Emergency calling (911)

This page explains, in plain language, why you can't rely on Talkwish for emergencies and how to stay safe. It's part of our Terms of Service, and the emergency calling section of the Terms has the full legal details. If we offer emergency calling in the future, we'll tell you before it starts and update this page.

Why 911 calls can fail

Talkwish works over the internet, not over a traditional phone line, so it's less reliable for emergencies than a mobile phone or landline. Even once emergency calling is offered, a 911 call made over the internet may not connect, may drop, or may not send your correct location if:

• The power goes out. Your modem, router or computer may stop working, and Talkwish stops with them.
• Your internet is down, slow or unstable. Talkwish needs a working Wi-Fi or mobile data connection for every call.
• Your device isn't ready. If your phone or computer is off, out of battery or offline, or you're signed out of Talkwish, you can't make a call.
• Your address is wrong or out of date. An internet call can't always tell emergency services where you are. Dispatchers may rely on the address you registered, so a wrong address can send your call to the wrong dispatch center and help to the wrong place.
• You've moved, or you're away from home. Talkwish works anywhere you have internet, but your registered address doesn't change when you do. If you call from somewhere else, such as while traveling or at a friend's home, the dispatcher may not know where you really are.
• The network is congested. During storms, disasters and big events, internet and phone networks can be overloaded, and calls may not get through.
• Your service isn't active. If your plan has ended, your account is suspended, or our service or our providers have an outage, you can't make calls.

Even when a call does connect, it may take longer than on a traditional line, and the dispatcher may not see your phone number or location. If the call drops, they may not be able to call you back.

If you're outside the US and Canada, don't use Talkwish for emergencies at all. Call the local emergency number from a local phone.

What to do instead

• Keep another phone ready. Have a mobile phone or landline you can use to call 911, and keep it charged.
• In an emergency, call 911 from that phone. Don't try Talkwish first.
• Give your location right away. When you call 911 from any phone, tell the dispatcher where you are and your phone number first. Stay on the line until they tell you to hang up.
• If you can't call, ask someone nearby to call 911 for you.

Texting 911

Text-to-911 isn't supported through Talkwish. Don't try to text 911 from your Talkwish number. Your text won't reach emergency services, and you may not get a message telling you it failed.

Some areas let you text 911 from a mobile phone's regular messaging app on a mobile carrier plan, but not everywhere. Find out what's available where you live, and call whenever you can.

Your registered address

There's no address to register today, because emergency calling isn't available on Talkwish yet. Having an address on file wouldn't let you reach 911 with Talkwish.

Once emergency calling is offered, you'll need to register the physical address where you use Talkwish, including any apartment, unit or floor number, and keep it current:

• Update it every time you move, and whenever you start using Talkwish somewhere new, even for a short time.
• Use a real street address. A PO box won't help anyone find you.
• Emergency services may use it to route your call and send help. If it's wrong, help may go to the wrong place.

When that happens, we'll share your number and registered address with emergency services when you call 911, so the call can be routed and help can find you. Our Privacy Policy explains this.

Tell everyone in your home

Make sure everyone in your home, and anyone else who might pick up your device, knows these limits. That includes family members, roommates, guests, babysitters and caregivers. They should know:

• not to use Talkwish to call 911;
• where your mobile phone or landline is, and how to use it; and
• your full address, so they can give it to a dispatcher.

Teach children how to call 911 from a mobile phone or landline.

988 and other short numbers

Today, Talkwish can't call 988 or other three-digit numbers, because calls to regular phone numbers start at launch. In the US and Canada, 988 connects people to suicide and mental health crisis support. Even after launch, short numbers such as 988, 211, 311, 411, 511, 711 and 811 may not work, or may connect you to a service for a different area, because Talkwish can't always tell where you are.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 from a mobile phone, or call it from a landline. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 from a mobile phone or landline.

Limits on our liability

To the extent the law allows, Talkwish and our service providers are not liable for emergency calls or messages, including calls to 911, 988 and other short numbers, that fail, are delayed, are routed to the wrong place, or don't send the right location or callback number.

The emergency calling and limitation of liability sections of our Terms of Service explain these limits in full. Some places don't allow these limits, so some of them may not apply to you.

Questions

Questions about emergency calling? Email support@talkwish.com. Never email us in an emergency. Call 911 from a mobile phone or landline.