It’s a lifesaving fact! Should you ever have to call 911, don’t worry about how many bars you have — you can make emergency calls even without cell service or a SIM card. This has been the case since the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 took effect, as one provision of the law required the Federal Communications Commission to make 911 the universal emergency number for all telephone services. This is why iPhones sometimes say “SOS only,” and Android phones display the message “emergency calls only” when you don’t have reception.
