911 Cell Phone Problems

[explcdt8]

A couple of weeks ago, I needed to call 911 from my cell phone (smoke investigation, in case anyone was wondering). When I called though, my phone, rather than ringing, kept making these beeping noises, about every three seconds apart. This went on for approximatley fifteen seconds, and was continuing, before I decided to call on the seven-digit number, as no one was picking up.

Is this normal, for there to be a special 'ring' when calling 911 from a cell phone, or is there a problem. The phone is a Verizon if it makes a difference.

[sbrad]

A couple of weeks ago, I needed to call 911 from my cell phone (smoke investigation, in case anyone was wondering). When I called though, my phone, rather than ringing, kept making these beeping noises, about every three seconds apart. This went on for approximatley fifteen seconds, and was continuing, before I decided to call on the seven-digit number, as no one was picking up.

Is this normal, for there to be a special 'ring' when calling 911 from a cell phone, or is there a problem. The phone is a Verizon if it makes a difference.

Verizon, for whatever, chooses to announce to the world that you have dialed 911 by having their phones make a loud, obnoxious sound. Hopefully you weren't underneath a table hiding from someone when you dialed. I have no idea why your call never connected though.

[MrJim911]

Verizon misinterpreted Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act and added the tone when a 911 call is placed. So if your a Verizon customer your stuck with it.

Why they were not answering could be any number of reasons.

[suzanne1020U.S.]

Is it a really loud beep? If it is, I think that's a rather brilliant idea Verizon put in place.

[explcdt8]

Okay, then that is what it was. They should change that as I thought the phone was broken or for some reason not connecting. By the way, when I called the seven-digit administrative number, someone picked up, and had me transferred to a supervisor within one ring.

Maybe they were just busy that day.

Anyway, no one actually got dispatched, although an ambulance from a nearby town stopped briefly in the road upon also seeing the smoke. The resident came out and said while burning wood pallets in the fireplace, he forgot to remove plastic sheeting/bags, causing the black smoke.

[Hockey9019]

Verizon, for whatever, chooses to announce to the world that you have dialed 911 by having their phones make a loud, obnoxious sound. Hopefully you weren't underneath a table hiding from someone when you dialed. I have no idea why your call never connected though.

I HATE that about my phone.


I never thought about that either...

[Hockey9019]

yup even on silent it goes ding ding dinnnng ding...



That is crap

[Stormrage]

Thats odd, I have a Verizon phone, a Samsung to be specific and mine has never done that.

[Drummadude]

Hmm, thankfully I've never had to call 911, but I do use VZW, so thanks for the heads up.

I would probably get really confused if I hadn't heard about this now.

[Hockey9019]

I'll take video of me doing that to show you guys what I'm talking about..