
IR-01-25-31996
8 October 2025
Hemant
[FYI request #32175 email]
Dear Hemant
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 30 August 2025. I
apologise for the delay in responding. You requested information regarding the Next
Generation Critical Communications (NGCC) Device Location Information service.
My response to each part of your request can be found below.
1. How does the Device Location Information (DLI) service work.
The DLI service enables emergency services to find the location of a person's mobile
phone in situations involving a serious threat to life or health. They have access to real-
time location information of a mobile device to assist in their response.
2. What technical information does the DLI gather from (well 'about') the
phone
The DLI service does not gather phone data, it indirectly collects the location of the
device from the cellular network.
3. How does it know which phone to contact.
The phone number of the person in need is provided to the emergency service provider
by the person(s) making the call.
4. How long does it take once an authorised request is sent for the results
come back.
The result is immediate, so long as the device is switched on and in range of network
coverage.
5. What information in contained in the results that come back.
DLI displays the general location of the mobile phone in a map format.
6. What makes it a world first.
NZ Police’s Media and Communications team has acknowledged the sentence was
based on a misunderstanding and wil be corrected as soon as possible.
7. What is the range of location that comes back.
DLI displays the general location information in a map format based on the device’s
proximity to a cell tower.
8. What auditing processes are in place so that after it has been used,
someone checks that the reason given to the comms inspector is true
and accurate.
NGCC wil provide a monthly summary report of DLI collection requests to the emergency
service providers for their reconciliation and auditing purposes. A log of use of the DLI
service is being recorded and wil be regularly reported to the Privacy Commissioner. This
transparency measure was added to the Telecommunications Information Privacy Code
in the interests of enabling trust in the system.
9. Does DLI rely on IMEI or Phone number or both.
DLI relies on the phone number of the device. The search is done only by number.
You can access more DLI information on NGCC’s website at:
https://www.ngcc.govt.nz/location-information-services/about-the-DLI-service.
Please note that as part of its commitment to openness and transparency, Police
proactively releases some information and documents that may be of interest to the
public. An anonymised version of this response may be publicly released on the New
Zealand Police website.
I trust this information is satisfactory in answering your request. If you are not satisfied
with the way I have responded to your request, you have the right to seek an investigation
and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available
at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Steve Ferguson
NGCC Lead Entity Director
New Zealand Police