Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Emergency Phone, spare phone, uses for an old mobile phone.

Recently I announced the GPS Tracker For Car site. The GPS Tracker for Car site shares information on using an older mobile as a GPS tracker which can be placed on or in equipment such as cars, so if the car is stolen, there may be a chance to tracker and locate the car.

Sometimes however when creating one project you learn something you didn't previously know.

I often see EMERGENCY CALL on my mobile's lock screen. Never really thought about this, but it's there if needed. There's a number of features of mobile phones I never really thought about or knew.

No SIM is required to make an emergency call.

WOW.

It appears all mobile phone have the ability to call emergency services without a SIM card installed. Just turn on the mobile and call the emergency number. Even if the mobile is locked.

That means if you have an old mobile phone without a SIM, keep it turned off, but charge it every now and again, you have a mobile phone ready for an emergency and it doesn't cost a cent.

Lock screen can have emergency information text displayed.

Lost your phone or in an accident and someone picks up your phone. You can place text on the lock screen which provides others a means of contacting an emergency contact. This could be very useful in the case you're incapacitated, or you lose your mobile.

ICE

This was recently suggested to me by a nurse. ICE which stands for In Case of Emergency is a standard that's gaining some traction world wide. Add a contact in your contact for the contact ICE. You can provide a number or in my case I added notes as well. Often however your mobile will be locked. However some mobiles will allow you to associate a contact with an emergency call.

In the case of my Samsung S7 if I press the EMERGENCY CALL I get the option to place a call to emergency services or to add emergency contacts. If I select add emergency contacts I am shown my favourites. With ICE added as a favourite, ICE is available to then add to your emergency call list. Now if someone finds your mobile, or needs to use it because you can't, all they need to do is swipe the screen, press on EMERGENCY CALL and then they can select the ICE contact and call them.

I suspect the ICE contact can't be contacted if you don't have a SIM card installed, current, or activated, but it's an option available for others to help you if required.

Lock a mobile so only listed contacts can be called

Based on the EMERGENCY CALL feature and the idea that you can add a list of contacts to the emergency screen, this also means you could set up your mobile for one of your children with just the numbers you want them to be able to call. Lock the mobile so it can't be used for any other purpose. Then if your child needs to call you, they swipe the screen, select EMERGENCY CALL, then select you as the contact and call you.

That's certainly a feature I never knew existed and means a mobile phone with limited functionality, could be provided to children in their bags in case of an emergency. If the mobile is left off the battery will retain it's charge for some time. If the mobile is on, and it's OK with the child, the parent could also locate their child using the same approach GPS Track for Car uses. This means parents could see where their children are when using public transport. Particularly useful if they need to pick them up from the station or bus or tram stop.

Spare phone

Separate from the use of the emergency facility built into mobile phones, it also became apparent recently an old phone could be used as a spare phone. Take an old phone, insert a SIM card with a 365 day prepaid plan (these can be found in the plans section of GPS Tracker For Car) and leave it turned off in your car or bag, and you have a back-up phone if it's needed.

I recently left home to meet someone in the shopping centre but left my mobile behind. Let's just say it did not go well. The help desk helped get in contact will someone who could call the person I was meeting and let them know where to meet. A spare phone in the car would have solved this problem instantly.

I read recently of hikers wanting a spare phone and thought that was such a good idea. A mobile turned off, with a 365 day prepaid plan, sealed in ziplock bags and an old phone could make a good emergency back-up phone.

Hopefully some of these ideas may be useful for others.

Kelvin Eldridge
GPS Tracker For Car
www.GPSTrackerForCar.com.au

Update: 8/04/2019
Just set up an Amaysim SIM using $10 starter pack for a mobile to stay in the car as an emergency or back-up phone. The mobile will be off and should keeps its charge for many months. Also disabled data so no charges when mobile turned on. Amaysim offer a refer a friend link where both parties get a $10 credit. Use this link (http://amaysi.ms/r/Ovi8BWsU) and it means a back-up mobile can cost very little to have available. Remember this approach uses the AS YOU GO payment option. The AS YOU GO lasts 365 days. If the mobile is off no credit is being used.

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