Refrain from Letting Young Children Play with Deactivated Cell Phones

When we deactivate phones, meaning they do not have service through a phone provider, it's common to think they won't work in any way. But that is not the case. Deactivated cell phones, as long as they have a charge, can call 9-1-1. 

Why is this important to know? 

Being aware that an old cell phone can call 911 is important for a few reasons. On the positive side, if you couldn't afford service and had to shut it off, you at least have a way to call 9-1-1 in an emergency. The negative side of this is knowing anyone could accidentally call 9-1-1 from a deactivated cell phone. And this unfortunately clogs up 9-1-1 for real emergencies. This is why it important not let kids play with old cell phones that are deactivated. 

Using an old cell phone without a service contract presents challenges when contacting 9-1-1 as well. If you get disconnected from 9-1-1 while on the phone with them, the 9-1-1 dispatcher will not have a way to call you back since it is a deactivated phone therefore there is no number associated with it. Not only that, but older cell phones might not have up-to-date GPS technology, which means the dispatchers won't know where to locate you unless you can tell them.

What Happens if you or your child call 9-1-1 from a Deactivated Phone?

If someone accidentally calls from a deactivated phone, it is extremely important to stay on the line so you can let the 9-1-1 dispatcher there is no real emergency. But more importantly, simply don't let children play with deactivated phones.