Sometimes, it all depends on how fast you can call 911 – and that's the worst time for your phone to fail at connecting with the nearest cell tower. Naturally, one can blame it all on the carrier – and that's what a Reddit user by the nickname of "UniversalBasicIncom3" did.
But they weren't right to do so, as fellow Reddit users pointed out.
Is it T-Mobile's fault?
Image source – Reddit
In a thread titled "This should not happen", the user says they were in an emergency situation. The Galaxy S24 owner could not get through to 911 despite three attempts. Even after restarting the phone on the third try, the call still failed to connect.
Fortunately, another person nearby was able to place the call instead. The experience left the owner both frustrated and shaken, especially since they believed that emergency calls were supposed to connect through any available cell tower. At the time of the incident, the phone reportedly showed full signal strength with the 5UC indicator active.
The phone could be to blame here
Image credit – PhoneArena
Right away, several users suggested the issue likely stemmed from the phone itself rather than the carrier, noting that even devices without SIM cards should be able to make emergency calls. The original poster then asked if that meant they would need a new phone, adding that regular calls worked fine, but 911 specifically would not connect.
Another commenter agreed that the phone was at fault, stressing that all phones should be able to reach 911. Someone else suggested checking the device settings or contacting technical support.
One detailed comment clarified that while a phone can connect to any tower for an emergency call, if the SIM is valid and the device is within range of its carrier's network, it will not switch to another provider's tower to complete the call. In such cases, if the carrier experiences a network issue, the emergency call may fail to go through. The commenter added that such outages have happened to all carriers before, sometimes affecting only certain areas but occasionally spreading more widely.
It's a bit ironic
Literally some hours ago we told you about T-Mobile's latest safety move and how it's making its satellite-powered Text to 911 service available to everyone at no cost. This means that even users on Verizon or AT&T can reach emergency services through text when outside traditional network coverage.
It's a bit ironic that this user experienced 911 connectivity issues at the same moment…
Have you had any trouble dialing 911?
Yes, more than once.
0%
Yes, just once.
0%
No, never.
100%
Iconic Phones is now up for pre-order in the US!
Our new coffee table book, Iconic Phones, is a stunning visual tribute to the legends in the world of phones, featuring exclusive high-resolution photography, stories, quotes and fun trivia. Pre-order now and save 15% with code: PARENA15
Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: