In reply to Trolleybus emergency "can't speak". see :-

https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files...

In reply to a post by westlodge:

In reply to Trolleybus emergency "can't speak". see :-

https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files...

Shame that the process can't be kicked off by dialling 888, it would save vital seconds when a life is under threat with any kind of sound making the situation more desperate..

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

Your message did not say from which telecom company was charging you for your speaking clock calls but it certainly would not have been Voipfone.

That's correct. It was my BT landline billed by PlusNet. It was just that specific situation of charging for calls to 123 to which I was responding. At the time Google showed me how common my complaint of spurious charges for 123 calls was.

In reply to a post by longedge:

It was my BT landline billed by PlusNet.

A Plusnet landline, run by Openreach using Wholesale Line Rental (WLR). Not a "BT landline".

Edited by jchamier (Mon 17-Oct-22 14:50:05)

Thanks. Didn’t know this was a thing until your post. Hopefully saves some poor unsuspecting folks.

It works on Vodafone (mobile) clearly. Didn’t work on Sipgate 🥲. Busy tone.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

In reply to a post by westlodge:

In reply to Trolleybus emergency "can't speak". see :-

https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files...

Shame that the process can't be kicked off by dialling 888, it would save vital seconds when a life is under threat with any kind of sound making the situation more desperate..

888? What country are you in, and what process do you mean?

In reply to a post by pluralist:

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

In reply to a post by westlodge:

In reply to Trolleybus emergency "can't speak". see :-

https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files...

Shame that the process can't be kicked off by dialling 888, it would save vital seconds when a life is under threat with any kind of sound making the situation more desperate..

888? What country are you in, and what process do you mean?

I am in the UK.

I read through https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files... which explains the process for handling 999 calls when nobody responds. There could be a various reasons for a silent call to 999 and more often or not the number has been accidently dialled and usually from a mobile.

However it could just be that the call for help could be from someone who is in immediate danger when any kind of sound is life threatening and time is of the essence. It does seem to me that the use of 888 might be useful in this situation to get through immediately to police call management and respond with 55 when ask to do so. Do you not agree?

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

However it could just be that the call for help could be from someone who is in immediate danger when any kind of sound is life threatening and time is of the essence. It does seem to me that the use of 888 might be useful in this situation to get through immediately to police call management and respond with 55 when ask to do so. Do you not agree?

You have the issue that 888 could also be accidentally dialled.

Admittedly not a much as 999, as it would only be dialled through accidental phone keypad dialler activation and not via the "make an emergency call" feature like 999 can be. However the "make an emergency call" feature on iPhone at least requires holding down physical two buttons, then swiping a slider. So I'm guessing most accidental 999 calls from mobile are butt dialling on the on-screen keypad.

So I suspect 888 would get nearly as many accidental calls as 999, which would make you plan unworkable I'm afraid.

Ummm.

The first two paragraphs of your link:

What to do if you need urgent police help through the 999 service, but can’t speak.

If you’re in an emergency situation and need police help, but can’t speak, Make Yourself Heard and let the 999 operator know your call is genuine.

That's just gibberish.

The rest does look too complex. Making the 55 response on 999 available sooner looks more sensible to me. Also including it on landline and pseudo-landline (PSTN replacement). Adding 888 isn't necessary.

The 55 also needs to reveal location if available.

An interesting article re 999 answering times. Though that refers to the police response, which presumably comes after the call handler transfers it to the requested service. AIUI that initial response can be longer.

Also a significant number of local numbers start 888 (my childhood home was 888835) and not all places are full figure dial as far as I recall.