Two of the most annoying messages coming from our smartphones nowadays are “low battery” or ” no network coverage”. With phones having become a complete communication necessity in our daily lives, lacking network signal can definitely ruin your day and plans. But have you ever wondered why emergency calls work all the time? Well… almost all the time?
Why do you need network signal coverage to talk on the phone?
To make a phone call from any smartphone, the essential component required is a Network tower. The network towers that dot the landscape are essential components of a mobile call. As soon as you press the ‘call’ button, your phone releases a signal and the nearest network tower will catch it. In the next step, these signals are transmitted to destination tower and finally to the person to whom you are making a calling. In this way, we are able to talk with another person through a mobile phone.
The bars in the top corner of your phone signify the ‘usable strength’ from your network service provider. When the bars disappear, it means that the network coverage is not strong enough to make calls, send texts and so on.
Why do emergency calls go through without network signal?
The technology used by most smartphones is dependent on SIM cards which work on the Global System For Mobile (GSM) feature. GSM can use the network coverage of another service provider i.e signals from the nearest tower of another network service provider in the case of a poor network. So when your network goes out, your phone can still make ‘Emergency calls” by using the network of another service provider. However, this service of the other network provider is limited, therefore only available for calling emergency numbers such as police or firemen.
What if there is no signal provider at all in the area where you are located?
As previously said, the emergency call can directly connect to network providers other than the one you use. But that happens only if there is some network coverage in the area. If there are no network providers at all covering the location, then, unfortunately, nothing can receive and transmit the signals coming from your phone and your phone becomes completely ineffective.
So basically, when traveling to remote areas on a hiking trip, remember to have a plan B for backup communication!
