topic Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet in Mobile Services

Making emergency calls on a tablet

JMT1 — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 15:12:05 GMT

I'm about to give up my landline, so I will rely on my mobile phone to make 999 emergency calls. I also have a tablet with a SIM, but as far as I know, it can't make calls—it's a data-only contract. However, when I hold the side button, an Emergency option appears. Will this work? I would love to test it, but I fear that would get me into trouble!

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

Schockwave — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 16:06:16 GMT

Hello @JMT1 ,

Welcome to the community,

In phone settingss, have you enabled calls on other devices? This is what I have on my IPhone and it works?

Have you noticed when receiving calls on your mobile that the tablet also rings?

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

JMT1 — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 16:16:51 GMT

Thanks, Schockwave. My devices are Android, and I don't know if that makes a difference.

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

Schockwave — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 16:20:19 GMT

@JMT1 , I have no idea with Android, but I would suggest checking settings, phone and see if it says calls on other devices, hopefully someone who has Android will be able to answer your question or agree with what I have written.

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

XRaySpeX — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 16:21:52 GMT

A data SIM may still make & receive calls as long as the device it is in is capable. It's just that they are not included in its allowances.

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

Northerner — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 17:46:23 GMT

@JMT1 wrote:

Thanks, Schockwave. My devices are Android, and I don't know if that makes a difference.

That option is to contact your emergency contact. The settings are under safety and emergency.

Thanks

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

JMT1 — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 06:33:50 GMT

Thanks for that information. I've added some emergency contacts, and their information comes up even with locked screen. Their phone numbers are visible, but actually calling them is disabled.

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

JMT1 — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 06:49:16 GMT

Thanks for that info. Having checked the EE website I see that I could get an Add-on "Calling in the UK" for £6.17/month.

However that doesn't answer my question: will calling 999 using Emergency on the power off screen work even WITHOUT this add-on?

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

Ritu_D — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:28:58 GMT

Hi @JMT1

I can confirm as long as the device you have the data sim card in allows calls, you should be able to dial emergency services numbers without the add-on.

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

JMT1 — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:11:42 GMT

Thanks for the info about not needing an add-on, but how can I tell if a data SIM card allows calls or not?

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

Ritu_D — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:32:37 GMT

Hi @JMT1

You could try dialling 150 from the data sim card in the tablet if this works then emergency calls will work.

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

JMT1 — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:24:14 GMT

Hi @Ritu_D

Thanks for the suggestion. If I use the ordinary keypad and dial 150, I get "Line busy", but this is not a true message because I get it with ANY number I dial (presumably because I'm not allowed to make calls from my tablet). If on the other hand, I go to the power off page and use the emergency keypad it says "Can't call 150 is not an emergency number." So I still don't know.

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

Lesley_W — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:46:11 GMT

Thanks for trying that @JMT1

I'd recommend giving our team a call so they can check the plan you are on as it may not be capable of calls. They will be able to discuss options if this is something you were wanting to do.

Lesley

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

JMT1 — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 06:32:35 GMT

In case anyone is wondering about the outcome, I took Lesley's advice and phoned EE. I was told that although my tablet is capable of making calls, the package I'm on doesn't allow any calls at all. My hope that emergency calls might be exempt does not apply. Therefore, I have two options: increase my monthly payments (for 24 months) to allow calls, or buy the very simplest, cheapest PAYG mobile. If you recall my landline is going next week and I want a backup for 999 calls should my mobile be out of action.

Re: Making emergency calls on a tablet

XRaySpeX — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:02:06 GMT

@JMT1 wrote:

the package I'm on doesn't allow any calls at all.

Surely it's not "allow" but "cover" making calls. You should be able to make calls but your plan allowances doesn't cover their cost, so you have to pay for them on a per-min basis.