Those old bag mobile phones
 

"DxxxxxBxx" wrote in message
...
Is this your experience or your guess? My experience and, as others
say, regulations require 911 calls to go through whether the phone is
activated or not. If there is no AMPS service...there ain't no call.
However if there is service and the phone can find it (some lock to A
or B and older ones won't cross over even for 911) the call should, by
regulation and by my experience, go through.

I have a couple of old phones that haven't been activated in 7+ years.
They both still "work" and can dial 911 when necessary.

Another way to test a phone without dialing 911 and causing problem
with the authorities, is to dial 611. Many (if not all) cell phone
(I'm talking AMPS here...don't know about digital) customer service
bureaus can be reached by dialling 611. You used to have to talk to
someone and then say "nevermind". However, nowadays, so many of these
are automated, you'll get a DTMF menu or recording asking for a credit
card. At least you know the phone works. Switch from A to B and try
611 on both networks.

You say these phones have not been 'activated' for 7 or so years, yet you
get the automated credit card
menu? Your phones is still connected to the network my friend - just on a
'pay per use' basis as with many old AMPS phones.

When an AMPS phone is completely removed from a network you will NOT be able
to make any outgoing calls - it doesn't matter if you are dialling 911, 611
or anything, you will NOT be connected.

"Donald K" wrote in message
...
Jabba wrote:

If your AMPS phone has been disconnected from the
network you will NOT be able to make calls, including emergency
numbers - whether you are in range or not.

Cite please.

No need. Find an old AMPS phone that is disconnected from the network and
try making any type of call.