Unintentional 911 calls placed from wireless phones clog
the phone lines that deliver 911 calls to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs),
which handle 911 calls, and put the PSAPs’ ability to respond to real
emergencies at risk. Here’s how the problem occurs, and what you can do to
avoid making an accidental 911 call.
Many older wireless phones are equipped with a feature
designed to dial 911 automatically in an emergency. For example, when one key
– typically the “9” – is held down for a few seconds, the phone automatically
dials 911. The person using the phone may not even be aware of the feature or
that it has been pre-activated by the manufacturer or retailer. Accidental
dialing of 911 can occur even more frequently with open-face design phones
that may bump against other objects in a purse, briefcase, or pocket. Newer
wireless phones generally either do not have the capability to automatically
dial 911, or require the user to activate the feature to make it work.
Accidental 911 calls cause problems for the public safety
community, which must spend time and resources to determine whether a 911 call
is real or accidental. A 911 operator must stay on the line to make this
determination. If no one is on the line, the operator may need to disconnect
the call and call the user back to determine whether the call is real or
accidental. If no one answers, the operator may spend even more time trying to
reach the caller, or even dispatch emergency services to help the caller.
These efforts waste resources and divert scarce public safety personnel from
other 911 calls reporting real emergencies.
Avoiding Accidental 9-1-1 Calls
You can help reduce accidental 911 calls by:
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Locking keypads using the keypad lock feature. Keypad locks, some of
which can be programmed to activate automatically, prevent a phone from
responding to keystrokes until you unlock the keypad using a short
combination of key presses.
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Turning off the 911 auto-dial feature, if your phone has one. To
determine whether your phone has this feature and how to turn it off, check
your user manual or the manufacturer’s web site, or call your service
provider.
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Refraining from programming your wireless phone to speed or
automatically dial 911.
Many major wireless phone manufacturers and wireless service providers are
also taking steps to help solve this problem. For example, wireless service
providers have requested that manufacturers not offer the 911 auto-dial
feature on new phones, or turn it off prior to shipment.
For More Information
For general consumer information on telecommunications-related issues,
visit our Web site at www.fcc.gov/cgb; send an e-mail to
fccinfo@fcc.gov; call
our Consumer Center at 1-888-Call-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice, 1-888-Tell-FCC
(1-888-835-5322) TTY; or write to us at:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries & Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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