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Something that looks and acts like a phone that can't call 911 might not be a super idea in a home with elderly.

by floam 5y ago

cperciva 5y ago
Indeed. I hope the author can attach a sign of some sort saying "this is not a real phone" to prevent it from being used in emergencies.
dotancohen 5y ago
This should not be downvoted. It is actually illegal in many Western jurisdictions. A recent HN thread mentioned it.
- danachow 5y ago
  Is there really a law that makes it illegal to display an antique phone that isn’t connected to a phone line? Is a box of old cell phones now to be considered a weapon of mass destruction?
  - dotancohen 5y ago
    > Is there really a law that makes it illegal to display an antique phone > that isn’t connected to a phone line? No. However, there are laws that devices which purport to provide telephone service must be able to connect to emergency services. > Is a box of old cell phones now to be considered a weapon of mass destruction? No. There is no expectation that a device that is disconnected or inoperable will continue to function. That said, a _modified_ device that continues to function would likely still be considered under such laws.
    - danachow 5y ago
      The world is now filled with not too old cell phones that are operable but will no longer function as 3g and below networks are decommissioned - it was similar when AMPS was decommissioned. The expectation that any old phone turning on modified or not will get service is just not realistic. > There is no expectation that a device that is disconnected or inoperable will continue to function If the guts of a phone are replaced then I’d argue that’s no more or less operable then an old cell phone. I think laws in the context of ensuring that device manufacturers provide reliable 911 service is sensible (ie maybe it should be enforced against Google) - but as some nanny legislation because someone might confuse a display piece is a bit silly in my book. (And think of the elderly as insinuated by the GP is weak and insulting - having dealt with demented parents - whether the phone was connected was of no issue - simply identifying a phone was a bigger problem… meanwhile old people aren’t automatically idiots). It’s also absurd to think that someone lacking the situational awareness to identify a non-working phone also has the faculties to read some warning sticker. This is something that comes from a corporate legal department not something that normal people would think to do.
      - jacquesm 5y ago
        That's why operators are pretty careful about decommissioning old gear, they monitor the usage and ensure that the stuff is no longer in use when they finally switch it off, and then usually by reducing the density bit by bit rather than by switching off a whole region all at once.
nomdep 5y ago
It is debatable that a rotary phone stills look like something now recognizable as a phone.
- jacquesm 5y ago
  In a panic I would almost certainly waste some seconds on it if I wasn't familiar with the situation. So I can totally see how this might cause trouble. It's not always the owner or someone who lives there that will attempt to call 911 it could easily be a caretaker, a cleaner or someone else visiting. Also, to be greeted with a bunch of happy birthday messages while trying to reach 911 has a macabre kind of feeling attached to it. One quick fix would be to be that if someone dials 911 the phone immediately responds with 'this device is incapable of reaching 911, please use another phone'.

Something that looks and acts like a phone that can't call 911 might not be a super idea in a home with elderly.

by floam 5y ago

Something that looks and acts like a phone that can't call 911 might not be a super idea in a home with elderly.

Indeed. I hope the author can attach a sign of some sort saying "this is not a real phone" to prevent it from being used in emergencies.

dotancohen 5y ago

This should not be downvoted. It is actually illegal in many Western jurisdictions. A recent HN thread mentioned it.

danachow 5y ago
Is there really a law that makes it illegal to display an antique phone that isn’t connected to a phone line? Is a box of old cell phones now to be considered a weapon of mass destruction?
- dotancohen 5y ago
  > Is there really a law that makes it illegal to display an antique phone > that isn’t connected to a phone line? No. However, there are laws that devices which purport to provide telephone service must be able to connect to emergency services. > Is a box of old cell phones now to be considered a weapon of mass destruction? No. There is no expectation that a device that is disconnected or inoperable will continue to function. That said, a _modified_ device that continues to function would likely still be considered under such laws.
  - danachow 5y ago
    The world is now filled with not too old cell phones that are operable but will no longer function as 3g and below networks are decommissioned - it was similar when AMPS was decommissioned. The expectation that any old phone turning on modified or not will get service is just not realistic. > There is no expectation that a device that is disconnected or inoperable will continue to function If the guts of a phone are replaced then I’d argue that’s no more or less operable then an old cell phone. I think laws in the context of ensuring that device manufacturers provide reliable 911 service is sensible (ie maybe it should be enforced against Google) - but as some nanny legislation because someone might confuse a display piece is a bit silly in my book. (And think of the elderly as insinuated by the GP is weak and insulting - having dealt with demented parents - whether the phone was connected was of no issue - simply identifying a phone was a bigger problem… meanwhile old people aren’t automatically idiots). It’s also absurd to think that someone lacking the situational awareness to identify a non-working phone also has the faculties to read some warning sticker. This is something that comes from a corporate legal department not something that normal people would think to do.
    - jacquesm 5y ago
      That's why operators are pretty careful about decommissioning old gear, they monitor the usage and ensure that the stuff is no longer in use when they finally switch it off, and then usually by reducing the density bit by bit rather than by switching off a whole region all at once.

nomdep 5y ago

It is debatable that a rotary phone stills look like something now recognizable as a phone.

jacquesm 5y ago
In a panic I would almost certainly waste some seconds on it if I wasn't familiar with the situation. So I can totally see how this might cause trouble. It's not always the owner or someone who lives there that will attempt to call 911 it could easily be a caretaker, a cleaner or someone else visiting. Also, to be greeted with a bunch of happy birthday messages while trying to reach 911 has a macabre kind of feeling attached to it. One quick fix would be to be that if someone dials 911 the phone immediately responds with 'this device is incapable of reaching 911, please use another phone'.