GSMA signs eCall MOU

14 Sep 2009

Representing the worldwide mobile communications industry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to secure the deployment of a single in-vehicle emergency call service - eCall - across Europe.

The eCall application is an emergency call system generated either manually by vehicle occupants or automatically via in-vehicle sensors in an emergency situation. Establishing a voice connection with the emergency services when activted, eCall send critical data including time, location, direction of travel and vehicle identification to speed up response times by the emergency services.

Creating a framework for the introduction of eCall, the MoU is designed to encourage co-operation between vehicle manufacturers, telecommunications operators, the European Commission and the EU Member States, together with other relevant parties such as the insurance industry, automobile clubs and other industry partners. The eCall service will be offered free of charge to users, but vehicle manufacturers and service providers can provide additional commercial services to supplement eCall.

According to GSMA CEO and board member Rob Conway, eCall is a hugely beneficial and logical step forward in EU policy-makers' attempts to reduce fatalities on European roads. "The GSMA fully supports the European Commission's MoU and, by becoming a signatory, we are formalising our members' commitment to participate with other stakeholders in deploying the eCall service."

For operators, eCall can be one of the many features supported by the Embedded Mobile Initiative, a program driven by the GSMA that aims to accelerate the adoption of wireless connectivity in a wide range of devices. In addition, operators will be able to offer new value added services, such as in-car mapping applications.