Posted by Sean Haynberg on 28th Oct 2026
Executive Summary
Anyone in the United States can call or text 911 from a cell phone. You do not need an active service plan, and you do not need to be a customer of the network that carries your call. FCC rules require all wireless carriers to connect 911 calls and texts to a 911 center, called a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).[1]
This paper explains how that works, why networks bypass the normal customer authentication process for 911 ca… Read more