If your business has moved or changed phone numbers, update those details in the emergency services database. Of everything on a moving checklist, it’s the one that matters most. Your correct, current address is what Triple Zero uses to find you. It’s not just good practice, it’s a legal requirement. It could genuinely be the difference between an ambulance finding your office quickly and not finding it at all.
What Is the Emergency Services Database?
Every phone number in Australia, landline and mobile, must appear in the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND). Telstra manages the IPND on behalf of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The database exists mainly for one critical purpose. When someone dials Triple Zero, the operator checks the IPND for the caller’s registered address. Emergency services then go straight to that location.
Law enforcement also uses it, along with other regulated services like the Do Not Call Register. Day to day, though, the emergency response function is the one that matters.
Why This Matters More Than People Realise
Say your business relocates and your numbers move with you, but nobody updates the IPND address. An emergency call from your new office could then show up against your old address. In a genuine emergency, that delay is exactly the kind of thing you don’t want to discover after the fact.
We see it most often with short moves. A business shifts one suburb over, keeps every number, and the phones ring exactly as they did before. Nothing looks broken, so nobody thinks to check the record sitting behind them. That gap can sit quietly for years, right up until the day someone needs an ambulance at that address.
The same applies to fit-outs and consolidations. Merged two offices into one, or moved a handful of numbers to a different site? Each of those numbers carries its own address record. Moving the handsets does not move the record with them.
ACMA rules require businesses and service providers to keep this information accurate. You need to update it promptly whenever your details change. It isn’t optional or a box-ticking exercise, it’s a legislated responsibility tied directly to public safety.
What You Need to Tell Us
Whenever any of the following changes for your business, let us know as soon as possible so we can update your record:
- Your business has moved to a new physical address, even within the same building or suburb.
- You’ve added new numbers or extensions that we need to link to your current address.
- Your registered business name or primary contact details have changed.
- You’ve closed a location and consolidated numbers elsewhere.
How Long Does It Take?
Once you let us know, we update your IPND record quickly, usually within a few business days. The important thing is telling us promptly when something changes, rather than assuming it updates automatically. It doesn’t, and treating it as an afterthought after a move is one of the more common gaps we see.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to do this myself, or does my phone provider handle it?
As your provider, we handle the IPND update on your behalf. We just need you to tell us when your details change. We can’t update what we don’t know about, so the first step is always letting us know.
What happens if the information is out of date?
In the worst case, Triple Zero sends responders to your old address instead of your new one. It can also affect other services that rely on accurate business contact data.
Does this apply to mobile numbers too?
Yes. Any number that can dial Triple Zero, landline or mobile, needs accurate IPND details behind it.
Is there a cost to update my details?
No, updating your IPND record is a standard part of managing your service with us, at no extra charge. Just let us know what has changed and we take care of the rest.
Keep Your Details Current
Moved recently, changed numbers, or updated your business details? Get in touch and we’ll make sure your emergency services record is accurate. It only takes a few minutes. And it’s one of those things that matters far more than it seems, right up until the moment it doesn’t. Book a 15-Minute Chat with our team to get it sorted.
