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RE: Inactive cell phones and 911/Highway Patrol calls?
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Subject: RE: Inactive cell phones and 911/Highway Patrol calls?
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From: [email protected] (Bob Kegel)
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Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 19:17:54 -0700 (PDT)
>> I heard any cell phone can be used to dial 911 or *FHP etc
>> for emergency use even without a number assigned. <<
Your cellular service provider recognizes your phone by the "ESN"
(electronic serial number) it broadcasts when it's turned on. When you
discontinue service, the ESN is cut from the database. In this case your
phone might appear to be a "roamer", a phone from outside the system.
The cellular industry is working hard on a system to instantly verify
"roamers" are legitimate, that they are being used by a paying customer
rather than a scam artist. A call to 911 is presumably of no benefit
to a criminal so perhaps such calls would not be blocked. You best bet
is to call your cellular service provider and ask them
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Bob Kegel [email protected]
08/02/96 19:18
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