What if one day you’re unfortunately trapped deep in the mountains, your phone has no network signal, and the screen shows “Emergency Calls Only.” Can you really get through when you dial the police?
On Apple phones, there’s an “Emergency Call” button at the bottom left when the screen is locked—can this button really save your life in an emergency?
On the afternoon of July 9, reporters tested several brands of mobile phones and found that in areas with no signal, not only could Apple phones not dial emergency numbers, but the emergency call functions of many other brands such as Samsung and OPPO also failed.
Industry insiders say that global emergency call numbers do not include domestic emergency numbers like 120—they’re essentially useless.
Netizen reports: No signal means no way to call for help
On the morning of July 9, the Anhui Provincial Public Security Department’s official Weibo account reposted a message saying that recently some netizens discovered that when certain mobile phones have no SIM card (no signal) and you try to dial emergency numbers, the line connects but only loops a recorded message: “For police, dial 110; for fire, dial 119; for emergency medical services, dial 120...”
Another netizen said they once got stuck in an elevator with no phone signal and tried to use the emergency call function on their Apple iPhone 4 to dial 110—but it didn’t go through. They were eventually rescued when a security guard outside found them.
Shortly after the public security department’s Weibo post went up, it received numerous replies. One netizen, “--Mouse-,” replied that they didn’t know whether it was true or not, and because dialing 110 without cause is illegal, they didn’t dare to test it themselves.
It is understood that “emergency calls” refer to the ability to dial fire, police, emergency medical services, and traffic accident response centers even when trapped in an elevator, lost in the mountains, or caught in an emergency with no signal—it’s something that can save your life in a crisis. According to regulations from the International Telecommunication Union, every mobile phone should have this feature.
Reporter tests: Some phones can’t make emergency calls
Yesterday afternoon, reporters gathered several mobile phones, including the iPhone 4 (China Unicom version), OPPO phones, Samsung phones, and other brands. Without a SIM card, the OPPO phone displayed “Emergency Calls Only” on the screen.
However, when that phone dialed the 120 emergency number, it played a recorded message: “For police, dial 110; for fire, dial 119; for emergency medical services, dial 120; for traffic accidents, dial 122.” And when dialing 110, it simply couldn’t get through.
Next, reporters removed the Samsung SIM card and tried dialing 110 the same way—the same recorded message played. They then tested multiple other brands of phones, all of which played the same recorded message.
In areas with no signal, reporters also tried dialing emergency numbers using the iPhone 4 (China Unicom version)—it really couldn’t get through. Also, on Apple phones, when the screen is locked, there’s an “Emergency Call” button at the bottom left, which also failed to connect to emergency services.
Tip: Ask more questions before buying a phone
Why can’t some phones make emergency calls?
Regarding this, reporters contacted a staff member from Apple’s technical support. After asking about the phone model, she said: The iPhone 4 (China Unicom version) indeed cannot make emergency calls when there’s no signal, and it’s not a problem with the phone itself.
Why can’t many phones make emergency calls when there’s no signal? An industry insider explained that the global list of emergency call numbers includes “911” but not “120.” The standard for mobile phones entering China is very simple: they just need to be able to dial 911. They don’t necessarily have to connect to 120 or other domestic emergency numbers. Phones that haven’t been specially configured naturally can’t make these calls—“the emergency call function is just for show.”
The insider said there is currently no detailed list of which phones can make emergency calls. If you enjoy camping, exploring, or often travel to remote areas, when buying a phone, you might want to ask more questions about whether the “emergency call” function actually works.