Mobile Phones in Emergency

Using Mobile Phone for emergencies in the field

Triple Zero (000) is Australia's primary telephone number to call for assistance in life threatening or time-critical emergency situations.

112 is a secondary emergency number that can be dialled from mobile phones in Australia.

Special capabilities, including roaming, once only existed when dialling 112, however mobile phones manufactured since January 2002 also provide these capabilities when dialling Triple Zero (000) to access the Emergency Call Service.

There is a misconception that 112 calls will be carried by satellite if there is no mobile coverage. Satellite phones use a different technology and your mobile phone cannot access a satellite network.

Important – if there is no mobile coverage on any network, you will not be able to reach the Emergency Call Service via a mobile phone, regardless of which number you dialled.

There is no advantage to dialling 112 over Triple Zero (000). Calls to 112 do not go to the head of the queue for emergency services, and it is not true that it is the only number that will work on a mobile phone.

Dialling 112 does not require a simcard or pin number to make the call, however phone coverage must be available (any carrier) for the call to proceed.

Dialling 112 from a fixed line telephone in Australia (including payphones) will not connect you to the emergency call service as it is only available from digital mobile phones.

for more info see the Australian Government Website