I am working on a project where I need make an 'emergency only' cell phone. I am designing the phone using an arduino uno with the new GSM shield that uses the Quectell M10 chipset. I have been success at making calls to myself using a prepaid sim card, but my question is will the shield be able to connect to the GSM network without a sim card and still call 911? US law states that any phone not under a service agreement still are able to call 911 by jumping onto the nearest cell network. So far my shield seems unable to connect without the sim card.
Seems it would be more practical to get a $10 tracfone to use for emergency calls to 911. If you are planning some type of automated call to 911, you need to check with your local law enforcement about that. An automated 911 call may result in a fine.
I think you misunderstood me. Its not an automated 911 caller, the user will have control of when they choose to call. I am simply asking if the gsm shield has the capability to make 911 calls without a sim card.
You'll need a SIM card or else the GSM module will not initialize itself to make connections. That's different from having a non-activated SIM card installed.
The SIM card has data that tells the device HOW to connect to a network. That's more than simply passing user authorization data. AN inactive SIM still has data about networks it will connect to, and expired subscriber identification. The ability to place a 9-1-1 call is merely a function of bypassing the subscriber identification aspects and placing the call anyway.
My SIM900 halts and tells me I need to install the SIM card, refusing to do much of anything except respond to a few status commands.
Hi, I think you will find that 911 or here in Australia 000 calls should not require a SIM, I know that my phone if out of service area for my carrier, will if 000 go scanning for a network to connect to.
The phone I use at work for pics has no SIM so I might try it.
NOKIA the only mobile phone, unfortunately its now a Microsoft phone.....sob sob..sob.... =( =( =(
Tom......
PS, the fact that its no a full blown handheld phone might be the difference.
Actually, you are able to make calls without the SIM card. You must use AT commands to add 911 to the list of emergency call numbers within the M10. The specific commands are given in the M10 AT commands data sheet.
Micah_kurtz:
Actually, you are able to make calls without the SIM card
I think the phone service provider determines whether it will accept an emergency call from a device which does not have a subscriber identity. The phone itself is required (by the GSM standard) to support the capability, but you need the service provider to support it too in order for the call to succeed. There are many countries where service providers all support it, but some countries such as the UK where they don't. So, if you're in the UK and turn your phone on without a SIM installed, the phone will probably say something like "emergency calls only" but you won't actually be able to complete an emergency call.
