# Is It True All Cell Phones Can Reach 911, Even If It Is Disconnected?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-all-cell-phones-can-reach-911-even-if-it-is-disconnected/189556>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 19, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-all-cell-phones-can-reach-911-even-if-it-is-disconnected/189556 "2003-07-19T07:03:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-all-cell-phones-can-reach-911-even-if-it-is-disconnected/189556/1 "2003-07-19T07:03:04Z")

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I have two old cell phones and someone told me all cell phones can still reach 911 even if it has been disconnected. If so, I would like to give them to friends who travel, “just in case”.

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-all-cell-phones-can-reach-911-even-if-it-is-disconnected/189556/2 "2003-07-19T07:15:16Z")

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Here is a section from the FCC’s regulations that may explain the rules for the U.S.

[http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/News\_Releases/1997/nrwl7048.txt](http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/News_Releases/1997/nrwl7048.txt)

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**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-all-cell-phones-can-reach-911-even-if-it-is-disconnected/189556/3 "2003-07-19T07:16:15Z")

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GSM phones can’t, to the best of my knowledge. Try using one with no SIM, or a deactivated SIM, and you can’t dial out period.

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-all-cell-phones-can-reach-911-even-if-it-is-disconnected/189556/4 "2003-07-19T08:21:03Z")

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This has been discussed very recently. I shall close this thread and direct further discussion to the thread linked below:

[**Will a cell phone dial 911 if it’s been disconnected?**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=196895)

- **xash**  
General Questions Moderator