FCC Commissioner: Butt-Dialing Is Taxing 911

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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May 9, 2000
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FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly has been out on a fact finding mission concerning the surge in cell phone butt-dialing instances across the nation. The number of mistakenly dialed 911 calls has risen in the past few years due to the increase in cell phone use and locations where the phones are being carried and stored.

This is a huge waste of resources, raises the cost of providing 911 services, depletes [Public Service Answering Points] morale, and increases the risk that legitimate 911 calls — and first responders — will be delayed.
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I don't put my phone in my back pocket but sometimes my screen activate and my smart phone starts dialing numbers in the emergency call part of the lock screen. Phone developers should make this feature harder to enable accidentally like swiping across the screen to get to this mode,
 
McFry said:
Girls do this because their front pockets are too narrow to fit a phone. Guys do this because they are girls.
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Holsters are far better, as they don't put any unknown stresses on the phone. However, someone decided that holsters aren't fashionable, so many people don't use them. Start fining butt-dialers and we'll see a lot more holsters again.

I honestly don't see how it's done. I have never butt-dialed anyone. I have triggered Siri accidentally a few times when carrying it in my pocket, but never dialed 911. How are these idiots doing this?
 
Reminds me when I was little and somehow dialed 911 on accident. It really wasn't my fault though. I was dialing my friend's number, which was a legit number. The number was (xxx)xx9-1x1x meaning 911 was actually part of his legitimate number. I miss-dialed it one time by trying to do it too quick. I pretty much realized that I had miss-dialed it, so I hung up instantly and did it again. 10 mins later cops were at the door.
 
dgingeri said:
Holsters are far better, as they don't put any unknown stresses on the phone. However, someone decided that holsters aren't fashionable, so many people don't use them. Start fining butt-dialers and we'll see a lot more holsters again.

I honestly don't see how it's done. I have never butt-dialed anyone. I have triggered Siri accidentally a few times when carrying it in my pocket, but never dialed 911. How are these idiots doing this?
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That's funny, I was seriously thinking of getting a holster or making one so I can have my wallet and phone in it. It's hella uncomfortable in any pockets of my pants, and shirt pockets move around too much or has an odd weighted feeling to make it impractical.
 
I don't know of any modern phones that can easily dial 911 when the screen is locked, maybe I've not seen many phones but there's no way my iphone is calling anyone when the screen is locked.
 
It might be useful to have a small charge put on your bill if you misdial 911. Something small like 30 bucks. It would make people take a minute to figure out how to fix their phones so it doesn't happen.
 
I originally thought it was user stupidity, but according to the FCC 84 million errant calls are made annually to 911. IMO that raises it from a user problem to a phone design issue. The government should bill phone manufacturers imo.
 
Geef said:
It might be useful to have a small charge put on your bill if you misdial 911. Something small like 30 bucks. It would make people take a minute to figure out how to fix their phones so it doesn't happen.
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This is a bad idea. You do not want to discourage people from dialing 911. Charging $30 is just a way to make people pissed off, and then avoid dialing 911 when they really need it.

I think it needs to be an advertising/awareness campaign, and a reworking of the emergency button on the lock screens of phones.
 
I've actually done this, at work, it was a non touch screen push button type phone, and sure enough it dialed 911. I dunno its pretty weird
 
I'm guessing it's all the lock screens that people have where "Emergency Call" is a giant button. I use a holster with my S5 because I don't want the screen getting trashed in my pocket. I don't use a screen protector.
 
The solution already exists:
http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/776_large_DPH-540_open.jpg

Now all they need to do is make so-called "smart" phones have a hinged cover - perhaps with a second screen - could be hinged on the long side - similar to ye olde flip phone and the problem goes away. Besides that, you could type on one screen and see stuff on the other, like a mini-laptop.

Apple? Samsung? You listening? You really need to jump on this. I won't even ask for royalties if it cuts down on the 911 traffic... though donations are perfectly fine.
 
You can't have a hinge; smartphones only work if they're less than .0003921 millimeters thick. The dickheads down in marketing told me.
 
Phoenix333 said:
The solution already exists:
http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/776_large_DPH-540_open.jpg

Now all they need to do is make so-called "smart" phones have a hinged cover - perhaps with a second screen - could be hinged on the long side - similar to ye olde flip phone and the problem goes away. Besides that, you could type on one screen and see stuff on the other, like a mini-laptop.

Apple? Samsung? You listening? You really need to jump on this. I won't even ask for royalties if it cuts down on the 911 traffic... though donations are perfectly fine.
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Samsung already has a smart-flip-phone, but it's only in the asian markets.
 
Megalith said:
You can't have a hinge; smartphones only work if they're less than .0003921 millimeters thick. The dickheads down in marketing told me.
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Hell yeah...and if the battery is more .0001 of that .00039 big BIG problems my friend.
 
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