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Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Sat Aug 10, 2019 8:42 am
by Irv Lee
@Genghis the Engineer how would they know the owner of the f.... oh, I see
;-)

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Sat Aug 10, 2019 10:46 am
by Paul_Sengupta
neilmurg wrote:The thought that a busy network would need to 'drop a call' to connect a new one is a bit misleading when it's not a point to point connection but discrete packets of data with gaps in between.


Um, yes and no.

If we take 2G, there are a discreet number of frequencies, each containing a number of time slots. Each timeslot will be one call (unless it uses half rate in which case it can be two calls...). Anyway, the air interface will be a finite number of available timeslots to use.

3G uses codes, and there are a finite number of codes for circuit switched calls, but there are lots.

4G doesn't have circuit switched calls, it's all data so it works as you suggest. You can make voice calls on it using VoLTE (Voice over LTE) but emergency calls aren't generally made over VoLTE as it doesn't have the integrity of a circuit switched call. If you make an emergency call when on 4G, you'll generally get a Circuit Switched Fall Back (CSFB) to 3G or 2G to make the call.

As for backhaul, it's still possible that on older networks that the calls will go through traditional digital exchanges with discreet (and limited) timeslots for each call.

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Sat Aug 10, 2019 1:11 pm
by cockney steve
"Discreet".....you " keep your cards close to your chest"

" Discrete"....... individual and separate.

-so, i'd guess they'd be discreet discrete calls then :P :lol:

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Fri Aug 16, 2019 2:30 pm
by matthew_w100
Can anyone confirm that Apple *actually* implement AML automatically when you dial 999, as implied by this https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204040#europe , or do you have to go through the manual rigmarole described here https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208076

Unfortunately I can't really test it to see! And it would be good to know in advance.

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Fri Aug 16, 2019 2:37 pm
by PaulB
Should the question be “do out emergency services operators receive it and if so are they able to use it?

Your first link suggests strongly that Apple send the data or attempt to.

Edited to add that this suggests that AML is implemented in the UK

This week, the Netherlands has joined the list of countries already deploying the life-saving technology, as it has been enabled for Android devices with Apple ones joining soon. The country is the 15th to make AML operational, joining Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Moldova, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.


https://eena.org/aml-netherlands/

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 pm
by Paul_Sengupta
cockney steve wrote:"Discreet".....you " keep your cards close to your chest"


First rule of Telecommunications Club is that you don't talk about Telecommunications Club.

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:59 pm
by stevelup
matthew_w100 wrote:Can anyone confirm that Apple *actually* implement AML automatically when you dial 999, as implied by this https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204040#europe , or do you have to go through the manual rigmarole described here https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208076


Two completely separate things.

The first article confirms that all UK carriers support AML.

The second article is just giving you some alternative ways you can initiate an emergency call. They supplement, rather than replace simply dialling 999. It's not a rigmarole and it's worth practising how to do it (you can easily cancel the call - you get a countdown). Also, if you have populated your emergency contacts, once you end the call to the emergency services, they will get sent an SMS with your location as well. So well worth doing really. You can do it without being able to see the screen which could be useful if you were trapped, or the phone was smashed for example.

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Fri Aug 16, 2019 4:59 pm
by matthew_w100
Super - thanks Steve!

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Fri Aug 16, 2019 5:07 pm
by stevelup
In a nutshell, to save you reading up on it, on the 'touch ID' phones, you quickly press the power button five times in a row.

The phone will start making a 'siren' sound and you can cancel by swiping the screen. If you do nothing, you'll get connected to the emergency services after five seconds.

On the 'Face ID' phones, you press and hold the two top buttons (so, effectively, the 'Siri' button and Volume Up)

This then gets you to a screen where you can swipe to make an emergency call. If, instead, you continue holding the buttons, you'll see it start counting down on the screen (accompanied by a vibration once a second so you know it's working). Once the counter gets to zero, the emergency call is initiated.

You can definitely play with it without any risk of accidentally making a call. It's both easy (if you did want to do it), and foolproof in the sense that if it was an accidental invocation, nothing will happen.

I like it! Nicely implemented...

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Fri Aug 16, 2019 5:14 pm
by PaulB
Blooming' 'eck! That's neat and it works (well I didn't try the connection bit!!)

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Sat Aug 17, 2019 7:59 am
by Lerk
All well and good till it calls automatically.

I found out about this feature the embarrassing way - I was riding my trials bike so had my phone in a bumbag.
Stopped the engine to look at a section and heard a strange siren noise...
Took a while to realise it was my phone and I had no knowledge of the auto dial with 5 button presses thing.

By the time I’d degloved and Retrieved my phone, the call was connected.

I very apologetically assured the operator I was ok then worked out how to disable the ‘feature’.

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:28 am
by stevelup
Good move disabling it. So when you come off your bike and shatter the screen and are lying in a ditch with a broken leg, you now can’t make an emergency call!

I’d say you were the perfect candidate to benefit from this feature.

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Sat Aug 17, 2019 10:19 am
by kanga
Accidental 999 calls on mobiles seem to be common:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-49374866

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:56 pm
by PaulB
kanga wrote:Accidental 999 calls on mobiles seem to be common:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-49374866


I'd noticed the screens that SteveLup describes on my phone and only realised what they were when I read his post.

Personally I think there's a physical design flaw[1] on iPhones because it's hard[2] to press the button on the right without catching one of the left ones too. Usually this takes a screenshot - I must have done this 100 times in the past - but longer presses activate the emergency feature.

[1] No wonder Sir Jony is leaving!
[2] Well I find it hard

Re: Cheap PLB

PostPosted:Sat Aug 17, 2019 3:52 pm
by simon32
A French hiker has been missing south of Naples since the 9th August. He managed to call 112 and said he had fallen off a cliff and had both legs broken. The operator asked for his position. He said he didn’t know, but he could see the sea. The phone apparently went dead, and they couldn’t get a good fix on it. This application would have saved his bacon.
Simon