VERSION 2.00 01/16/26 – SEE FLETCH.TV FOR THE MOST CURRENT VERSION
UPDATED!!
This article was published last year, and has been a very popular download from http://Fletch.TV.
A good friend, well respected in the industry, recently provided feedback on my 10 points, and I wanted to include them as validation and additional information on this critical topic. Their comments will be noted as: [SECOND OPINION]
When the World Cup comes to your town or region, it will most certainly bring along with it all of the usual suspects:
- Packed hotels
- Late-night celebrations
- Creative Fan Fest injuries… and
- A tidal wave of international cellular phones will be hitting U.S. networks for the first time.
And here’s the part most ECCs WILL forget until the first kickoff whistle:
International phones WILL WORK – But could behave very differently on USA 9-1-1 Networks.
It’s a complex Matrix of Examples – YMMV
The fact of the matter is: Dealing with this is a bit of Black Magic.
There are countless combinations of components that may result in slightly different outcomes. Sometimes very different ones. What I have tried to accomplish in this blog is your quick-reference, operationally focused pocket guide—what call takers, supervisors, and tech teams need to know before the first goal, the first overturned beer tent, and the first “Where am I? I just need a ride back to my hotel!” call hits your ECC.
Let’s break it down Fletch-style: Short. Tactical. A little snarky and Fluff Free.
1. Foreign Phones WILL Call 9-1-1…
Whether They Mean To or Not
Just as 911 is ingrained in our heads, International visitors are used to dialing their home emergency sort code:
- 999 (UK, India, Caribbean, etc.)
- 112 (EU)
- 000 (Australia)
- 111 (New Zealand)
- 122, 110, 119, 911 depending on country
Modern phones recognize most global emergency codes and automatically map them to the U.S. 9-1-1 code and systems. So yes—your PSAP may suddenly start getting callers saying:
“I pressed 1-1-2 by accident, I thought it was information.”
Or:
“I was trying to dial 9-9-9, why am I talking to the police?”
This is COMPLETELY NORMAL and SHOULD BE EXPECTED. For the most part, newer phones will re-route global emergency digits to the device’s local emergency number wherever they are roaming.
[SECOND OPINION] – Fully agree
2. Foreign SIM? American Carrier? Doesn’t Matter
911 Always Works Even with NO SIM
Emergency Calls will be set in the device to override everything, and many misconceptions exists. So let’s put some of the rumors to rest:
- EMERGENCY calls DO NOT require a roaming plan.
- EMERGENCY calls DO NOT require a valid SIM.
- EMERGENCY calls DO NOT require ANY SIM at all.
- EMERGENCY calls DO NOT require a roaming agreement.
Think of it this way:
If the phone can see a tower, whether it’s AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, FCC regulations require it to connect to any compatible network for emergency calling.
This means:
- A UK visitor using Vodafone roaming may come in over T-Mobile
- A Brazilian visitor using Claro might ride the AT&T LTE network
- A device with a dead or deactivated SIM can still reach 9-1-1
As long as the RF chips match the band plan, the call goes through.
[SECOND OPINION] – Fully agree, but.. we’ve seen that for international devices, especially but not exclusively ones that don’t have an active roaming plan, there’s a much higher chance of call set up delays and failures. It was very inconsistent. The issue seems to be that even when there is a roaming agreement in place, international devices tend to fall back to 2G/3G instead of VoLTE for 911 call setup, and often search for a compatible network rather than delivering through whatever carrier they were attached to prior to the 911 call. Also, devices without a valid roaming agreement tend to have a higher incidence of call setup delays or failures
3. Caller ID (ANI) Will Be… What I like to call ‘Creative’
Expect callback numbers to be one of these:
- 911-000-0000
- 0000000000
- Unknown
- Wireless Caller
- +44XXXXXX (UK formats)
- +61XXXXXX (Australia)
- +81XXXXXX (Japan)
Here’s the operational truth you can brief your teams with:
While 911 calls will reach your PSAP – Callback may NOT work. Even if the number looks like a real number, the devices home network may not support inbound roaming calls to be routed BACK to the device on the roaming network. So even though you have a valid UK cellphone number that is correct, and you make an international call to the UK number, it may never reach the device back on the US network. the best practice is to assume that if you lose the caller, you won’t be able to call them back.
[SECOND OPINION] – We have found caller ID to be consistently a synthetic 911 callback number similar to NSI calls, with the digits following 911 being parsed from the device IMEI. I have tested 5 different phones in 9 different PSAPs and have yet to see any other behavior (even though a wireless carrier has claimed that they sometimes send the actual international callback number – I have never seen that work because PSAP ALI/ANI displays are limited to NANP/ANI character limitations). Also, the callback number sometimes is correctly displayed in over the top location providers, e.g., RapidSOS & RapidDeploy. There obviously needs to be a data connection (e.g., LTE or Wifi), but we have seen it work.
4. Location Information Works… Kind Of… Sometimes… Maybe
The good news: International visitors on U.S. networks still get E911 Phase II and device-based hybrid location. This will include:
- GPS
- WiFi positioning
- Barometric sensors (HAE, or floor estimation)
- RTT or similar network-based location methods
The reason this works is that all of this is driven by the visited network, not the home network. But, of course, there are some specific limitations, like:
- Location accuracy likely varies – based on which U.S. carrier the device roams onto
- Foreign phones may have different privacy defaults for sharing location data
- Some foreign devices may not use U.S. emergency location standards to their full capability
- Z-axis… may not be reported everywhere
This will mean that, while your map may show a pin, and that pin may be good… But the confidence score (“95% certain”) may not actually mean what you think it typically means. BE CAUTIOUS HERE, and confirm.
[See my TiPS episode on Geo-Confidence for my full rant on accuracy]
[SECOND OPINION] – Fully agree, although we’ve seen that more often than not, roaming devices produce WPH1 or network-based WPH2 rather than device-based WPH2. Again, OTT location can be a workaround in some cases.
5. No SIM? No Problem. (But Also… Problem.)
Many international travelers swap their SIMs at the airport to a USA prepaid SIMs out of the vending machines, or use eSIMs. Still, some keep their foreign SIM and rely on hotel WiFi + WiFi Calling. And here’s a crucial operational note:
Emergency calls STILL work with NO SIM installed.
But… Operationally, you will see odd behaviors:
- You will likely get no callback number
- Location will likely be much less accurate
- Carrier details may be missing or incomplete
- Device identity received is probably minimal
When you get one of these calls, it is safest to assume:
If the call drops from a SIM-less device, you’re done. THEY ARE GONE FOR GOOD.
[SECOND OPINION] – Fully agree
6. Wi-Fi Calling Confusion: It Will Happen
International users love Wi-Fi calling because it works without extra roaming charges to them or their plan. Think of it as a very long extension cord from their home network for all communications – ALMOST.
The device STILL recognizes emergency calls, and in EMERGENCY MODE, may act differently and unexpectedly, based on the device. So, when they call 9-1-1:
- The device may try Wi-Fi first
- If the Wi-Fi connection doesn’t support emergency calling, the phone must drop back to the cellular network
- If the Wi-Fi stays active, the call may route with the registered address of the Wi-Fi provider, NOT the actual location
So you may see some very odd behavior when this happens. MANY FACTORS ARE INVOLVED:
For Example, you see: Starbucks in Kansas… for a caller who’s actually in a Las Vegas casino hallway. This will absolutely happen during the World Cup, and likely frequently.
[SECOND OPINION] – Fully agree that it’s a possibility, although in our testing we’ve not seen that actually happen
7. Language Barriers + Foreign Devices = Longer Call Setup
Some phones will display the dialer differently. Some send emergency categories (fire/police/medical) using standards that are implemented outside U.S. usage.
Others may roam onto networks that delay the initial SIP handshake. In these cases callers should expect:
- Longer call setup
- More accidental dials
- More “I didn’t mean to call” hang-ups
- More background-noise calls because someone doesn’t know how to close an app on their phone
[SECOND OPINION] – Fully agree
8. The Quick Summary Field Guide for Call Takers*
This is based on currently publicly available data. ACCURACY WILL VARY.
WHEN YOU SEE:
Unknown Caller / 0000000000 / Foreign Number Format
→ Possible international roamer. Callback may fail. Keep caller on the line.
WHEN YOU HEAR:
“I dialed 112/999/000 by accident.”
→ Device auto-mapped their home emergency number to U.S. 9-1-1.
WHEN THE MAP LOOKS WEIRD:
Foreign phones may have partial or low-confidence location.
→ Ask specific, grounded location questions (landmarks, nearby signs, hotel name, stadium gate numbers).
IF CALL DROPS:
Do NOT assume you can call back. IN FACT – Assume that you CANNOT.
→ Initiate a rebid before closing the call.
→ If no confidence, treat as unknown trouble per agency policy.
IF THEY SAY:
“I’m visiting from the Federated Republic of Fletchcozistan.”
→ Add a CAD note: “Potential international device. Callback reliability low” to alert everyone else.
[SECOND OPINION] – Agree but note number 2 & 3 above. I think incorporating OTT data sources into SOP is critical.
9. What ECC Leadership Should Prep Before Kickoff
- Update language line protocols (you’re going to need them – ALOT).
- Brief your telecommunicators on callback expectations.
- Verify your CAD flags “international roaming” ANI formats.
- Test Wi-Fi calling scenarios with local carriers.
- Coordinate with stadium DAS/venue networks (critical!).
- Monitor for spikes in abandoned calls.
And if your ESInet partner claims “all foreign phones will behave the same way,”
… just nod and smile politely… and then prepare for what REALLY is going to happen.
[SECOND OPINION] – Agree, see also recommendations in my report
10. LASTLY – Don’t be greedy – SHARE
Things that you see, things that you learn, things that you experience are all valuable input to your brother and sister agencies regionally and across the US. I’ll try to keep this blog updated with any new information that comes out or is expanded upon. Just watch for updates on Fletch.tv.
[SECOND OPINION] – Couldn’t agree more, hence my email 🙂
BONUS CONTENT
My friend also took the opportunity to add a couple of EXTRA Tidbits that are important:
11) Text to 911 – That doesn’t work at all
12) We have found that even when a valid callback number is present (from OTT software or caller provided), most PSAPs either can’t call back or don’t know how to call back. Testing & SOPs are required for outbound international callbacks. One PSAP we spoke to has a dedicated supervisor cell phone because their 911 CHE & PBX wouldn’t allow it. Another PSAP allows it from their deskphone, not from their 911 CHE. In either scenario, need to know prefix and number formatting.
The Final Whistle
This World Cup cycle is shaping up to be the most connected, device-heavy, and internationally mobile fan-base that has ever been brought onto U.S. soil. And all of their phones — foreign SIMs, expired SIMs, eSIMs, prepaid, roaming, dual-SIM iPhones, no-SIM Androids — will be calling 9-1-1 exactly when you’re at maximum surge.
The focus of this guide is to increase awareness of known deficiencies and should help your PSAP/ECC teams navigate the chaos with better confidence. As new and updated information is gathered, this will become a working document, so watch for updates.
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