Authorities Express Frustration Over Mistaken Emergency Calls from Android Smartphones

Mistaken Emergency Calls from Android Phones Cause Frustration Among Authorities

The feature of making emergency calls has gained popularity among smartphone manufacturers, extending beyond iPhones to include Android smartphones, especially with the introduction of the Snapdragon Satellite solution.

While this functionality is crucial for making emergency calls in any situation, it has become a source of inconvenience for emergency services.

In the United Kingdom, authorities are growing increasingly exasperated by the situation. The National Police Chiefs’ Council expressed their concern to the BBC, stating that “all emergency services are currently facing an unprecedented surge in calls to 999 (the equivalent of 112 in Portugal).” They believe that one significant contributing factor is the recent Android smartphone update.

The update in question is Android 13, which was released in its final version for users in late summer 2022. With this update, users have a simple and quick solution to request help. However, it often leads to unintentional calls to emergency services. Devon Police reported receiving 169 silent calls on a single day, Sunday, June 18th.

When approached by the BBC, Google stated that it is the responsibility of smartphone manufacturers to ensure that accidental emergency calls are minimized.  Furthermore, if you realize that you have mistakenly dialed an emergency call center, it is advised not to hang up. Instead, explain the situation, as this will save precious time for the emergency services.