Heads up HTC Hero owners about 911 calls

[crtclms]

Here is a useful if unsettling piece of information: If you use an HTC Hero to make a 911 call, it locks you out, and you can only receive incoming calls. You can no longer make outgoing calls, except to 911. Not only did I not know this, I am wondering who thought a 911 call would necessarily be the last call someone might have to make in an emergency? What if I had had to call DH's neurosurgeon, or even just someone to take care of Violet, or if I needed someone to watch children?

I finally had to reboot it. Which worked, fortunately, because we couldn't find the "Emergency Setting" the HTC forums claim that you need to turn off. My phone takes about 10 minutes to reboot, however, and since the premise is that there is an ongoing emergency, I might NEED to use the phone again in less than 10 minutes.

Even my husband can't find the setting. I'm a technical neophyte, but he's a senior software developer for a financial company. I think they *might* need to dumb down this feature (or how about remove it altogether) for luddites, because ANY MORON *waves hand* might need to use a cell phone in an emergency.

What a stupid function. Especially since as a doctor's daughter, I know that they can interrupt ongoing phone calls in an emergency (I was a teenager once).

Here's hoping that none of you ever needs this tidbit of information.

[december_brigette]

Hi,

Im so behind the times, I think "HTC HERO" is a cell phone. correct?

Anyway, in los angeles county, the times I've called 911, they have put somekind of "hold" on my various cell phones. But it wasn't very long and I remember one time having the opportunity to end that particular "hold."

Not like Im calling 911 all the time. Ive just seen too many car wrecks in progress on the freeway. And then when a car hit a unit near where I live.

db

[AirMarshall]

For the life of me this makes no sense. Why should it lock out to 911? No other telephone in previous history did this. Not even Edison or Bell's personal phone.

[crtclms]

I had been trying to figure out where the button is, and there are forums of HTC Hero owners bitching that they accidentally threw their "emergency" switch, and can't use the phone anymore. I intentionally dialed 911, and there actually was an indicator icon and sound that I had gone into "emergency mode," but I had no idea at the time what that meant. I mean, I actually assumed it meant they were trying to ping my phone.

But in the forums, it is making people's HTC browser crash repeatedly, and mine hadn't crashed at all, so I rebooted, and it started working again. But as I said, it takes almost 10 minutes for it to reboot (which is longer than my computer!).

[Random Rabbit]

For the life of me this makes no sense. Why should it lock out to 911? No other telephone in previous history did this. Not even Edison or Bell's personal phone.

Probably to help/allow the 911 system locate the caller. Every 911 call I have ever made by cell (car accidents and such) has required me to give my location (as in the county).

My mobile calls are often routed through cell towers in another county.

[december_brigette]

Maybe its different like there are different phones. I have a blackberry and I would have no clue how to get out of the "hold." My previous 911 calls were made on those old-fashioned cell phones and I think the message on the screen said "hit End."

I don't know...every city/county/metro area is different. and we all have different cell phones with different providers. and some of us buy a phone that is probably out of our (my) technical capabilities.

db