through a dedicated 100% digital route and one whereby a packet of info' (number, sim no, location) is sent with the call just as any computer interaction leaves a trail of IP addresses.

Prior to smart phones, I've assumed this was done by triangulation as has been said. With smart phones, actual location (grid ref) can be given which is clearly more accurate. Note the claim on the linked page which is specific to the UK that location of the caller is available to the authorities in 2 seconds.

 

The phone companies have done their bit in the UK, I read in a 2010 review of 112 "coverage", but only 3 out of 4 Police areas in the UK have done what they needed to do (hardware, software??). That might explain why 112 has not been widely publicised.

[Arthur Ritus]

I had seen that site along with a few others, i didn't really learn much about differences/ benefits between the two numbers.

 

It isn't really triangulation but signal strength from the mast that is used see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_tracking

 

I have used it myself after unfortunately having a van stolen with lots of expensive gear in plus my phone which was switched on. Only problem you have to set it up before to use it so i couldn't this time but set it up after wards in case it happened again.

 

Did tell plod at the time but they said it was too much trouble for just £22000 worth of gear/van/my cherished belongings, they only use it if somebody had been murdered (besides what would they do with the thief if they caught him - my impression,not what they said).

 

There may be better providers of the service but here's an example http://www.mobilelocate.co.uk/?gclid=COz845SHtLoCFTMctAodLBgA6Q

 

It isn't nowhere near as accurate as gps, a bit better than 50m but not a lot. It would give you an area to look in. If you have a separate alarm ( very cheap now) which you can set off with the key fob (don't keep on key ring) i think there would be a good chance of finding it/ catching the scum (need plenty of handy mates)

 

From an emergency point of view it wouldn't tell them what building you was in or where abouts in the ditch you are i think its more about getting through to the nearest services and getting them in your area as quick as possible.

 

Also like i said before if the caller said they were on the m5 junction 4 and the location came up as some where near junction 4 m6 the caller could be further questioned. I think i would be sending the em. services to m6, more faith in technology than a distraught human.