Verizon’s new phones set off alarm when you dial 911
November 26th, 2007
How Verizon continues to make such strange choices with their services is beyond me, now they have decided to equip all of their new phones with a alarm that goes off when you dial 911. Considering that just about everyone who calls 911 is in some type of danger and a lot of the time enough danger to need to hide makes the addition downright confusing. A woman in Austin discovered this the hard way when she went to check on some property she owned had the security chain missing from it’s fence.
Verizon was asked why the decision was made to add this alarm to their new phones - to which they had a more than suitable answer.
The only problem is that’s not even remotely true.
Just how no one at Verizon, especially the high ups had the the common sense to think of the serious risk this would pose and at least make sure it was really necessary is very surprising. You would think a company that has to abide so closely with all of the FCC regulations would have someone who understood them too, but then again you wouldn’t expect them to burn down so many houses when installing FiOS either.
It would be perfect for some low budget thriller where the victim always makes the dumbest choices possible. Instead of not running you could set off the alarm on your phone to let Jason know exactly where you are.
November 26th, 2007
How Verizon continues to make such strange choices with their services is beyond me, now they have decided to equip all of their new phones with a alarm that goes off when you dial 911. Considering that just about everyone who calls 911 is in some type of danger and a lot of the time enough danger to need to hide makes the addition downright confusing. A woman in Austin discovered this the hard way when she went to check on some property she owned had the security chain missing from it’s fence.
She grabbed her new Casio G’zOne phone from Verizon Wireless, which to her horror made a loud audible alarm when she called 911.
Fearing vandals were still on the property, she hung up and hid, then put her hand over the earpiece and dialed again to muffle the sounds.
“I was afraid the criminals were down the driveway and they would hear and they would know somebody was doing something and they would come out to stop me,”
Verizon was asked why the decision was made to add this alarm to their new phones - to which they had a more than suitable answer.
Verizon said the 911 alarm is on all its new phones. Verizon said the audible tone is required by the Federal Communications Commission.
The only problem is that’s not even remotely true.
The FCC, however, said that’s not so.
“The Commission has not implemented any rules pursuant to Section 255 that would require the use of any tones concerning 911 calls,” a spokesman said.
Just how no one at Verizon, especially the high ups had the the common sense to think of the serious risk this would pose and at least make sure it was really necessary is very surprising. You would think a company that has to abide so closely with all of the FCC regulations would have someone who understood them too, but then again you wouldn’t expect them to burn down so many houses when installing FiOS either.
It would be perfect for some low budget thriller where the victim always makes the dumbest choices possible. Instead of not running you could set off the alarm on your phone to let Jason know exactly where you are.