Advanced Mobile Location

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Advanced Mobile Location ( AML ) is an open source service for determining the position of callers when using an emergency number .

functionality

If the caller dials one of the AML-compatible emergency numbers stored in the system, the mobile phone automatically activates WLAN and satellite navigation at the start of the call , even if this was not the case before or these functions were permanently deactivated on the device. As soon as the smartphone has been able to determine a position - usually after a few seconds - this data is automatically transmitted to the control center via SMS or HTTPS . An active internet connection is only required when using HTTPS. Which transport route is used depends on the country in which the emergency call is made.

Benefits of AML

In 2018, 73% of emergency calls in Europe were made using mobile phones. The simple "localization" of the fixed network via the telephone book entry or the customer's address stored with the provider is therefore increasingly no longer helpful. Callers who dial the emergency call from the cellular network often only know very vaguely where they are. Especially in rural areas with no road signs nearby , it can be difficult to describe your location in words. But even in cities, many emergency callers find it difficult to give the exact location of the emergency, also due to the stressful situation associated with the emergency . Even with language barriers or limited spatial orientation of the emergency caller for medical reasons, it may be impossible to determine the exact location of the emergency.

If the control centers have automatically transmitted position data, this can significantly accelerate the start of operations and alerting of rescue equipment .

Legal position

In the EU Directive 2018/1972, which came into force in December 2018, the member states are obliged to ensure that the control center is provided with information on the location of the emergency caller. This also explicitly includes “information about the location of the caller obtained from the mobile device”.

Situation in Germany

For Germany, the AML endpoints have been provided redundantly by the Berlin fire brigade and the integrated control center Freiburg - Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald since October 2019 ; at the start, a third of the German control centers were connected.

The position data is transmitted in Germany via a free SMS, which means that transmission is also possible without mobile internet.

Due to data protection concerns, the introduction took place later than in other countries, a concept examined by a working group of the data protection conference enabled the testing. The caller's number is hashed and the position information is deleted after 60 minutes. The end device transmits the location at the beginning of the call, after 15 seconds and after 30 seconds to ensure correct localization.

The endpoints are provided free of charge by the operating fire services for a three-year pilot phase.

distribution

The spread of AML is supported by the European Emergency Number Association (EENA) and the EU Commission .

Google calls its integration into the Android Emergency Location Service ( ELS ) operating system . Google states that 99% of the Android devices used worldwide support AML / ELS. Android version 2.3 or higher is required.

Apple had no interest in integrating AML into its operating system for a long time, but released the function with iOS 11.3 in March 2018 and finally enabled it in Germany with iOS 13.3.

AML is currently in use in the following countries, among others:

The service works in the named countries regardless of the respective cellular network .

Limits of AML

AML does not work in "Limited service mode". This occurs when a mobile phone subscriber dials the emergency number 112, but the network of his mobile phone operator is not available at the location. The "Limited service mode" then enables emergency calls to be made via another network that is available at the location. Under this condition, only the voice call is possible, but no SMS. If the person calling the emergency does not use a smartphone but a conventional, older mobile phone , no position data can be transmitted either.

If an emergency call is made from a dual SIM smartphone, there is a risk that the calling number will differ from the number that is transmitted in the AML data packet.

Alternative techniques

Some control centers in Germany have smartphones with messenger services ready, which the emergency caller can use to transmit his or her location. However, this requires a previous mutual exchange of mobile phone numbers and the installation of the same messenger app on both smartphones.

Other control centers send the caller an SMS with a hyperlink that the caller has to open on his smartphone web browser . By opening the link, the position data is transmitted to the control center. For this, however, the active participation of the emergency caller and the activation of the location services on the emergency caller's smartphone are required. This results in a longer waiting time until the position data arrives at the control center.

The GSM Association has proposed that, in the future, emergency calls should be made using Voice over LTE as SIP connections , with the location data being automatically transmitted in the header .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 2018 Report on the implementation of the European emergency number 112 European Commission. Retrieved April 18, 2019
  2. ↑ Directive (EU) 2018/1972 DIRECTIVE (EU) 2018/1972 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 December 2018 on the European code for electronic communications
  3. ↑ a b c Stefan Ruwoldt: Berlin fire brigade can now locate callers on emergency calls - Interview | Fire department spokesman Kirstein. In: rbb24 . Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg , October 12, 2019, accessed on October 17, 2019 .
  4. ↑ a b Thomas Kirstein: Emergency 112: Location services in smartphones and cellular networks now direct rescuers more precisely to the scene of the accident. In: website. Berlin Fire Brigade , October 11, 2019, accessed on October 17, 2019 .
  5. ↑ a b Location data for the emergency number 112. In: Website. Integrated control center Freiburg - Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, accessed on October 17, 2019 .
  6. ↑ a b Pascal Kiss: New emergency call technology: faster help in an emergency. In: tagesschau.de. Norddeutscher Rundfunk , accessed on October 17, 2019 .
  7. ↑ Markus Weidner: o2 starts improved emergency calls in the cellular network (update: also Telekom & Vodafone). In: teltarif.de. October 10, 2019, accessed October 17, 2019 .
  8. ↑ 11/2 is 112 Day: Locating emergency calls with AML technology is on the rise. February 9, 2018, accessed February 19, 2018 .
  9. ↑ a b Helping emergency services find you when you need it most. In: blog.google. July 25, 2016, accessed January 27, 2018 .
  10. ↑ Már Másson Maack: Apple refuses to enable iPhone emergency settings that could save countless lives . In: The Next Web . August 10, 2017 ( thenextweb.com [accessed January 24, 2018]).
  11. ↑ Apple iOS 11.3 released: This is new . ( stadt-bremerhaven.de [accessed on March 29, 2018]).
  12. ↑ AML: iOS 13.3 starts also in Germany location information for emergency calls. Retrieved December 18, 2019 .
  13. ↑ iOS 11.3 Will Support Life-Saving Feature That Sends an iPhone's Precise Location to Responders in Emergencies. January 24, 2018, accessed January 24, 2018 .
  14. ↑ WhatsApp saves lives - the control center is convinced by the messenger service . ( retter.tv [accessed February 15, 2018]).
  15. ↑ In an emergency, you can now be located by the rescue service using your smartphone . ( badische-zeitung.de [accessed on February 15, 2018]).
  16. ^ Mari Melander: IMS Profile for Voice and SMS Version 12.0 02 May 2018. In: gsma. GSM Association, May 2, 2018, accessed September 6, 2019 .