911 call failed

I had to this past weekend and the call went through without a problem.

I have a 3G iPhone and it also failed to make a 911 call after several attempts this past weekend. I don't know if this was a fluke or not since I can't really test it by trying 911 again when it's not an emergency. On the other hand, I want to know if this is a major issue or not before I NEED 911 again.

Hey djukami,

From page 38 of the iPhone user guide:
+*Emergency Calls*+
+If iPhone is locked with a passcode, you may still be able to make an emergency call.+

+*Make an emergency call when iPhone is locked*: Tap Emergency Call, then dial the+
+number using the keypad.+

+ Important: You should not rely on wireless devices for essential communications, such+
+as medical emergencies. Use of any cellular phone to call emergency services may not+
+work in all locations. Emergency numbers and services vary by region, and sometimes+
+an emergency call cannot be placed due to network availability or environmental+
+interference. Some cellular networks may not accept an emergency call from iPhone if+
+it doesn’t have a SIM, if you locked your SIM, or if you haven’t activated your iPhone.+
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/iPhoneUserGuide.pdf

One thing you can try to quickly make your iPhone or any cellular phone disconnect and reconnect to the network is toggle Airplane Mode.

Jason

Looks to me that that section dealt only with Motorola's compliance with the 9-11 system.

Regardless, even if ALL cell providers are required to provide access to 9-11 service, that doesn't mean that the call is going to go through.

As previously stated, reliance upon cell phones for emergency calls is potentially very risky. Interestingly, this issue is never dealt with in articles that discuss those who are choosing to leave "landlines" behind, and utilize only wireless communication (i.e., cell phones) as their primary means of telephone communication.