Estonia's emergency center faces tech barriers in implementing video calls

Estonia's emergency center plans to accept video calls in the future, allowing dispatchers to instantly assess the situation at the scene. However, the implementation of this technology has stalled because tech giants Apple and Google do not yet support the two-way video call format required by Estonia.

Currently, the emergency center can be reached by phone or SMS. Experts believe that video calls could significantly improve the efficiency of emergency services, especially for people with hearing or speech impairments, as well as in critical situations like domestic violence, where a person cannot speak freely on the phone.

Sirlí Seegar, an expert at the emergency center, explained that the goal is to make video calls accessible without requiring users to install additional apps. The dispatcher would be able to see both the caller and the scene. According to EU requirements, such a system must operate in two-way mode, meaning not only the dispatcher sees the person, but the person also sees the dispatcher. The emergency center is ready for this technology, but the problem is that Google and Apple currently only offer a one-way video call option.

Seegar noted that the current technological solution allows the dispatcher to see the scene, but the person does not see the emergency center employee. They aim to offer a full solution, not a half-measure. The Ministry of the Interior is handling negotiations with tech companies and admits that it is currently impossible to set a timeline for the full two-way video call system.

Hedi Arukaze, head of the civil protection department at the Ministry of the Interior, stated that they continue to search for solutions and study how to implement two-way video calls for the 112 service in the future. There are currently technological limitations that they are working to overcome.

While the video call project remains a future prospect, another service is considered more realistic. By the end of this year, a real-time text messaging system is planned to be implemented. Arukaze explained that when calling 112, a person will also be able to write simultaneously, and each character will appear on the dispatcher's screen at the exact moment the person in distress enters it.