Dialing 911

[1930]

Someone told me a couple weeks ago that if I was out on my property where there is no cell phone signal that if I dial 911 it would still bounce off some other carriers tower and the call would go through?

A local firefighter I was talking to told me this.

I have no cell phone signal on my property no internet no nothing.

I've had other people on my property who have various carriers and there is no signal to be found.

The first time I had seen anyone get a signal was last weekend when someone came out that had Verizon and their phone did work intermittently.

Anyway I tried dialing 911 just to see if it would work and nothing at all happened.

The firefighter told me that some sort of legislation was passed a few years ago that it was supposed to work no matter where you were?

Can someone clarify on this situation?

 

[RandyT]

Cell phones even without a service plan can still be used to dial 911 but if you don't have a signal it would be like trying to dial 911 with a landline phone with the wires cut. Couple that with the fact if you did have service and actually got the call to go through there is a 20% chance that they could properly locate you without a physical address. If you want close to 100% chance of finding you, you need to use an app to order a pizza with a side order of fire department because the pizza delivery is close to 100% without an address.

 

[BRMyers]

RandyT hit it, you have to have a signal from a carrier, maybe not your carrier, but a carrier. All carriers have to accept a 911 call even from phones with no plans. Yet without a signal, you aren't getting any help.

 

[RNeumann]

Sounds like you need to switch to Verizon. And don’t trust firefighters.......haha

 

[CADplans]

At my shed, there is zero cell "call" capability,,, BUT,,,
I can 100% of the time send a text message,,,

Maybe the OP needs to try to send a text pizza order, with a side of PD,,,?? :thumbsup:

 

[snymat68]

This is completely dependent on the hardware in the cell phone. Not all carriers use the same technology. Some are CDMA and some are GSM. Those required different sets of hardware and can't communicate with each other, whether you're in range or not. Some phones have both technologies incorporated and MIGHT be able to connect across any carrier's towers when calling 911.

 

[Fuddy1952]

I mentioned this a while ago. Everyone, especially in rural areas should make a 911 check. Two reasons, signal and location.
As mentioned here if no signal, regardless of the service, it won't work. If that's the case you would have to utilize something else like amateur radio to get out.
At my Mom's place as well as here I made a 911 check. To do that you call your local non emergency sheriff's office. You'll get the same dispatch, explain you're doing a 911 non emergency test.
At Mom's I was told is was within a 1 mile radius of that tower. I spoke with my friend the sheriff who fixed the problem linking her phone number to exact location. I then checked her medic alert system and all was well.
Here the test gave the general location. Again they fixed the problem so our three phones are linked to this address.

 

[snymat68]

I mentioned this a while ago. Everyone, especially in rural areas should make a 911 check. Two reasons, signal and location.
As mentioned here if no signal, regardless of the service, it won't work. If that's the case you would have to utilize something else like amateur radio to get out.
At my Mom's place as well as here I made a 911 check. To do that you call your local non emergency sheriff's office. You'll get the same dispatch, explain you're doing a 911 non emergency test.
At Mom's I was told is was within a 1 mile radius of that tower. I spoke with my friend the sheriff who fixed the problem linking her phone number to exact location. I then checked her medic alert system and all was well.
Here the test gave the general location. Again they fixed the problem so our three phones are linked to this address.

I'm a licensed operator. Just so everyone knows, for normal use of ham radios, you need to be licensed by the FCC. (The test to get your basic (technician) license isn't that difficult.) HOWEVER, for EMERGENCY purposes, it is legal for anyone to use ham radio, even without a license. But there IS a little bit of knowledge required to familiarize yourself with the technology and practices, so getting licensed is a good way to get practice.

Edit: To clarify, anyone can listen to ham radio. You only need a license to transmit (for non-emergencies).

 

[Industrial Toys]

I would hardly DARE call our local snarky, talk down at you, 911 operators to make a test. I'm sure they would chew you out for tying up the service. Too bad there wasn't a similar number for non emergency stuff, or tests. Maybe even automated. Or Dial 911 and press something to initiate a test.

I remember when you could dial "0" and an operator would answer immediately. Always friendly, helpful with infinite patience it seemed.

 

[Fuddy1952]

I would hardly DARE call our local snarky, talk down at you, 911 operators to make a test. I'm sure they would chew you out for tying up the service. Too bad there wasn't a similar number for non emergency stuff, or tests. Maybe even automated. Or Dial 911 and press something to initiate a test.

All emergency services I'm aware of have a non-emergency number. No one should ever dial 911 saying this is a test!

 

[Industrial Toys]

But the non-emergency numbers will not work on a non-active cell phone. Here, those non emergency numbers are almost impossible to find, and only available during business hours, and then mostly with VM!

 

[radios1]

All emergency services I'm aware of have a non-emergency number. No one should ever dial 911 saying this is a test!

at least in Port St. Lucie, Florida, the 911 number was for everything, no non-emergency numbers there!. I lived there for 7 years, and you could talk about almost anything on the 911 number, I think the operators got bored sometimes, and wouldn't mind some non-emergency chat!..

 

[Fuddy1952]

Industrial toys lives in Ontario so I didn't know how things are there.
Port St. Lucie, Florida is different also, since around here you can accidentally dial 911, then hang up immediately. Then the police (state and/or county) show up! They take it seriously so you must call their other number first.
A few years ago I bought a cheap cell phone at the Goodwill store $5. At home, charged battery, dialed 911 and it worked (only for that).
Last year I drove coast-coast using our Samsung phones, Straight Talk service (which uses Verizon towers). We never lost signal and we went back roads mostly.
Once we crossed over into Mexico...no signal.
If I lived where I had poor signal, I would get walkie talkies. They make ones with a 35+ mile range, they're inexpensive. One in house, carry other.

 

[snymat68]

Industrial toys lives in Ontario so I didn't know how things are there.
Port St. Lucie, Florida is different also, since around here you can accidentally dial 911, then hang up immediately. Then the police (state and/or county) show up! They take it seriously so you must call their other number first.
A few years ago I bought a cheap cell phone at the Goodwill store $5. At home, charged battery, dialed 911 and it worked (only for that).
Last year I drove coast-coast using our Samsung phones, Straight Talk service (which uses Verizon towers). We never lost signal and we went back roads mostly.
Once we crossed over into Mexico...no signal.
If I lived where I had poor signal, I would get walkie talkies. They make ones with a 35+ mile range, they're inexpensive. One in house, carry other.

That's marketing nonsense. I'm real life scenarios you'll get a mile, maybe two out of those walkie talkies. That 35mi number is with nothing but air in between and when the stars align.

 

[Fuddy1952]

That's marketing nonsense. I'm real life scenarios you'll get a mile, maybe two out of those walkie talkies. That 35mi number is with nothing but air in between and when the stars align.

Ok! I thought it was hooie also with trees, sheds, hills in the way. What I was thinking of is out on the tractor one could call home , usually you wouldn't be more than 1-2 miles away unless you have a big place.

 

[snymat68]

Ok! I thought it was hooie also with trees, sheds, hills in the way. What I was thinking of is out on the tractor one could call home , usually you wouldn't be more than 1-2 miles away unless you have a big place.

Also, FRS walkie talkies don't travel as far. If you get GMRS talkies you get more power. Some walkies have both. They're just different channel numbers. Be aware that you need a licence from the FCC to transmit on GMRS frequencies. (You can look on Wikipedia for which channels are FRS vs GMRS. The license doesn't require any kind of test, it's just a fee. I forget the exact amount off the top of my head, but it's less than $100. It's good for 10yrs and also covers your immediate family members under one license. FRS requires no license but doesn't travel as far due to lower power limits on those frequencies.

 

[1930]

Ok so can someone re explain why my phone's GPS aka Google maps will take me all the way into my property and yet no phone signal?

Someone told me already but I can't seem to remember the explanation.

I have metro, its cheap, I've had it for years and gives me what I need, I know Sprint won't work on my property either.

 

[oosik]

When I bought my new Power Wagon( the Taco Wagon) I had to get a new cell phone. My old Samsung flip phone was no longer compatible. This new phone ( Apple XR ) has an introductory page with two "buttons". Emergency and 911. Touch the "button" and either is immediately dialed up.

Being the way I am - of course, I had to try. They work just fine out here. Even when the phone shows "no bars" of connection.

As I understand it - the outgoing signal is substantially boosted when either is dialed on the Apple XR. It sends out a signal that includes the exact location and who the phone is registered to.

The fire dept and police dept did not appreciate my curiosity.

 

[SmallChange]

I've called 911 from my home for real emergencies only to be told that the 911 dispatch or operator doesn't serve my area. They had me write down a 10 digit number and call that, and wouldn't transfer me. The last time this happened, I witnessed a man sitting on a woman pinned to the ground, beating her to a bloody pulp. I could hardly believe they wouldn't help. I have the proper number written down next to the phone now. So -- your mileage may vary.

 

[snymat68]

Ok so can someone re explain why my phone's GPS aka Google maps will take me all the way into my property and yet no phone signal?

Someone told me already but I can't seem to remember the explanation.

I have metro, its cheap, I've had it for years and gives me what I need, I know Sprint won't work on my property either.

The maps preloaded onto the phone while you had signal. The GPS location uses the GPS radio in the phone, which talks to satellites.