Emergency SOS via satellite in Australia - Roadside assistance workround using emergency contacts

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Level 1

4 points

Emergency SOS via satellite in Australia - Roadside assistance workround using emergency contacts

I am interested in purchasing an iPhone 15 with one of the main reasons being able to receive help in an emergency via satellite. Please note I live in Australia so all Q&A must relate to that area. I understand that a Roadside Assistance emergency via satellite is NOT available in Australia and there is no date this is expected to be implemented. I am looking for a workaround for this. I know that at least one of my

emergency contacts is able to request Roadside emergency assistance on my behalf if I am able to provide them with all the required details, so my following questions relate to this -

1. In Australia can I send exact copies of everything

I send (my transcript) to the Apple Emergency Contact Centre to one or more of my

nominated emergency contacts?

2. Is this copy only sent to emergency contacts running iOS version 16.4

or better?

3. What is sent to emergency contacts who are on Android for example?

4. Can the emergency contact running iOS version 16.4 or better communicate

with me in any way even if just replying YES or NO to questions?

5. Can the Apple Emergency Contact Centre act as a ‘go between’, between

me and one of my emergency contacts? For example, to let me know that someone

is coming to help with my emergency breakdown, or confirm the vehicle recovery

will cost me an extra $1,000?

Thanks,

Rob.

iPhone 15

Posted on Feb 11, 2024 2:10 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Feb 11, 2024 2:55 PM in response to RACUser77

If you have a cellular network connection you don’t need satellite emergency response; you can just call the number for roadside assistance, or, in an emergency, the phone can call the local emergency number triple-zero (000) if it detects a crash.

And Satellite emergency assistance is available in Australia→Use Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone - Apple Support

Emergency SOS via satellite availability

You need an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Pro with:
- iOS 16.1 or later in the U.S. or Canada
- iOS 16.2 or later in France, Germany, Ireland, and the U.K.
- iOS 16.4 or later in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland

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Answer 2

RACUser77 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 11, 2024 3:01 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thanks. I am only referring to instances outside of cellular network range. Yep understand Satellite emergency assistance is available in Australia BUT not roadside assistance. The nature of my questions relate to how to possibly workaround this using my emergency contacts.

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Answer 3

Feb 11, 2024 4:13 PM in response to RACUser77

If you read the link I posted, it explains that you can text emergency services via satellite and tell them you need roadside assistance. Your emergency contacts that you have previously set up in the Health app will also be notified.

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Answer 4

RACUser77 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 11, 2024 4:47 PM in response to RACUser77

Re 'emergency contacts that you have previously set up in the Health app will also be notified' - yep understand but my original questions relate to the 'degree' of comms with them, who sees what and can I get a message back to them even if using the Apple Emergency Contact Centre to act as a ‘go between’.

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