Government calls for tenders for Triple Zero
The federal government has called for tenders for what it describes as a “next generation” Triple Zero national emergency call service, capable of providing integrated location-based data services.
Last year the government began the process of reviewing the delivery and the operation of the Triple Zero service, issuing two separate requests for Expression of Interest (EoI) – one for the provision of Triple Zero services as currently defined and another for location based data services.
The first arose from the requirement under the former Labor government’s 2012 NBN agreements with Telstra that the Triple Zero service be put out to tender by 2017. The second reflected the fact that the majority of 000 calls now come from mobile phones, raising potential problems in locating callers.
The government has now decided to issue just one tender which will require the successful bidder to offer Advanced Mobile Location (AML) technology as part of the Triple Zero service.
This really is a “no-brainer” as any other approach would involve inefficiencies in terms of both investment and service coordination.
The provider will be required to have its call centres in Australia.
Last year when the request for EoIs went out, the CWU called on the government to ensure that the 000 service continued to be provided wholly within Australia.
The union also believes that Telstra, the current provider, remains the logical choice for the future by virtue of its long experience, its network reach (both fixed and mobile) and ..by no means least—its deep pockets.
Funding to Telstra for 000 is currently capped at up to $20 million a year (not indexed) for 20 years.
