Posted By Nigel Hammond I’m afraid there has been an urban myth going around which I fell for and put in one of the inhouse newsletters last year. The myth is that if you have no reception on your mobile phone, it will dial through to a satellite or another network provider when you dial 112 (The European equivalent number of 999). Sorry but this is not the case. I have checked this out with Vodaphone and various urban myth sites on the web and it is an urban myth. Basically, if you haven’t got a reception on your phone, neither 999 or 112 will work. Please note that the ICE (In case of emergency) scheme – where you programme your next of kin number in your phone address book under ICE - for paramedics to call if they find you unconscious or worse, is NOT a myth. There was an urban myth going round that the ICE scheme was a myth – a sort of double bluff. So make sure you programme an ICE number into your phone. P.S. In light of the above I think I better add a disclaimer: There are no guarantees that the above information is correct – I can only base it on the information and sources I have available at this moment in time. Realities can go down to myths, and myths can become realities and turn back into myths again etc etc! I think this is a symptom of this internet age where journalists and ‘experts’ often get their information from the net without getting it from the original source.

Posted By John Webster Mobiles have nothing to do with satellites. They communicate via a network of radio masts. It is possible to locate which mast is nearest to the phone, and roughly how far the phone is from that mast, but nothing more. In urban areas, with masts every few blocks, they can get quite close, but in rural areas each mast may cover a radius of many miles.

Posted By Nigel Hammond Hi I just wanted to keep this thread alive because I am now not 100% sure about this. Our I.T. man is convinced that when you dial the emergency number you are routed to other network providers that use the same frequency. Can anyone give a catorical yes or no to this that is based on reliable source of information? I did ask Vodaphone but I am wondering now if the person I spoke to was more into sales than technical. Thanks Nigel

Posted By Smiff I understood that when signal strength is low emergency calls went through the strongest local provider, hence the "EMERGENCY CALLS ONLY" when your own network won't support a call, but there's a bit of signal on another network. Also, normal calls are not using all the bandwidth, they're chopped in with other calls. Bandwidth priority goes to emergency calls.

Posted By Simon Birks In response to no signal, no call thats right. but 112 only works in certain parts of the country at the moment as it has not been fully extended to cover all the UK. As for pin pointing a call, any mobile phone can be triangulated and with police permission some faster than people think. Most mobiles are connected to several mast at one time. And that you for mentioning ICE, we press it on out FA courses, but am glad to hear other people passing it on. Gus

Posted By John Murgatroyd If you dial 999 you go through to a general call centre that questions you then routes your call to the area you require. 112 from a landline goes through to the area local to where you call from. The "cellphone" system means that your mobiles signal is being received by several "masts" around you and the one receiving the strongest signal is the one you will be routed through....until your signal strength falls at one and rises at another...