A New Resolution for a Globally Harmonized National Number for Access to Emergency Services

A new Resolution tabled at the World Conference on International Telecommunications underlines the importance for travelers to be aware of a single well-known number to access local emergency services if the need ever arises. The formulation of the Resolution at WCIT-12 instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau to take the necessary action in order that ITU-T Study Group 2 can continue exploring the option of introducing a single globally harmonized emergency number for access to emergency services in the future. During the WCIT-12 negotiations, a preliminary draft of the proposed Resolution was tabled to Member States. The Resolution – which is a standard mechanism by which a conference instructs its subordinate organs and the executive to take some form of action – invites Member States to introduce, in addition to their existing national emergency numbers, a globally harmonized national number for access to emergency services, taking into consideration the relevant ITU-T Recommendations.