Emergency Calling (999 & 112) and Your VoIP Service

1. 999 and 112 calls on your service

You can dial 999 or 112 from your NumberGroup service to reach the emergency services. Emergency calls are free of charge and, while your service is active and connected, are never barred — you can dial them even if other outbound calling on your account is restricted. Both numbers reach the same UK emergency operator.

However, because NumberGroup is a VoIP (internet-based) service, there are two important differences from a traditional landline that you and everyone at your premises need to understand. They are set out in sections 2 and 3 below.

2. Your location is not automatically known — keep your registered address up to date

On a traditional landline, the phone network knows the physical address the line is wired to. A VoIP service is different: it works wherever there is an internet connection, so the network cannot tell where you are calling from. When you call 999 or 112, the location passed to the emergency services is based on the registered emergency address held on your account — not on where your device actually is.

If you move premises, take your service to a new site, or use your number from somewhere other than the registered address for an extended period, update your registered address immediately. Always tell the 999 operator your location when you call — do not assume they can see it.

3. Power cuts and internet outages — have a backup

A VoIP service needs both mains power (for your router, phones or computer) and a working internet connection. If either fails — a power cut, a broadband fault, or a network outage — you will not be able to make calls from the service, including calls to 999 and 112, until power and connectivity are restored.

We therefore recommend that you keep an alternative way to call the emergency services available at your premises — most simply, a charged mobile phone. This matters especially if anyone at your premises is more likely to need to contact the emergency services, for example because of age, disability or a medical condition. Ofcom's guidance on protecting access to emergency organisations during a power cut asks providers to raise this with customers, and to consider additional protection (such as battery back-up) for customers who depend on their service — if that applies to you or someone at your premises, please tell us about your needs so we can discuss suitable options.

4. If you move or change your setup

Update your registered emergency address before or as soon as you move, and whenever your setup changes in a way that affects where the service is used — for example moving offices, adding a site, or issuing softphone apps to staff who work elsewhere. An address takes effect once we have processed the update, so do not leave it until you need it.

5. What the emergency services see

When you call 999 or 112 from your NumberGroup service, your number and available caller location information are passed to the emergency services where technically feasible. For a VoIP service, that location information is normally the registered emergency address on your account — which is why it must be kept current. The call handler will still ask you where you are; always answer with your actual location.

6. Regulatory background

This page is provided under Ofcom General Condition A3 (availability of services and access to emergency organisations), which requires providers of internet-based calling services to make customers aware of any limitations on access to emergency services and to take steps to keep caller location information accurate. It also reflects Ofcom's guidance on protecting access to emergency organisations when there is a power cut at the customer's premises. For the full text, see Ofcom's General Conditions of Entitlement.

7. Questions

If anything on this page is unclear, or you need help checking or updating your registered emergency address, email help@numbergroup.com or call 0800 310 1010. Our team is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm; the 0800 line is answered 24 hours a day (outside office hours by an automated assistant or our answering partner) and urgent service issues are escalated.

Datazero Ltd, trading as NumberGroup. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07390438. Registered office: International House, 36-38 Cornhill, London EC3V 3NG. Last reviewed: 21 July 2026.