From the linked FAQ:
How can I make a test 9-1-1 call? To make a test 9-1-1 call, you need to first contact the 9-1-1 center that serves your area. The non-emergency numbers for Colorado’s 9-1-1 centers are available here(opens in new window). If you’re unsure which 9-1-1 center serves your area, call the 911 Program at 303-894-2871, and we’ll help you identify the 9-1-1 center for the location you want to test from.
When you call the 9-1-1 center, ask them if it would be okay to make a test 9-1-1 call. If they are particularly busy or are handling a major incident, they may ask you to call back at a later time.
When your phone cannot make normal calls for whatever reason¹, you obviously want to know if 911 calls will at least work. And the idiots design a test procedure that requires normal phone calls to work.
① Typical reasons why you may be unable to make normal calls:
- You have a GSM phone with no GSM chip, or unsubscribed chip.
- You are on a prepaid plan and have no credit.
So indeed the telecom industry has a glaring competency problem.
Within the US, you should be able to make a 911 call with a phone that has no service as long as it’s able to connect to the cell tower at all.
I don’t really have any recommendations on how to test this, though. If you have a phone with service, or a phone that once had service but doesn’t anymore, then those would be the devices I’d recommend reaching for in an emergency.
I’m confused what you think a better alternative would be? If there was a test number, what if that worked, but you couldn’t call the real 911? There’s no way around it: to be absolutely sure your phone can contact 911, you have to… dial 911. They simply recommend you give them a heads-up on the non-emergency line to make sure they’re not too busy at the moment.
I’m confused what you think a better alternative would be? If there was a test number, what if that worked, but you couldn’t call the real 911?
A test number would suffice in some situations. When an incompetent VOIP provider takes an action to block calls “for security purposes”, they cannot legally block /all/ calls. 911 calls must be permitted. And 911 test calls would obviously require the same status. I do not trust their competency. But if their call blocking allows a 911 test number through, it proves that their blockade is not a simple crude block on /everything/.
A test number would not be the only solution. With some services you can set the CID to whatever you want. So in principle a CID of 555-1212 could have special meaning to 911 receiptionists. So a tester would set the CID info to that number before calling 911.
911 is not always instantly answered by humans. When answered by a machine, there could be a cancel code. E.g. dial “119” after connecting to cancel it.
There’s no way around it: to be absolutely sure your phone can contact 911, you have to… dial 911.
Sure, if you need that extra level of certainty. In the typical cases that I mentioned (no GSM subscription), a test number would be sufficient. It would show that the dialed number reaches a switch that treats it.
You’ve complicated this. They say to contact them on non-emergent line to make sure it’s a good time for a test. What problem do you think you’re solving?
Sounds like a bunch of good ideas. Have you considered proposing those to the people who can actually implement them?
Well, I don’t think you need to make that first call from the same phone so it should be fine. How often have you had to test a 911 call with absolutely no other phones available that you can borrow for a moment?
First, it’s wrong to assume everyone has multiple phones. Those with multiple phones are also those who least need to test 911.
But if we can get past that, are you also assuming that the test phone has a phone number? Suppose you call the test center with a friend’s phone (always amusing when a policy imposes having friends, but anyway). The conversation would likely go like this:
me: I will make a test call from a different phone than the one I am calling from.
911 center: Okay, what is the phone number of the phone you are testing (so we know which inbound call to disregard)?
me: The test phone is not subscribed. There is no number.
911 center: Then we cannot do the test.Or do you imagine the 911 center would say: just call us now and we will ignore whatever call we get?
Of course if a GSM phone has no chip, it also has no number assignment. If the test phone is a VOIP phone, the subscriber may not have a DID. There could be a phony internal number assignment in that case, but the customer does not necessarily know it.
The next problem is /which/ call center do you call when you are on a voip phone served in a different state than where the call is made from?
911 center: Okay, what is the phone number of the phone you are testing (so we know which inbound call to disregard)?
Your argument stems primarily from that point.
The purpose of contacting them is not to identify what phone number will be making the call. The purpose of contacting them is to ensure they are not currently in the middle of a mass casualty incident that you don’t know about.
They don’t care what number you will be making the call from. They care that they have the time and resources available to take it. If your test call is successful, you will tell them that it was a test call.
As for your argument about not having a phone to make the initial call, it’s 2026, not 1926. You have a phone, it’s in your hands right now, and you’re using it to read this.
It’s really not that complicated.
They will answer the 911 call, you say this is just a test to ensure the functionality, thank them and then hang up.
Worst case you get some person who complains about the test call, and you calmly explain that you called their non-emergency number beforehand to ensure that it would be OK, thank them, and then hang up.
As for your VOIP location Q: If it has a registered address in another location, you should call that location’s local number. Normally you want the correct address registered though, but you could inform them of this directly, as they probably have a database with notes that pop-up based on the calling number.
That’s a dicey hack. Maybe you could get away with it but you should know that there are typically fines for placing illegit 911 calls because they get enough false calls to have in place a system that automatically charges whatever the fine is. Was $50 for the 1st offense decades ago IIRC… likely higher now.
You’re constructing an argument that’s so specific, you’re basically begging to be the victim.
If you a) have a device that can’t make regular calls b) have no way to contact a non-emergency number through a different device to ask if it’s okay to make a test call and c) absolutely need to test this right now, then you’re about one in a million. Just make that call, answer the “what’s your emergency?” question with “No emergency right now, I need to test that my device that can’t make regular calls will work in a real emergency. Sorry, I couldn’t reach your non-emergency number.” and it will be fine.
It’s only an illegit 911 call if you call them for fun or if you test so often it can no longer be considered necessary.
and it will be fine.
Citation needed that there will be no fine to pay. Why not do a bit of research before making such claims? Quick search for false 911 call should flood your search results with fines, like $316 in Los Angeles.
South Carolina: misdemeanor. The penalties can include up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $200, or both.
It’s only an illegit 911 call if you call them for fun or if you test so often it can no longer be considered necessary.
Citation needed.
When attackers notice their victim making a distress call, they obviously convince them to back off and say the call was an accident. Emergency dispatchers will send help anyway to ensure coersion is not the case.
Well, go ask the non-emergency line if it’s okay. That’s what is recommended. Looks like you have access to the internet. What keeps you from writing an email to your local police station and just asking what you should do? I can’t know where you live. I can only tell you that in my 38 years of life, these things have been solved by actually talking to people or trying things. Certainly not by complaining on the internet to people who can’t do anything about it and then not even suggesting a better solution.
Sorry, but you don’t seem like you want a solution. You want something to complain about.
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Sorry maybe I don’t understand… but why do you want to make a 911 test call? Why do you want to call the emergency line if there is no emergency?
To be sure that your (possibly rather unusual) phone or connection will work. Maybe you have an automated home security system, an emergency call button or your own GSM antenna that gives you access in a very remote area. That’s totally legit and many emergency hotlines have scheduled times when you can do that. They make sure they have additional staff during those times so test calls don’t interrupt regular operations. If you need to do a test outside those scheduled times, it’s polite to call a non-emergency line first to make sure they have the capacity to handle your test call. You wouldn’t want to bother them when they’re already understaffed or some large event causes a high call volume.
In the end, an unannounced test call isn’t a big deal either. Just let them know right away what’s happening and they should be fine with it. Just make sure to stick to what you actually need to test. Calling once a week or “testing” a phone that could also make regular calls could be considered disruption of emergency services.
Disclaimer: I’m not professionally affiliated with any emergency service operator, just speaking from personal experience. I’ve had a couple of situations where I wasn’t sure if calling 112 (the European 911) was the right thing, always politely explained the situation and was always told that I had done the right thing. Operators would rather have you call than not call when you’re not sure.
I sympathize somewhat, but there many documented ways to test the functionality of a phone and its ability to make calls that would validate its ability to call 911 without actually calling it.
Gotta reference? Or can you elaborate? At the moment, I have a VOIP phone I need to test (as normal calls are blocked).
To be clear, it’s more about testing the phone network and services, not the hardware or software you use to dial numbers. I know my device on my side of the transaction functions fine.
