Call monitoring

Our networks hold a high level of location-based intelligence and in the UK we are required by law, under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000, to work with police, within their powers, or by request from the Secretary of State.

Under RIPA, police need a general warrant to access mobile phone content, such as text messages or pictures.

Apart from incidents involving crime, national safety and security, we intervene to help trace a person only in matters of life or death. For example, we have been able to trace and help to rescue people who have called emergency numbers to report they have overdosed on drugs in a suicide attempt.

Our Emergency Liaison Unit in the UK configures the O2 network to provide the emergency authorities with the location of a 999 caller. In a life-or-death situation, where the call is ended prematurely, the unit will also provide the subscriber’s details in accordance with the regulator’s strict rules.

In Germany, our Special Services unit, a dedicated unit to handle requests from law enforcement agencies, deal with all lawful interception.

O2 Ireland launched a new call-trace system in November 2005 to better enable the company to provide call data to the emergency services.

Our technology was also used successfully to check that people were safely away from the areas affected by the South-East Asia tsunami in 2004 or the more recent earthquake in Asia in 2005 (Pakistan).

O2’s UK Nuisance Call Bureau is designed to help our customers if they are being harassed, threatened or bullied.