Can You Make 911 Emergency Calls Without a Cell Service?

Most folks, including preppers, are inseparable from their cell phones these days and it is not hard to see why; even now people take for granted just how much capability is packed into such a tiny device.

All of the many apps and functions are certainly handy but far and away a cell’s most critical function is still the most basic: reliable long distance communications, even in an emergency.

Can you make 911 emergency calls without a signal?

Yes, all wireless and wired phones can call 911 without signal from their network provider. Emergency calling will utilize any open network within range (so long as there is one!).

This is because when your cell phone is reading no signal it doesn’t mean there’re no nearby network towers, it just means there is no access to your carrier’s network.

Even in the total absence of a cell phone network, wi-fi calling may make reaching emergency assistance possible.

That is certainly a relief to people who have been worried about losing communications during an emergency, especially if they live or work in an area with limited or unreliable access to their carrier’s cell network.

There is more to know about this important subject however and we will delve into the details just below.

Understanding Cell Network Basics

Luckily we live in a time where cell phones have become so ubiquitous and service for them so widespread that is often times more remarkable when we don’t have signal, then when we do.

Nonetheless it is critical that you understand the basics of cell network infrastructure, and how your cell phone interacts with this network so that you may more reliably use it in times of trouble.

At its simplest, any given wireless service provider will have installed a wide-ranging network of towers throughout their service area. These cell phone towers serve as relays, bouncing a signal from one to the next in a giant chain until the signal finally reaches its destination.

Note that certain cellular providers simply have agreements with the owners of pre-existing towers to carry their client’s calls, but functionally this makes no difference for you and I.

The signal that is transmitted and relayed by these cell phone towers originates, of course, from your cell phone. When you place a call your cell phone will transmit the signal, reaching out and looking for any available tower that supports the network of which you are a paying customer.

If this network is located and the phone and tower are able to communicate, then your call will be placed, bouncing along each node, one to the next, until it finally reaches the recipient, who then picks up their now-ringing phone and begins speaking with you.

Although technologically marvelous, the fundamentals of how a cell network functions are easy enough to understand.

No Membership, No Service

But let us say that your cell phone is reporting a complete lack of signal, AKA “no bars”, as denoted by an empty indicator on your phone’s information display. What this really means is that your phone did not locate or cannot reach any tower that supports your cellular network.

It decidedly does not mean that there is no cellular network of any kind in the area. To the contrary, unless you are really, really out in the sticks there is almost certainly someone’s network around that can be used.

But, because commerce is what it is and cell phone service providers jealously guard their market sectors, you are out of luck.

Or are you..?

Emergency Calling Activated

Luckily, there is a way past this restriction, but only in a genuine emergency. Simply, all you have to do is press your phone’s emergency call button (or swipe the emergency SOS slider), usually located on the dialing interface or even on the lock screen for maximum convenience and speed.

When callers press the emergency call button you’ll be presented with the dialer interface per usual.

However, now your phone will look for and utilize any cell phone tower and available network owned and operated by any carrier, in stark contrast to the usual method of assessing available networks.

Once the emergency call button is pressed you will be able to dial 911 (in the United States) or in some cases just press the “begin call” button; many smartphones will auto-populate the recipient number field with the nation’s emergency service number.

Again, in the U.S. that’s 911. Depending on your mobile phone’s configuration and where you are using it, you might be able to enter the settings menu and manually enter an alternate emergency number.

Emergency Call Specifics

But this is not just a way to jump on to another network when you are in a jam. No, some pretty interesting things take place when a cellular network is fielding a legitimate emergency call placed with the emergency call function.

For starters, your phone will utilize its software to rapidly sort and analyze all available signals from all available networks that will field the emergency call. It will then choose the strongest or overall best signal based on your current position.

When the call is placed it goes out with what is essentially an emergency “tag” so the network will recognize it and prioritize it for service.

This emergency tag must be recognized and serviced by any cellular networks, by law, no matter what phone or provider it originates from. Your phone doesn’t even need a SIM chip in for this to work.

Any device manufacturer that fails to adhere to this requirement will face the wrath of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission).

Additionally, the priority status of an emergency call means that in the unlikely event that the network is completely full and cannot handle even one more request, it will kick someone off of the network who doesn’t have the priority status attendant to an emergency call, ensuring your emergency call can go through.

Pretty cool, huh?

How can you make an emergency call without accessing a cell tower?

If you phone genuinely cannot connect to a cell tower for one reason or another- out of range, damaged antenna, malfunction, etc.- then you still have a shot at reaching help via call or text message by wi-fi.

This is not always a possibility- for example, if you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere with no access to any kind of wi-fi network- but it’s definitely something to keep in mind as an emergency backup plan.

You might be hurt or trapped in an urban or suburban area and might conceivably be able to get an internet connection but not have proper “cell” signal.

Simply connect to any open network and you should be able to send text normally.

To place a call, make sure your device supports wi-fi calling and the activate it in your settings if it isn’t already on. This is sometimes a button or slider on your phone’s drop down menu.

Can a deactivated mobile phone still call 911?

Yes. Even if a mobile phone is no longer associated with an account, or is disabled from using mobile data it can still access and send cellular signals for emergency services.

For this reason, it is always best to keep an old mobile phone around and charged just in case of an emergency. You never know when you might need a backup phone!

Can you make a 911 call with the SIM card removed?

Yes. As long as the phone has power and is able to connect to a cellular network according to what we talked about above, you can still place a call to 911.

SIM cards are not strictly required for a phone to function, but are instead used by service providers to identify registered accounts.

So as long as your phone is connected to a working network, you can still make emergency calls without a SIM card inserted.

The SIM card is not required to make an emergency call, at least in the U.S.

Can I still call 911 if my phone has no power?

No, and don’t be fooled by any internet legendry you might come across that swears there is a super secret combo of button presses that can connect a seemingly dead phone to the police directly.

That is just a malicious urban legend. If your phone has no power, it will not be able to place or receive any calls – including emergency ones.

So if you find yourself in a situation where your phone battery is running low and there’s no outlet in sight, try to conserve power as best as possible until you can get to a charger.

And if you’re ever truly in an emergency situation, remember that the best bet is always to find a landline and dial 911 from there.

What if I accidentally call 911?

It has happened to all of us: sometimes we leave our screen unlocked when we pocket our phones, and get a call back from a friend wondering what we wanted.

The dreaded pocket dial strikes again. It isn’t out of the question that this could happen to the emergency call button on our home screens, meaning we might inadvertently dial 911!

That’s no good, but generally nothing to worry about. If you accidentally call 911, and the dispatcher does not hear any meaningful communication from you, they will try to call you back immediately.

When this happens, just stay on the line and tell the dispatcher what happened.

They will likely ask you some questions to confirm whether or not there is an emergency, particularly one where you might be threatened or detained against your will, and then let you go on your way.

In short, you should never, ever call 911 or any other emergency services from your cell phone frivolously, but don’t live in fear of your phone dialing 911 by accident. The dispatchers are trained to deal with these innocuous and accidental calls and will sort it out.

Tips and Tricks

One thing you should be aware of when traveling in areas without your cell carrier’s towers is that your phone is constantly searching out potential towers and networks to connect to, and others just in case you have to field that emergency call.

This requires power, and can drain your battery surprisingly quickly when you are out on the fringes.

If you notice that you are in such an area (or that you will be heading into one and staying there for some time) you might be best served by preemptively placing your phone on airplane mode.

Airplane mode will shut down the vast majority of your phone’s transmissions, saving you a considerable amount of power.

However, placing an emergency call per usual will often wake the phone up from airplane mode, instantly saving you time and fumbling in a time-is-life situation.

This is something you will need to verify that your phone does, but so long as it provides this functionality there is no reason to let your phone guzzle battery looking for networks you will not be able to use unless there is an emergency.

It will find one quickly enough when you place the emergency call.

Conclusion

It is entirely possible for a cell phone to place emergency calls even when it doesn’t have signal, so long as other networks’ cell towers are present and functional. The emergency call function forces any available network to field the call and transmit it.

So long as there is some kind of cell service in the area the emergency call function will allow you to contact first responders.