- Technical Fault Disrupts 999 Services; BT’s Backup System Resolves Issue
- Record Number of Emergency Calls Strain Metropolitan Police
- Preventing Accidental 999 Calls: Police Advice for Android Users
Police, fire, and ambulance services had previously urged individuals to dial 101. However, BT subsequently reported that its backup system had resolved the issue.
The Metropolitan Police says it is struggling to handle a record number of emergency calls, mere hours after a nationwide “technical fault” affected the 999 services.
The largest UK police force cautioned that the rise “could prevent us from reaching someone in danger in time.
The Metropolitan Police Department implored Android users to prevent “pocket dials” by toggling off the SOS option in their safety and emergency menu.
It follows this week’s warning by police commanders that an Android update had caused an increase in accidental 999 calls.
This feature allows an emergency contact to be made by pressing the power button five times.
“If you dial 999 from your pocket, please answer any incoming calls to let us know you’re okay, as it’s probably us calling to make sure you’re safe,” the Met added.
The police advised only calling 999 in life-threatening circumstances.
On Sunday, UK residents were encouraged to dial 101 instead of 999.
The Metropolitan Police, Scotland, South Wales, and Greater Manchester Police tweeted about the situation.
However, the majority of these issues appear to have been resolved after BT announced that its backup platform was online.
“Early this morning, we experienced an issue with the 999 service,” said a BT spokesperson.
“The situation is rapidly evolving as we work to resolve the issue, and our backup platform is now operational. Therefore, people should call 999 as usual.” We will provide updates once the problem has been resolved.”
Late in the morning, police, ambulance, and fire departments updated their social media posts to say the problem was fixed.
A spokesperson for the government stated that it was “aware of a technical issue with the 999 call system” and that a “comprehensive investigation is underway to resolve this as soon as possible.”
“BT’s emergency call backup system is operational,” the spokesperson added.
“You should be able to connect when dialing 999 or 112, but if you continue to experience difficulties, dial 101 for police, fire, and rescue services, or 111 for health.”
