Dubai Police's new phone service

People who find themselves in emergency situations can now seek help of Dubai Police via satellite phones.

Thuraya Telecommunications Company and Dubai Police on Sunday announced the launch of the Thuraya SOS service.

Thuraya XT users in the region can send a pre-programmed SMS with their GPS coordinates to Dubai Police in times of distress or emergency. The service is crucial for users who are lost or require emergency care when in remote areas such as the desert or at sea with limited or no connectivity.

Major-General Khamis Mattar Khamis Al Muzainah, Commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, said, “The launch of the Thuraya SOS service demonstrates our commitment to leverage innovative and reliable technology to ensure the safety and protection of our residents. Although the UAE is a highly connected nation, people still need to be aware that there will always be areas such as the desert and the sea that do not have mobile connectivity. When travelling in such areas, having a Thuraya XT can save their lives if they encounter any emergency.”

Thuraya XT users can program up to four emergency contact numbers, including 1199, the emergency number of the Dubai Police in the Thuraya SOS application. To activate, press the soft key on the right side of the Thuraya XT keypad, hold for two seconds and GPS coordinates will be sent to Thuraya’s Primary Gateway office and the Dubai Police.

Amal Ezzeddine, Director of Government Services at Thuraya said, “ This is the first time that we are launching such a service with local authorities. We attribute the launch of the service to the Dubai Police and their engineers.”
 

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