4 ms·

So every app vendor now needs to make a 911 call as part of their CI process? I don't think 911 call centers are very happy about this.

by nikanj 5y ago

np- 5y ago
Every app vendor who sells a phone product in the US? Uh, yes? It’s the law. 911 Call centers literally make testing available for this. And all you really need to test is that you’re making the outbound call properly without shit hitting the fan. What’s the alternative? Just have 911 calls fail every once in a while since everybody is too busy with their feature work to look into it?
- nikanj 5y ago
  Ok, how do I test-dial 911 from Android Studio?
  - dsr_ 5y ago
    How do you test anything in Android Studio? Do it that way. (googling says: https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/telecom/selfManaged https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/tele... and hook up a test device )
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - mendigou 5y ago
    If you can't test it on Android Studio, you can still, you know, use a phone. And try calling.
bsagdiyev 5y ago
I feel like you’re being obtuse. They would need to verify that the call can be made and make it out the phone to the network, not actually make the call to a 911 operator. This can be part of an automated test suite even. Just ensure specific phone numbers cannot be intercepted by applications and diverted.
- nikanj 5y ago
  How do I, an lone app vendor, verify that my call makes it out of the phone, or abort it without 911 noticing a dropped call? The radio+network part is a black box from my perspective PS: At least where I live, emergency services will show up at your house if you make a few 0-second 911 calls
  - np- 5y ago
    You can contact your 911 call center through a non emergency line (numbers available here when you enter your state/region: https://www.nasna911.org/contact-911 https://www.nasna911.org/contact-911). You can then call and set up a time window for outbound test calls to be placed where they won’t send emergency services.
    - SAI_Peregrinus 5y ago
      I've worked on some custom Android firmwares before, and I did this for our releases. It's easy, the 911 call center doesn't mind (it's scheduled beforehand), and it ensures that the phone can dial 911. If you can't manage to test emergency calls, don't release phone software.
  - PKop 5y ago
    If you can't test this, don't make a call-hijacking phone app. Simple as that!
    - _djo_ 5y ago
      Yes, that's the clear and obvious answer. We have regulations around things like being able to make 911 calls for a reason, because it's literally a life and death issue. Nobody should be making or selling a call-hijacking app if they can't perform even the most basic level of testing to ensure 911 calls still work.
  - myself248 5y ago
    You call the PSAP's non-emergency number and ask to schedule a few test calls. If you don't know how to reach them, call your local police non-emergency number, they'll be able to put you in touch. You're supposed to do this when setting up new VOIP service too, to make sure location information is reported correctly. It's quite a normal thing and they're not at all surprised by it. I would go so far as to say there are 2 types of phone people: Those who've placed a lot of 911 test calls, and those who're placing their users at risk.
np- 5y ago
Can’t seem to reply any deeper on the thread, but also I never specifically mentioned CI. The only rule is that if you release a phone app, 911 has to work 100% of the time, no exceptions. That is the law. Also, this is Google and Microsoft, both of whom have basically unlimited resources. However they figure out how to do it reliably is up to them. Note that no other apps or service providers seem to be out of compliance.

So every app vendor now needs to make a 911 call as part of their CI process? I don't think 911 call centers are very happy about this.

by nikanj 5y ago

So every app vendor now needs to make a 911 call as part of their CI process? I don't think 911 call centers are very happy about this.

np- 5y ago

Every app vendor who sells a phone product in the US? Uh, yes? It’s the law. 911 Call centers literally make testing available for this. And all you really need to test is that you’re making the outbound call properly without shit hitting the fan. What’s the alternative? Just have 911 calls fail every once in a while since everybody is too busy with their feature work to look into it?

nikanj 5y ago
Ok, how do I test-dial 911 from Android Studio?
- dsr_ 5y ago
  How do you test anything in Android Studio? Do it that way. (googling says: https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/telecom/selfManaged https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/tele... and hook up a test device )
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- mendigou 5y ago
  If you can't test it on Android Studio, you can still, you know, use a phone. And try calling.

bsagdiyev 5y ago

I feel like you’re being obtuse. They would need to verify that the call can be made and make it out the phone to the network, not actually make the call to a 911 operator. This can be part of an automated test suite even. Just ensure specific phone numbers cannot be intercepted by applications and diverted.

nikanj 5y ago
How do I, an lone app vendor, verify that my call makes it out of the phone, or abort it without 911 noticing a dropped call? The radio+network part is a black box from my perspective PS: At least where I live, emergency services will show up at your house if you make a few 0-second 911 calls
- np- 5y ago
  You can contact your 911 call center through a non emergency line (numbers available here when you enter your state/region: https://www.nasna911.org/contact-911 https://www.nasna911.org/contact-911). You can then call and set up a time window for outbound test calls to be placed where they won’t send emergency services.
  - SAI_Peregrinus 5y ago
    I've worked on some custom Android firmwares before, and I did this for our releases. It's easy, the 911 call center doesn't mind (it's scheduled beforehand), and it ensures that the phone can dial 911. If you can't manage to test emergency calls, don't release phone software.
- PKop 5y ago
  If you can't test this, don't make a call-hijacking phone app. Simple as that!
  - _djo_ 5y ago
    Yes, that's the clear and obvious answer. We have regulations around things like being able to make 911 calls for a reason, because it's literally a life and death issue. Nobody should be making or selling a call-hijacking app if they can't perform even the most basic level of testing to ensure 911 calls still work.
- myself248 5y ago
  You call the PSAP's non-emergency number and ask to schedule a few test calls. If you don't know how to reach them, call your local police non-emergency number, they'll be able to put you in touch. You're supposed to do this when setting up new VOIP service too, to make sure location information is reported correctly. It's quite a normal thing and they're not at all surprised by it. I would go so far as to say there are 2 types of phone people: Those who've placed a lot of 911 test calls, and those who're placing their users at risk.

np- 5y ago

Can’t seem to reply any deeper on the thread, but also I never specifically mentioned CI. The only rule is that if you release a phone app, 911 has to work 100% of the time, no exceptions. That is the law. Also, this is Google and Microsoft, both of whom have basically unlimited resources. However they figure out how to do it reliably is up to them. Note that no other apps or service providers seem to be out of compliance.