Problems remain with 999 calls standing up after a technical failure, BT says

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The backup system is now being used, though BT said some remaining issues remain – Martha Fairley reports

BT said issues with 999 calls persist after a technical bug caused issues with its location services.

The carrier said the emergency phone system, operated by BT, was still working because it was backed up by a “flexible” backup system.

However, the alternative location tool, which identifies a user’s whereabouts with automatic text, is “not as efficient” as the 999 platform, the Metropolitan Police said.

BT confirmed that the problem is “persistent” and added that engineers are “working hard” to determine the cause.

A company spokesperson said: “Earlier today, we experienced a technical error that affected our primary 999 lines, and bogged down our backup system.

The problem persists, but we know it was caused by a technical error.

This was not related to any third party and is not related to today’s hot weather or a separate Android phone issue that was reported earlier this week.

“Our engineers and technical experts are working hard to determine the cause, but our priority is to get 999 core lines up and running as quickly as possible.

“As with all critical national infrastructure, we cannot share technical information about how the system will operate or give details about the architecture of the backup solution.”

The Met said the backup system “wasn’t effective at telling us where you’re calling from”.

“Help us by preparing the emergency address,” the force added. “If you don’t know the address, look for an obvious street or landmark name.”

Bedfordshire Police said: “Normal location services are still not available on 999 so please consider using your #3 word address if your emergency address is not known.

“A full investigation is underway to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”

Emergency services across the country confirmed they were able to receive 999 calls again around 10am, but some warned they still had residual difficulties.

BT said it implemented a back-up system after 999 call problems were reported around 8:30 a.m. Sunday and people were told to call 101 in the event of a police and fire emergency, or 111 in the event of a medical emergency.

Several police forces, fire services and ambulances have said they have problems and BT has reported a “system failure”.

The Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service warned of a 30-second delay to call 999, while Suffolk Police said its system may not be fully operational and urged people to only use 999 in real emergencies.

A government spokesperson said: “We are aware of a technical problem with the 999 calling system today. A full investigation is underway to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

“BT’s backup system for emergency calls is in place and members of the public with real emergencies should continue to call 999 or 112 in the normal way.

“You should be able to contact when you dial 999 or 112, but if you are still having difficulties calling, you can call 101 for the police, fire and rescue services, or 111 for health.”

It is not clear how many services have been affected by issues with the backup system.

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