From 1 to 5 June 2026, the ETSI NG eCall Plugtests™ 2026 took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The event brought together nearly 100 experts from 45 companies to test the interoperability of the next generation of the European in-vehicle emergency call system under real-world conditions.
TE-SYSTEMS, together with its partner Sinus Nachrichtentechnik GmbH, participated in the Plugtests™. Using anynode – The Software SBC, we supported the verification of modern emergency communications based on the latest ETSI standards, thereby contributing to the further development of interoperable emergency call solutions across Europe.
The next generation of the European in-vehicle emergency call system
NG eCall (Next Generation eCall) is the evolution of the Europe-wide automatic in-vehicle emergency call system. In the event of a serious road accident, the system can automatically initiate an emergency call and transmit important information to the responsible public safety answering point (PSAP). This information includes the vehicle’s current location, time-related data, and other relevant details that enable emergency services to respond more quickly and effectively.
In addition, a voice connection is established with the emergency call center, allowing vehicle occupants to communicate directly with emergency responders. Unlike the legacy eCall system, NG eCall utilizes modern IP-based mobile networks such as 4G and future generations of mobile communications. This creates new opportunities for transmitting emergency call data and additional information while providing a future-proof platform for public safety services across Europe.
Interoperability for Greater Safety
The ETSI Plugtests™ provide manufacturers, mobile network operators, and emergency service organizations with an opportunity to validate their solutions in a shared test environment. The objective is to ensure that systems from different vendors can communicate reliably with one another and comply with European standards.
During the event, TE-SYSTEMS and Sinus Nachrichtentechnik GmbH verified the interoperability of their solutions based on the ETSI TS 103 683 test specification. The goal was to ensure reliable communication between the various components of an NG eCall ecosystem.
As a software session border controller, anynode enables the secure and standards-compliant interconnection of different communication systems. Interoperability is particularly critical in safety-related applications such as NG eCall. Only when all participating components work together seamlessly can emergency calls be processed quickly and reliably.
Once Again Part of the ETSI Plugtests™
For TE-SYSTEMS, participation in this year’s Plugtests™ represented a continuation of its ongoing commitment to modern emergency communication technologies. TE-SYSTEMS had already taken part in the ETSI NG eCall Plugtests™ 2025, which were held in Bonn, Germany. The insights gained during that event contributed to the further development and validation of interoperable NG eCall solutions.
The event in Ljubljana provided an opportunity to build on this experience and, together with manufacturers, network operators, and emergency service organizations, once again test the practical implementation of NG eCall under real-world conditions.
Interoperability testing of this kind is an essential part of the standardization process and helps ensure the reliability of modern emergency communications across Europe.
Expertise from Sinus Nachrichtentechnik GmbH
Sinus Nachrichtentechnik GmbH contributed its extensive expertise in the field of emergency control center technology to the testing activities. The focus was on the MECC (Multimedia Emergency Control Center) communication management system. As a highly available, IP-based emergency control center solution, the MECC system was evaluated for its ability to reliably process transmitted NG eCall data packets and the associated IP-based voice connections.
Shaping the Future of Emergency Communications Together
The ETSI NG eCall Plugtests™ clearly demonstrate the importance of collaboration between manufacturers, network operators, emergency service organizations, and standardization bodies. Together with our partner Sinus Nachrichtentechnik GmbH, we were able to gain valuable insights and test the interoperability of modern NG eCall solutions under real-world conditions. We would like to thank ETSI, Telekom Slovenije, EENA 112, the SINTESIO Foundation, as well as all participants and partners for the excellent organization and the constructive exchange throughout the event.
