Q1.In what kind of natural disaster can we use this service?
A1.The service is activated in the event of an earthquake of seismic intensity equal to or greater than lower 6 on the Japanese scale of 0 to 7.
In the event of an earthquake of seismic intensity equal to or less than upper 5, or another natural disaster, either NTT East or NTT West (depending on the location of the disaster-stricken area) will judge whether or not to provide the service in consideration of the state of telephone traffic and other factors.
When we activate Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) (telephone service), we will announce the activation of the service through television and radio broadcasts, the official NTT West website, and other means.
Q2.Can we use the service during normal time?
A2.NTT West sets a day for using the living experience of Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) (telephone service) during normal time.
You are urged to experience the service together with your family members, relatives, and friends. To use the living experience service, please see “How to use the living experience.”
Q1.What do I have to be careful of when using Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171)?
A1.Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) records and plays back messages using the telephone number of an Analog phone, ISDN phone, or HIKARI DENWA phone in your home or elsewhere or mobile phone in the disaster-stricken area. It is important for you to select the telephone number beforehand to be used by your family members, relatives, and friends.
When a large-scale disaster has occurred, the service may have a limit on the number of storable messages. When someone in the disaster-stricken area sends information personally, this definitely confirms that they are alive and well.
Q2.How many messages can be stored? How many minutes are allocated for a message? And how long is a message stored?
A2.Message recording time: Up to 30 seconds per message
Message storage period: Until the service is turned off
Number of storable messages: 1 to 20 messages per telephone number (Made known to you when the service is on)
The number of storable messages, storage period, etc., per telephone number will vary depending on the conditions of the disaster. For the latest information, refer to the following web page, etc.: http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/dengon/news/ (in Japanese only)
Details of this information will be announced through television and radio broadcasts, the official NTT West website, and other means upon the activation of the service. To use the living experience service, please see “How to use the living experience.”
Q3.How can I find out the areas where messages can be registered and played back?
A3.When we activate Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) (telephone service), we will announce the service conditions, such as the areas where messages can be registered and played back, through television and radio broadcasts, the official NTT West website, and other means.
Q4.Why is the service available on occasions other than an actual disaster or a day for using the living experience service?
A4.The living experience is made available in limited areas for disaster drills held by local authorities; therefore you may experience this service other than during an actual disaster or living experience day.
Q1.Is application necessary prior to using Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171)?
A1.Advance application is not necessary.
Simply dialing “171” allows you to use the service.
Q2.Is this service accessible via any telephone?
A2.You can access Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) via Analog phones, ISDN*1 phones, pay phones, HIKARI DENWA (telephone service) phones*1, and special pay phones installed by NTT East and NTT West at evacuation centers, etc. when a disaster occurs. In addition to NTT East and West, this service can also be used from other carriers’ phone services such as mobile phones and PHS. Please contact the relevant telecommunications carrier you use about possible telephone service to make calls, dialing charges, etc.
*1 Not accessible if you use a rotary-dial phone on the ISDN or HIKARI DENWA service.
Q3.Can this service be accessed from a rotary-dial Analog phone?
A3.You can use this service on a rotary-dial Analog phone. If you are using a touch-tone phone on a rotary-dial line, first connect to the message dial center (enter the number for the disaster-stricken area) and then switch over to the push signal sending mode; this operation enables you to use the recording correction function, the repeat playback function, etc. For information on how to send push signals, refer to the instruction manual or similar document accompanying your telephone.
However, this service is not accessible if you use a rotary-dial phone on the ISDN or HIKARI DENWA service.
Q4.Can I use any phone number as the registration number for this service?
A4.Telephone numbers of Analog phones, ISDN phones, HIKARI DENWA phones, mobile phones, PHS phones, and IP phones such as for people in the disaster-stricken area can be used as numbers for registrations. The telephone number needs to be entered starting from the area code.
Q5.Can a company telephone number be used as a telephone number such as for people in the disaster-stricken area?
A5.The recording and playback of messages are carried out with reference to telephone numbers of Analog phones, ISDN phones, and HIKARI DENWA phones such as for people in the disaster-stricken area; therefore, Analog phone, ISDN phone, or HIKARI DENWA phone numbers of a company may also be used to access the service. However, please remember that Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) is intended for the safety confirmation of individuals among such as family members, relatives, and friends. Using this service for such as companies to confirm the safety of employees, etc. may lead to obstacles in confirming the safety of individuals, which is the original purpose of this service. For this reason, companies and the like are kindly requested to use other safety confirmation systems such as those commercially available.
Q6.Can I use the service from anywhere in Japan? Can I also use the service from an overseas location?
A6.Yes, you can use the service from anywhere in Japan. But you cannot use it from overseas.
Q7.Can I skip some of the voice guidance steps?
A7.If you are using a touch-tone phone, you can skip voice guidance steps by entering the number referred to while the guidance is being given.
Q8.Can a recorded memory be deleted?
A8.A message we have received cannot be deleted. Messages will be deleted automatically after the message storage period has elapsed. The maximum number of storable messages, maximum storage period, etc., per telephone number will vary depending on the conditions of the disaster. For the latest information, refer to the following web page, etc.: http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/dengon/news/ (in Japanese only)
Details of this information will be announced through television and radio broadcasts, the official NTT West website, and other means upon the activation of the service. To use the living experience service, please see “How to use the living experience.”
Q9.What will happen if the number of messages that can be registered is exceeded?
A9.The guidance message played will be “The number of messages have exceeded the limit. Your message has been recorded over an older message.” and the older message will be deleted.
Q10.I do not want people other than my family members, relatives, and friends to hear my message. Is it possible to arrange this?
A10.Select a personal identification number and provide it in advance to those whom you wish to access your message. Then enter this number when you record your message. This allows only those who know the number to play back your message. A personal identification number may be any four-digit number. You can enter it in each message we receive.
Q11.What should I do if I forget my personal identification number?
A11.NTT West is unable to cancel a personal identification number that a subscriber has registered. The subscriber who registers the message and those who play it back are kindly requested to be careful in keeping the personal identification number.
Q12.Why isn’t the next guidance heard even if I dial 1 (record), 2 (playback), 3 (recording with a personal identification number), or 4 (playback with a personal identification number) after dialing 171 for connection?
A12.Dialing “171” connects you to the Disaster Emergency Message Dial system; however, some communications devices require a special procedure to transmit PB signals corresponding to “1” to “4” after the connection (button operations using the # button, for example). PB signals may not have been transmitted in this case.
For more information, refer to the instruction manual of your communications device, or contact the manufacturer of your device.
Q13.Is the guidance available in languages other than Japanese ? in English, for example?
A13.No, the guidance is provided only in Japanese.
We have no plans to offer guidance in languages other than Japanese.
A1.Center usage charges regarding to the use of message storage units, etc. are free of charge. Dialing charges are free to record and play back messages from an NTT East or NTT West subscription phone. When you make calls from telephones connected to the network of a telecommunications carrier other than us, contact the relevant carrier regarding dialing charges.
Q2.How is the charge for using Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) billed?
A2.There will be no charge, because usage of this service is free. When you make calls from telephones connected to the network of a telecommunications carrier other than us, contact the relevant carrier regarding dialing charges.
