# Where Would My 911 Call Go?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-would-my-911-call-go/637553>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 12, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-would-my-911-call-go/637553 "2012-10-12T19:42:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-would-my-911-call-go/637553/1 "2012-10-12T19:42:47Z")

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So I live in North Carolina now, but I still have a cellphone from Arizona, with an Arizona phone number, of course. I haven’t had occasion to call 911 from it, but I have been wondering- if I do call 911 from this phone, would it go to 911 in Tucson, or 911 here? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I figure it’s better to know now than to find out in an emergency.

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**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-would-my-911-call-go/637553/2 "2012-10-12T19:48:54Z")

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It would go to the [PSAP](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-safety_answering_point) closest to the tower that your phone actually hit.

Optimally.

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**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-would-my-911-call-go/637553/3 "2012-10-12T19:49:48Z")

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It should go to the local 911. I’ve called in different location using an out-of-state number and always got local 911.

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**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-would-my-911-call-go/637553/4 "2012-10-12T19:53:04Z")

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Okay, good to know. Thanks for the prompt responses.

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**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-would-my-911-call-go/637553/5 "2012-10-12T23:37:42Z")

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It hits the local 911 system unless it is a VOIP setup.

VOIP cell phones that are actually routing calls via WiFi or other internet connection depend on your registered address to know which PSAP to contact. We have gotten 9-1-1 calls from a person overseas because their VOIP account had our call center listed as its local PSAP.