Originally Posted By: Brangdon
In the UK, SIMs tend to expire if not used for 6 months or so.

This may not apply to the UK at all, but before GSM became popular in the US and non-SIM protocols were common here, a mobile phone did not have to be activated with a carrier to be able to dial 911. There was a whole cottage industry of non-profit organizations that recycled donated mobile phones and gave them to battered and abused women to use as emergency phones to call 911 in case they were attacked again.

Does anyone know if the FCC changed that rule about any mobile phone should be able to dial 911? You don't see these donated 911-only mobile phones anymore, but that could be due to the widespread availability of cheap, pre-paid mobile phones now, and not some legal change at the FCC.

I remember that Magnavox used to have a mobile phone, powered by a common battery, that took advantage of this situation to create an emergency, 911-only phone. Great for seniors, too. Flip up the cover and it just had one big, red button to push to dial 911. I believe that was an analog-only phone, which is why the product disappeared as the mobile phone network was upgraded to go all-digital.