New Zealand is one of few countries to implement solutions providing Public Safety Organisations (PSOs) location information for emergency mobile callers, along with receiving a high yield of high-precision location records for all device types and models, including tourists to NZ. The service is built to adapt to future technology. The solution receives multiple sources of location information then aggregates this data to provide a diagrammatical view to PSOs either through a web user interface or through integration to Computer Aided Dispatch systems. Many countries experience privacy issues with collection of location data. NZ managed this through changing the legislation—Google refer to the solution as a model to follow. Personal identifiable data is managed with in-system privacy controls. NZ has established global relationships working closely with network providers, mobile operating system providers, handset manufactures, international governments and PSOs and their suppliers.

Since launch ECLI has been progressively enhanced, adding new features, functionality, and location methods (3GPP Location Services) to continuously improve location accuracy and PSO user experience. The DevSecOps development process brings customers directly into the design process, whilst the ECLI team in the Ministry develop and support the Service with security at the forefront.
The service will continue to be enhanced to keep pace with technologies that allow new ways of locating people (5G, VoIP, IoT, and eCall). Integration with these emerging technologies will ensure the levels of service experienced today continue to be achieved and exceeded.
ECLI is responding to separate requests from Police and search and rescue agencies; to provide location information for emergency response and search and rescue situations beyond the 111 system (e.g. for people who are missing). Legislation will be amended, and system improvements implemented to support the extended use of ECLI to save more lives.

ECLI is a unique collaboration between Government, Public Safety Organisations and Mobile Network Operators. Google considers ECLI an ELS Gold Partner with Trusted Testing Partnership status, and they work closely with Apple and a range of other global companies. New Zealand was the first country outside of Europe to implement ELS. The Privacy Commission has authorised ECLI to collect and use location data through an amendment to legislation, without requiring the consent of emergency callers.

New Zealand’s Public Safety Organisations describe ECLI as a game-changer. They regularly share good news stories regarding the use of ECLI and its assistance in saving more lives and property. They view ECLI’s delivery of prompt, precise and accurate location, in real time as a key contributor in helping them to dispatch emergency response units more effectively. Since launch of ECLI emergency response dispatch times have showed visible improvements over pre-launch figures, with lives saved.

Since launch of ECLI, PSOs have achieved faster emergency call handling and more effective emergency response times. They are streamlining their call taking procedures in order to leverage ECLI, particularly where high precision location is available. ECLI is continually optimising its service to improve the yield of locations with high accuracy and precision. From Sept 2018 to Aug 2019 ECLI consistently delivered high accuracy and precision locations for 75% – 84% of smartphone calls to the 111 emergency services. This has already exceeded the US Federal Communications Commission targets of achieving 75% high accuracy location yield in 2020. ECLI works with Public Safety Organisations (PSO)s to report and analyse the benefits realised through the use of ECLI to provide continuous improvement. Baselines for measuring its effectiveness are established and PSOs share anonymised information about emergency calls. This allows ECLI to track and measure month-on-month improvements.

ECLI relies on ongoing integration with technologies across all supplier and user platforms and systems. Since launch, ensuring the ongoing integration of ECLI with the mobile networks has been the greatest challenge, but one that stakeholders have managed to transcend. As new technologies continue to emerge, ECLI and its partners work collaboratively to build and deploy features that are compatible with next generation services. Iterative planning cycles allow adaptation to ensure continued delivery and to integrate ECLI enhancements with emergency services operational systems, while ensuring that the service itself does not degrade due to failure to build in compatibility with emerging technology. In addition, New Zealand’s telecommunications system does not live in isolation. ECLI has to ensure the service enhancements it deploys are in harmony with international standards and the mobile operating systems of global technology providers like Apple and Google.

Continued direct access to Mobile Network Operator (MNO) networks is critical to the success of ECLI. Three MNOs in NZ provide access allowing for the highest quality of location data to be provided for all calls. With the continuous advances in technology, it is critical the service keeps pace with changes implemented in the mobile networks to ensure the accuracy and continuity of location data is available to PSOs. Central Government provides funding of the Service, and Government is considering opportunity to introduce regulations that would compel the MNO to provide data and make any necessary changes to their systems when they introduce new capabilities to ensure the ongoing compatibility with ECLI at the time new services are launched. Highly focused and committed cross-agency teams of people manage, develop, enhance, and support the Service. The primary reason for the success of ECLI is linked to the ongoing commitment and dedication from these teams.

ECLI is a transferable technology and its owner, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), is currently working with New Zealand trade officials to explore potential adoption of ECLI by other jurisdictions; with the view of making things easy for customers and end users to interface with and use the service as part of their wider emergency systems. The ECLI team are working on a package of services that can be provided to the emergency response agencies in these jurisdictions; so removing any implementation risk and the need for expensive Research and Development investment. The conditions for transferability include: the presence in-country of a highly functioning and integrated telecommunications system; integrated emergency caller response systems e.g. a 111/911/112 type system; and legislation or regulations to protect user privacy.

The original mandate set out to develop a smart device application service and implement updates to emergency services back-end infrastructure; however, it was identified that an app-based system would not deliver the outcome sought by Government. This type of solution would rely on a user downloading the app and the effectiveness of use in an emergency situation were identified as risks.
A third party app is not part of the standard operating system of a smart device and as a result is limited in its ability to activate core functions on the device and cannot activate location services if they are turned off. International experience with third-party emergency apps has shown these types of apps carry increased risks with low user uptake, high ongoing support costs and a greater chance of technical failure.

In order to overcome these limitations New Zealand defined an improved solution which was easier to implement, had reduced costs, carried less risk and was simpler to upgrade and support. When the original business case was approved the high-precision location component was not an emerging standard. Now it is the preferred method for mobile caller location information. The change of direction with the solution approach enables New Zealand to provide near real-time location information for all mobile emergency calls, without the caller having to do anything other than dial emergency services from their handset, whilst ensuring their privacy protected.

In order for individual’s location data to be utilised in an emergency response situation, amendment to legislation was required. The Office of the Privacy Commission introduced regulations to enable the disclosure of emergency caller location information by network operators to emergency service providers, and the collection and use of ECLI by Public Safety Organisations for establishing the location of an individual who has made an emergency call to facilitate a response to that call.

The following are examples where ECLI has helped in emergencies: A group trekking had become lost, one of the party was injured and they had no food or water. They made a call to 111 from their mobile device. The call taker used ECLI to identify their location to within a six-metre radius. Police Search & Rescue services were dispatched and the group were rescued soon after.
Fire and Emergency services received a call from a male who had seen a fire whilst driving along a rural highway. The caller did not know his precise location. Using ECLI, the emergency services were able to locate the caller and the fire, and dispatch a crew to assist.
Ambulance services received a call from a male who was distressed and in severe pain. He was going in and out of consciousness and was very disoriented. He had been driving, but had woken up in a ditch with no knowledge of what had happened. Using ECLI, the emergency services were able to identify his location and get him the help he needed