In an emergency, getting help quickly is what matters most. We all know to call 000, even from a mobile phone, but there have been problems recently with calls not connecting. Here’s what you should know.
Even when you are outside your provider’s mobile network coverage, a 000 call can still be made, if another mobile network is available.
What happens when you call 000?
When you call 000 from a mobile phone, it will first try to connect using your own mobile network. If your network isn’t available, your phone will try to connect to another mobile network, if available. This is known as ‘emergency camp-on‘.
What does emergency camp-on mean?
If your network is unavailable, your phone looks for another available mobile network and temporarily connects to call 000. You don’t need to change any settings or do anything yourself. It works automatically at no cost to you – even without an active SIM in your phone.
What to do if your 000 call doesn’t seem to be connecting?
- If your initial call doesn’t connect within around five seconds, hang up and try again immediately. The emergency camp-on process can take time to connect to another network. Generally, there will be silence on the line while this happens.
- On subsequent attempts, stay on the line for up to 60 seconds to give your phone the best chance to connect.
How to tell if emergency camp-on is available
All phones are different. If emergency camp-on is available, iPhone will show ‘SOS’ or ‘SOS only’ depending on iOS version. Android will show ‘Emergency calls only’, ‘No service – emergency calls only’ or a small SOS icon.
If your phone shows ‘No service’, there is no mobile network coverage available where you are and you will not be able to call 000 using a mobile network.
Look for other ways to get help while you’re holding the line
Emergency camp-on won’t work if you are out of range of all networks. In this situation:
- Use a landline phone or public phone, if available
- Connect to Wi-Fi and use Wi-Fi Calling on your device
More information
If you cannot connect to 000, keep yourself safe, move away from danger if possible, help others where safe to do so, seek help from people nearby or, use any available means to contact emergency services.
(based on Aldi Mobile information)