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Emergency calls

It's important that you can contact emergency services (police, fire and ambulance) should the need arise. So, even outside our coverage area you'll be able to call emergency services using any other available mobile network (your phone will show something similar to 'SOS only' or 'Emergency calls only' when you do). Emergency calls should only be used to request help from an emergency service organisation in a life threatening and/or time critical event.

There are 2 emergency call numbers you can dial from your mobile:

000 within Australia

112 both within and outside Australia

You can use the above numbers to contact emergency service organisations, including police, fire and ambulance. There's more information about emergency calls on the federal government's triple zero website. Check out the Australian Government’s Access Hub if you are hearing or speech impaired.

  • If you dial 112 while you're in a coverage area overseas, you'll be connected to the emergency service for that country
  • In Australia emergency calls to Triple Zero can be made with or without an active SIM in your phone
  • If your phone does not have access to the Vodafone network you may still be able to make an emergency call on another mobile network, which is why you may see 'Emergency calls only' or similar on the screen.
  • Emergency calls can be made wherever your phone can see any mobile telecommunications network, however if you are travelling in a rural or remote area you should not rely upon your mobile phone to make an emergency call as there may be no mobile telecommunications network available, instead you should have other means of communications such as a satellite phone and for emergencies carry an emergency beacon.
  • When calling an emergency call number, information such as your number, name and service location (where available) will be disclosed to the emergency call person (the operator) and the emergency service organisations, regardless of your caller ID settings.

Location information

Location information is critical in providing emergency services to provide the necessary service. In particular, the ability to provide enhanced location information is important where the caller may be unable to identify their location.

In the event of making an emergency call we will supply relevant location information to the emergency call person and the relevant emergency service organisation (police, fire or ambulance) to enable them to corroborate your location. We use a range of technical solutions to do this and they are constantly being reviewed and improved.

These include:

  • Push Mobile Location Information (MoLI). MoLI is the location of the cell site from which a mobile call to Triple Zero is made. This is supplied to emergency services for all emergency calls.          
  • Advanced Mobile Location (AML). AML is technology that allows mobile devices to send a location estimate when a call is made to Triple Zero. This improved outcomes for mobile callers in Australia and has the potential to save lives, as it is doing in the countries in which it has already been deployed.

For more information about AML, head to the federal government's triple zero website.

What it costs

There is no charge for calls made to emergency services regardless of whether your service is active or inactive.

Other emergency contacts

Police Assistance Line 131 444

This line operates 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. You should contact the Police Assistance Line if you are a victim of a crime, other than life threatening or time critical emergency situations. Phoning 131 444 allows you to report crime over the phone.

SES 132 500

You should call the SES if you have experienced damage from storms, wind, hail, or a fallen tree and if a tree branch is threatening your property or a person’s safety.

Crimestoppers 1800 333 000

If you want to share information about a crime or suspicious activity without saying who you are you can report suspected drug labs and dealers, report wanted fugitives, assist in solving arson, thefts and robberies, and apprehend criminals wanted for violent assaults and murders through Crimestoppers.

For more information on Triple Zero, head to the federal government's triple zero website.
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