State relies on BT’s own data to review 999 calls

The Department of Communications relies on BT’s own data to review how well it handles almost three million 999 calls a year.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG)C&AG found annual reviews of the company’s performance have not been carried out since it took over the emergency calls answering service (ECAS) four years ago. The spending watchdog examined the operation of the firm’s contract with the department in light of increases in the call-handling fee paid to the firm by each caller’s phone network.

In the period from July 2010 (when it took over the ECAS from Eircom) to February of this year, BT was paid €30.34m.