Canadian cellphone carrier Bell issued an official warning about the issue earlier this week, saying users of the Pixel 6 and up should ensure they have alternative ways to contact emergency services.<\/b>
\nUsers on social media are reporting an unsettling issue where their Pixel smartphones are failing to call 911 and other emergency services successfully.
Earlier this week, one Pixel 9 Pro user posted a report\u2014first spotted by Android Police\u2014stating that he attempted to make an emergency call during a gas leak but had to have his friend make the call instead. He claims his Pixel 9 repeatedly asked him to turn on Wi-Fi or turn off airplane mode before then freezing and restarting on its own.
Meanwhile, a different Pixel 8 user claimed it took over 10 minutes for him to make an emergency call, as his device required him to enable Wi-Fi calling, despite his cellular connection being strong.
Google has not provided an official statement on the users\u2019 reports, but Canadian cellphone operator Bell sent out an emergency message earlier this week saying that the Pixel 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 might experience issues contacting 911.Recommended by Our Editors
Bell told customers to \u201cplease ensure you have an alternative means to reach emergency services if necessary.\u201d The carrier later posted that 911 service had been \u201cfully restored for customers with Google Pixel devices in the 7, 8, 9, and 10 families.\u201d
Canadian telecom firm Telus told The Globe and Mail its customers were also having temporary issues calling 911 with their Pixels, saying the issue stemmed from a technical issue caused by a Google software update\u2014though the Pixel maker hasn’t confirmed this.
This isn\u2019t the first time reports have emerged of Google\u2019s flagship smartphones having issues with calling emergency services. Android Authority points out that a glut of similar reports appeared in 2021, but the issue was resolved shortly after, with Google attributing the problem to Microsoft Teams\u2019 configuration on the Pixel devices in question.
But with well in excess of 40 million Pixels sold worldwide, it\u2019s hard to say whether these anecdotal reports point to a more serious trend within the smartphone line.<\/p>\n