Your telco is required by law to provide your information, including your address, to the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND). The IPND is used for responding to emergency situations.
In an emergency
When you call Triple Zero, the address details stored in the IPND will be passed on to the emergency service organisation you request (police, fire or ambulance). In an emergency, having up-to-date details can be critical. If, for example, you cannot speak, emergency services can send help to the address stored in the IPND.
Emergency Alert
Emergency Alert sends emergency warnings (such as bushfire or flood information) to millions of landline and mobile phones each year.
These messages are sent using your address information stored in the IPND. For example, if your address in the IPND is in a bushfire-affected area, you’ll receive a warning.
If the address information your telco has is old or incorrect, then your information in the IPND won’t be right and you may not receive a warning.
The emergency alerts also use the last-known location of a mobile phone to send warnings. This means visitors to an affected area also get an emergency alert. But it’s still important that your address in the IPND is current and correct—this way you’ll receive an alert even if you’re away from home.
To check that your address in the IPND is accurate, or to request an update if you’ve moved, contact your telco. If you have problems checking or updating your address details with your telco, we can help you.
Further information
Read more about emergency calls.
Watch our video on why you need to keep your address details up to date.