This was in todays paper.
I will type out the whole story, surprised me!!


Residents are being encouraged to say Triple Zero instead of Triple O to avoid confusing young people.
Nat Triple Zero group chair Mark Whybro said mis-dialling could occur in emergency situations when numbers were confused.

He also expressed concern about recent emergency service rumours.
Rumours that 112 "goes to the head of the gueue" , "is the only number that will work on a mobile phone", and "works when there is no mobile coverage because it uses satellites"  are completely untrue.

The primary number to call for emergency assistance from any phone in Australia is Triple zero (000)  --- unless your are hearing or speech  impaired  in which case the number is 106 (mobiles only)



Now that is all a surprise to me as I have been told so many times it is 112 from mobiles phones.

Yes we had that topic about 18 month ago which I had a lot of trouble convincing some people not to ring 112 , you must ring 000 but when you are on a mobile phone say you are with Optus and there is no network in the area you are in your phone will show a message in a emergence ring 112 what happen it looks for an available network say Telstra which switch you through to 000 . 112 will only work when that message come up on your phone and will only work if there is another network available

I don't think I was a member 18th months ago, thanks for that informative answer. Clears it up.

I have made quite a few 000 calls, and wouldnt consider using anything else, main reason being it worked for me every time.

This is another example where something starts an internet rumour and it does the rounds and becomes "gospel"

-- Edited by jimricho on Friday 11th of February 2011 06:53:09 PM

Jimricho when I was in the fire service one of our project was to get the message out to the public about this rumour , the story going about was 112 connected you to a satellite anywhere so people believed thought that they could call from anywhere in Australia the truth there is no Satellite just another network if your lucky but if you are with Telstra I would not think you would find any other network

It just goes to show how we can believe these stories. I heard or read it somewhere sometime back, just checked my phone and find I have it in my contacts under Emergency Network. I would have tried to use it first before trying Triple Zero. How many others out there think the same.

It's a worry. Many years ago, when I lived in Kenya, I had to call the emergency number because of a fire. It was engaged! Did NOT inspire confidence! Cheers, Tony

brickies wrote:

---

Jimricho when I was in the fire service one of our project was to get the message out to the public about this rumour , the story going about was 112 connected you to a satellite anywhere so people believed thought that they could call from anywhere in Australia the truth there is no Satellite just another network if your lucky but if you are with Telstra I would not think you would find any other network

---

Also at one stage I recall the Ambulance service (in NSW at least) trying to get the message out that 911 (emergency in USA) was also not the emergency number.  I think there was a TV program themed on 911 that was being aired at the time.

I also get annoyed when I get emails from friends, that I know and otherwise trust, that contain blatantly false information.  In some cases the furphy can be downright dangerous such as this one or contain blatant lies to support an ideological view.  I advise the senders when this happens and I have to careful to express my displeasure at being sent untrue info without putting a friendship at risk.

Be especially wary of any email the urges one to "pass this on to as many people as possible"  The sick minds that concoct these rumours like to spread their efforts far and wide.

Those of us with some sort of technical background know that it's impossible for a normal mobile to communicate through a satellite but taking advantage of people with no such background is a low act.

(ok I've had my rant - over to you )

-- Edited by jimricho on Saturday 12th of February 2011 08:10:34 AM

Jimricho, you said what I wanted to say!! I urge everybody to check information given in this kind of e-mail, theres sometimes a smidgin of truth in it to give the whole thing an air of authority but it gets twisted to support their own ideas. Hoax Slayer and Snopes are two helpful sites..

IF we could urge members of this forum to take a hard look at this sort of rubbish before they post it , but I would still like the member like Happywanderer to post such post so member can clear up any miss information that is out there we need our member to be well informed with the correct information

Exactly brickie. I would not have known any different if I hadn't read the above in the local paper and I wrote it verbatim so not to confuse any further. I've often read emails of information and wondered it there is any truth in that but how do we know if not told by the appropiate authorities.

So is this a furphy or not? Have heard this many times too. Got a call last night from an individual identifying himself as an Telstra Service technician who was conducting a test on our Telephone lines. He stated that to complete the test I should touch nine(9),zero ( 0), hash (#) and then hang up. Luckily, I was suspicious and refused. Upon contacting the telephone company, I was informed that by pushing 90#, you give the requesting individual full access to your telephone line, which allows them to place long distance telephone calls billed to your home phone number. I was further informed that this scam has been originating from many of the local gaols/prisons. DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE. PLEASE pass this on to your friends. If you have mailing lists and/or newsletters from organizations you are connected with, I encourage you to pass this on.

Since you got the info from the telephone company, I'd believe it. Thanks HW!

OOPS! Misunderstood your post HW, thought it was you who received the call. Checked on Snopes, apparently it might be true for places who still use a PBX.. usually businesses with many phones. But a hoax as far as household and mobile phones are concerned! So dont worry about it.

Yep Gerty, got it from another site but have received it in emails in the past, the ones that do the rounds that you have to send on to as many people as possible. Thats why I was a bit suspicious of it.

Go to http://www.hoax-slayer.com/nine-zero-hash-hoax.html.  You'll get the answer

(I could have copied it here but it's a bit long)

Thanks for that jimricho, Have followed the link, been in and read it. Can't believe how many hoax or scams are doing the rounds. Who thinks them all up.

THE DEVIL

He's a busy boy!!

Now come on who said the DEVIL was a boy

The devil has to be female, a man would NEVER think of such evilness....he would be too busy discussing it over a beer and countery at the pub, the he would have to have a bar b que and a fishin trip to clear his mind and then have a game of golf and possibly cricket to helo the decissionmaking process....oh and dont forget another beer or twelve.. If you doubt this have a look at MOTHER nature, now she is definately female and look what she had done to our homes.......need I say more, bloody women...if they couldnt cook they'd be threemile deep a the tip and we'd be throwin more on every hour..... Time to run, gotta gooooooooooooooooooo................................................flaps wings and flies away to the chook house bock buck buck bock bock....bukawk Hoo Roo Happy Days Grumpster

112 IS the right number. I got it off a friend in the DSE who gave it to me when I was working in the bush. This is the number they use when needed, they just dont want the whole world to know it and use it.

I did a first aid course with st.johns ambulance and that is the number they told us to ring from rural areas

Now I'm really confused.

I did a couple of searches on this and it appears that 112 may work as an emergency number by diverting the call to the 000 network. It still requires normal mobile (GSM) coverage and it cannot connect through a satellite as the emails suggest. Note also that 112 will not work on a home phone. 000 is still the primary emergency number whether for mobiles or otherwise.

PS: so am I Marj!

-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 13th of February 2011 06:23:37 PM

You can believe what you wan't but a lest read my post , It was the problem we had was people from St. John half reading information this will be my last post on this matter

If all the emergency services are saying use 000 I would certainly go with that advice. They know their own business better than anyone (to state the bleeding obvious)

(edit only to correct spelling)

-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 13th of February 2011 06:27:04 PM

I've read every post brickies. Now I will go back and see what you are so upset about.