BT has apologised for the technical faults which prevented calls to the primary 999 emergency call service from connecting.
The telecommunications company manages the 999 phone system and said the issues were resolved on Sunday evening.
The system failures impacted emergency services across the country from around 8.30am on Sunday.
Minor issues persisted after BT switched to a “back-up system” at around 10am, with some services reporting a delay in calls being received.
The technical issue affecting 999 calls in some areas across the UK has now been resolved.
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) June 25, 2023
Systems are working as normal and people should dial 999 in an emergency.
Members of the public are thanked for their patience. pic.twitter.com/oZJJthNNGt
BT apologises for technical faults preventing 999 calls from connecting
A BT spokesperson said: “We are sincerely sorry for the distress this has caused. There was a short period of time as we switched over to the back-up system during which calls could not get through.
“In this instance, we are still able to see who is trying to reach the operator, and our handlers reconnect calls as a matter of urgency.
“Our back-up platform took calls throughout most of Sunday, with people able to call 999 as usual.
“The primary 999 service was restored earlier this evening and we are no longer relying on the back-up system.
“We are monitoring the service, and we continue to work hard to determine the root cause and the impact this has had.”
BT has informed us that they have now resolved the issue affecting 999 calls to our service.
— East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust (@EMASNHSTrust) June 25, 2023
However, we continue to be very busy, so please only calling 999 in a life-threatening emergency.
For all other illnesses and injuries, please visit NHS 111 Online. pic.twitter.com/8vArPv5k0r
A Government spokesperson confirmed the system issues were fully resolved.
They said: “There was a technical issue with the 999 call system earlier today.
“This is now fully resolved and the service is running as normal, and so anyone with an emergency should call 999 for assistance in the normal way.
“A full investigation is underway to understand what caused this problem.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here