911 bug leads to emergency Samsung cellphone recall
Samsung has voluntarily recalled 160,000 cellphones after discovering they might not be able to make emergency calls. The problem would affect users in out-of-service areas who couldn’t get a signal from their network.
While this might seem like a logically unavoidable fault, Federal Communications Commissions regulations say that any U.S. cellphone should be able to call 911 regardless of its location. This is made possible by an agreement between the various phone networks that emergency calls are routed through rival networks if a user isn’t able to pick up a signal from their own network carrier.
There haven’t been any reported problems with the phone bug, the technical details and explanation of which haven’t been made public. Jitterbug, the firm which manufactured the handsets in question, says that only a small percentage of owners, namely those in rural areas, would be at any risk of being affected by the problem.
The affected models are the SPH-a110 and the SPH-a120, sold for around $150 since March 2008. That makes the problem potentially more serious as that model is designed to be relatively no-frills and very simple to use, with a large keypad. It’s particularly popular with elderly users who often use the phone primarily as a safety net rather than for regular communications.
Samsung will be contacting all users of the relevant models to arrange a free upgrade to the phone software to fix the problem. Customers will be able to choose between sending the phone by mail in a pre-paid envelope, or taking it to a local Samsung service center for a 20-minute or so procedure.
Any customers who don’t hear from Samsung, or are uncertain if they are affected, should call 866-304-4980. That’s a toll-free number operating from 7am to 9pm central time on weekdays and 9am to 6pm on Saturday.
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February 18th, 2011
Hi Seashellyep def diet tomorrow! I have lost some weight I see you also have
February 18th, 2011
MTN charges R94.8 per MB (ex VAT) and they charge in 25KB units, so if you download a website that is 33KB you will have to pay for 2 Units (33 / 25 = 1.32 which is then rounded up to 2).
March 7th, 2011
In securing the safety of elderly using a mobile phone, I also recommend the Just5 Easyphone. This is also a simple phone that has very practical features, which include PERS. It has an emergency SOS button at the back of the phone that activates the phone’s automatic dialing, automatic alarm, and automatic loudspeaker when pressed. I can attest that this one doesn’t fail to connect to 911 as my Dad’s life has been saved by this device already. It’s a very reliable choice. My Dad’s story can prove that true.
September 1st, 2011
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