Caller location is the key information for a rapid emergency response. Many technologies, such as emergency apps and eCall, were created to help citizens and PSAPs automatically identify the emergency coordinates.
There is however another option, the Advanced Mobile Location (AML), which allows you to send the geographical coordinates to the PSAP via SMS.
Improve data exchange for emergencies: optimize geolocation
In 2014 a small revolution occurred in the world of emergency services: British Telecom, amongst other companies, created the "AML" Advanced Mobile Location service.
The system allows British Telecom-enabled smartphones to automatically send an SMS to the single emergency number 999 (EU 112) with the coordinates of their position, without having to perform additional actions. Since 2016, Google has also joined the AML working group, with two great advantages: bringing the service to every Android smartphone in circulation and improving data exchange, adding the HTTPS protocol to the traditional SMS for sending the position
AML: the advantages of sending the position via SMS and HTTP
AML technology activates (if necessary) Wi-Fi and GPS location services on the phone, collects and calculates location data, then sends an SMS or HTTPS request containing the location to the emergency number, before disabling the location and Wi-Fi services. The most accurate system is identified among those available with a "best-effort" mechanism.
The European Telecommunication Standards Institute ETSI standardized the technical specifications in 2019.
2020: implementation year
Many European countries have conducted AML tests to implement the technology by 2020, as per European directive. Starting in March 2022, all smartphones sold in the European Union will be equipped with AML.
Advance Mobile Location, the role of BETA 80
Beta 80 Group is an active part of the AML community: in 2016 we took part in the European HELP 112 project to test the quality of AML localization in member states, with excellent results. For this project, we partnered with AREU – the agency managing the 112 services in Lombardy,
Thanks to the AML implementation, the eCall components, and the smartphone app, Beta 80 PSAPs and EOC product suite is the most complete in Europe for caller location services.