Networks based on 3G technology will be largely shut down this year, with some already switched off, while emergency 112 calls cannot be received and forwarded over 4G technology, being redirected to 2G networks, causing delays and disruptions. location information, so the Government on Friday introduced an extraordinary method.

What are the current problems with localization of calls to 112

Information on the location of calls to the single emergency number 112 is currently insufficient in terms of quality, according to the foundational note of the emergency order passed by the government on Friday.

“This location information is provided automatically, without additional operations on the part of subscribers:

• or from the network layerusing the Cell-ID/Sector-ID method, which provides call location areas of more than 12.5 km2 for 58% of cells serving the infrastructure of mobile electronic communication providers in Romania, respectively more than 50 km2 for 25% of these cells,
• or from the mobile phone levelusing the Advanced Mobile Location method (based on the capabilities of smart terminals), which currently only provides location information for approximately 50% of all calls received at SNUAU.”, shown in accompanying note.

The problem is that at the moment, emergency calls are not received or transmitted via 4G technology, even if the terminal has such services, they are redirected in the network based on 2G technology.

This leads both to an additional load on this network (2G) and to a deterioration of the service (quality of voice service, call processing delays, deterioration of location information provided both from the mobile network and from the mobile terminal, or even the absence of an identifier for call terminal).

In addition, the document also states that during 2023, networks based on 3G technology will be largely decommissioned (some of which are already decommissioned), emergency calls and related information, including location information, will suffer in in the sense of a significant deterioration in the quality of these services, but also about their inadequacy.

5G technology does not provide voice services directly related to the architecture used (voice services are provided in a non-autonomous architecture, respectively, by redirection to the 4G infrastructure and, at the moment, implicitly to the 2G infrastructure for emergency 112 calls).

New technical solutions of the Government: what money will be received by telecommunications operators

To solve these problems, the Government on Friday adopted an emergency resolution that regulates the implementation of decisions on providing the 112 system with additional location information, which is formed by extracting and using special algorithms and methods of technical parameters from the infrastructure of mobile electronic communication networks. .

To implement localization solutions with increased reliability and accuracy at the network level, it is necessary to implement a standardized architecture in the infrastructure of mobile electronic communication providers.

• “Thus, mobile electronic communication providers in Romania need to transmit location information with increased reliability and accuracy from the network layer, called location-specific information, which indicates the restricted areas of the terminals that have made a call to the unique number 112. , regardless of the technology used (2G-4G/5G), the type of terminal used by the subscriber (smart or standard terminal, terminal with/without location sensors) or the conditions of use of electronic communication services (type of service/network technology, use of the “Emergency calls only” scenario “, access to data transmission services, etc.), the document says.

The determined location information indicates the likely geographic area in which the mobile phone user’s terminal equipment is located and is transmitted to System 112 in a geodetic format and as a geometric shape.

The determined location information will provide restricted location zones with accuracy expressed in meters.

45 million lei from the surplus of ANCOM for communication operators

Considering that the provision of high-precision location information by the number 112 is not a commercial service, the Government has decided to bear the costs of purchasing hardware and software components, licenses and configuration services required by mobile electronic communication operators.

Thus, 45 million lei will be directed from the surplus of the Communications Regulatory Authority (ANCOM) to the state budget, money that will then be used for the aforementioned purchases.

The transfer of funds will be carried out within 30 days from the date of entry into force of the emergency decree adopted by the government on Friday.

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