Currently, it is possible to contact the emergency center via phone call or SMS. If this could be done via video, it would help provide faster and more precise assistance. Video could help, for example, in cases of hearing or speech difficulties or in domestic violence incidents.
The emergency center wants people to be able to choose a video call and for the dispatcher to see the person in need. This should not be complicated. The European Union's requirement is that the video solution must be two-way. The emergency center is ready for this, but technology companies Google and Apple do not yet allow it.
Technology companies are not obligated to offer two-way video calls. They need to discuss this with the Ministry of the Interior. It is not known when a two-way video solution will be available.
The Ministry of the Interior is working on this. They are looking into how to implement two-way video calls in Estonia in the future. Currently, work is underway on a real-time text exchange feature, which is planned to be completed by the end of the year.
This means that when a person calls 112, they can also write at the same time. The dispatcher will immediately see all the character strings entered by the person in need.