The spokesman told Utility Week that a tender process seeking a telecom provider to build and develop the system is underway, but no further details are currently available.
The number will automatically connect customers with the right network company for their area, whether calling from a landline or mobile anywhere in the UK.
The spokesperson from ENA said: “There are still many bureaucratic and technical hurdles to overcome but hopefully we will deliver the number in two years. We are still waiting for Ofcom to give us the green signal.”
He added, “The police and the NHS took nine years to develop their respective emergency numbers, so we will be doing it in a record time or sorts, from initial consultations to delivery.”
The ENA has taken on the responsibility to deliver the single emergency number (SEN) project, following calls from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.