911, was You're all over thinking this

Mon Jul 25 11:42:13 UTC 2005

Simon Waters wrote:
> On Monday 25 Jul 2005 10:55 am, Peter Corlett wrote:
> 
>>Does 112 work on non-GSM phones?
> 
> 
> In most of Europe dialing 112 on any phone on a public phone network, mobile 
> or fixed, should get you an emergency operator.
> 
> I think in some parts of Europe it may still get you the police, instead of a 
> choice of emergency services, but in most cases that is sufficient, and a 
> damn site better than wondering what the local emergency number is, or trying 
> to decipher the explanation on a public phone box.

Well, in germany it gets you the firebrigade / pompiers or the red cross.
The police is listening on 110.

But dont try that when you are mobile. If you happen to be in "death valley"
where you can reach only the wrong centre then they will hang up and dont even
answer next time you try. That is at least what happened to me. I know people
who had the same experience.

That is why Karin is learning for a hamradio license. Even CB-radio is more
relyable.

> 
> Whether you'll be able to make yourself understood once connected is another 
> issue entirely.
> 
> My only concern is the UK government persists in teaching the old (local) 999 
> number, to avoid confusing the terminally stupid who can't cope with the idea 
> of remembering two emergency numbers. As a result UK citizens end up either 
> not knowing what to dial when abroad, or having to remember which country 
> they are in when dialing for help.
> 

-- 
Peter and Karin Dambier
Public-Root
Graeffstrasse 14
D-64646 Heppenheim
+49-6252-671788 (Telekom)
+49-179-108-3978 (O2 Genion)
+49-6252-750308 (VoIP: sipgate.de)
mail: peter at peter-dambier.de
http://iason.site.voila.fr
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