Using voicemail to record location in emergency

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Traction_man
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Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by Traction_man »

Seen on Twitter
IMG_20211023_101637.jpg
Would this work?
thirdcrank
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by thirdcrank »

If you have some charge and a signal, why not just call for help?

I presume that if you have no signal, then anybody calling you wouldn't get your newly-recorded voicemail either, but I'd need to check that with my grandchildren to be certain.

The best advice must be not to rely on your phone: make sure others know where you are going etc
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Paulatic
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by Paulatic »

If you have no signal then I fail to see how you can change your voicemail.
If you do have a signal then I’d txt someone with details. I’ve found a txt can be sent in places where I failed to make a voice call
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thirdcrank
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by thirdcrank »

The good thing about a carefully composed text is that avoids "send three and fourpence." Also, it can go to several addresses.
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mjr
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by mjr »

I would not waste my phone battery and credit navigating the voicemail menus to change the greeting. Actually, I switch voicemail off because I prefer unanswered callers to send texts and most voicemails are worthless "please call me back" which add nothing to the missed call log.
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Traction_man
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by Traction_man »

Paulatic wrote: 23 Oct 2021, 10:51am If you have no signal then I fail to see how you can change your voicemail.
If you do have a signal then I’d txt someone with details. I’ve found a txt can be sent in places where I failed to make a voice call

I did wonder if one way this voicemail idea might be made to work is by updating your voicemail with a message along the lines of,

hello I'm sorry I can't take your call right now because I'm between point x and point y, between the date of n and the date of n?

That way if you're still uncontactable there's a chance someone might be able to locate where you are in an emergency?
PT1029
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by PT1029 »

It also relies on someone phoning you up and listening to the voice mail rather than hanging up.
Might be worth getting We3words on your phone (999 service now use this).
https://what3words.com/products/what3words-app/

It was covered in a thread on this forum at some point.
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ncutler
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by ncutler »

This is not completely stupid.

What it doesn't make clear is that it's suggesting changing the 'Hi please leave a message' that callers hear if your mobile is unavailable to something more specific. The salient point is that this exists in the cloud and is not affected by the unavailabilty of the 'phone itself, so any future callers will hear it if you can't answer.
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Paulatic
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by Paulatic »

ncutler wrote: 23 Oct 2021, 12:31pm This is not completely stupid.

What it doesn't make clear is that it's suggesting changing the 'Hi please leave a message' that callers hear if your mobile is unavailable to something more specific. The salient point is that this exists in the cloud and is not affected by the unavailabilty of the 'phone itself, so any future callers will hear it if you can't answer.
Can you explain why it isn’t stupid?
It made it perfectly clear "you change your voicemail".
Yes it’s in a machine or cloud some where but it also says you’ve no signal. How do you get it there ?
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simonhill
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by simonhill »

Very few people call me. They tend to use other methods. What's more, I also have my voicemail turned off.

I s'pose if you want belt, braces, elastic and a bit of string then maybe.

I'd rather spend my last few minutes doing either something more likely to work or enjoying myself.
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matt2matt2002
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Paulatic wrote: 23 Oct 2021, 12:47pm
ncutler wrote: 23 Oct 2021, 12:31pm This is not completely stupid.

What it doesn't make clear is that it's suggesting changing the 'Hi please leave a message' that callers hear if your mobile is unavailable to something more specific. The salient point is that this exists in the cloud and is not affected by the unavailabilty of the 'phone itself, so any future callers will hear it if you can't answer.
Can you explain why it isn’t stupid?
It made it perfectly clear "you change your voicemail".
Yes it’s in a machine or cloud some where but it also says you’ve no signal. How do you get it there ?
I believe the idea was to change your voice mail as you are about to set off, when you have power and signal. Giving planned intension.
Of course you can't be exact about your future positions so that makes it pointless for some. But it may give others some peace of mind. But hopefully not a false sense of security.
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thirdcrank
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by thirdcrank »

I believe the idea was to change your voice mail as you are about to set off,
That's not what it says in the pictured twitter.

Incidentally, one of the suggested scenarios is being in a broken down car, which in most circumstances would still have the capability to charge a mobile phone. Mrs thirdcrank is relaxed about keeping her mobile charged and I hope I'm never in a position to say "I told you so." There's an extra long phone cable prominently stored in our car, long enough to be able to use a phone out of the car.
DevonDamo
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by DevonDamo »

A Google search reveals this to be one of those fake social media warnings that are created purely to go viral. As pointed out above, there may be some tiny amount of rationality here, ie leaving a permanent distress message prior to your battery dying. However, in reality your best use of remaining power would be a call to the emergency services - the mobile networks allow any 999 call through their network, regardless of whether they are your provider.

The best advice here is to question whether the relevant authorities would publicise this sort of thing via an instagram/twitter/Facebook campaign, and follow up any doubt by doing an online search of some of the text, appending the words 'fact check' or 'hoax.'
simonhill
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by simonhill »

Damn? I've just reset my voicemail and landline answerphone.

Then again, when burglar Bill calls my phone he will know I'm away. Hmmmm, better change them back.
Jdsk
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Re: Using voicemail to record location in emergency

Post by Jdsk »

A convenient time to remind everyone to decide whether to configure emergency services on their 'phones.

For iPhones:

"Use Emergency SOS on your iPhone"
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208076

"Make an emergency call from a locked iPhone"
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT209053

Jonathan
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