5 Things You Never Knew Your Cell Phone Could Do

There are a few things that can be done in times of emergencies. Your cell phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool used for survival. The following are five different emergency scenarios and how to effectively handle them.

First Scenario: The emergency number worldwide for cell phone's is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your cell phone network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the cell will search any existing network or tower to establish the emergency number for you. Oddly, or may not so odd, this number, 112, can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Feel free to test this yourself.

Second Scenario: Have you ever locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? Another good reason to own a cell phone. If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near their cell phone on their end. I don't know if this would work with a portable phone or just a cell phone, but either way, you can easily try this prior to any emergency situation. Your car will unlock.
This can save someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors, or the trunk.

Third Scenario: Hidden Battery Power. This can be crucial should you ever get lost in the snow or wilderness or decide to hike up the side of Mt. Hood in the dead of winter. To activate, press the keys *3370#. Your cell will restart with this reserve and the battery indicator will show a 50% increase in battery. The reserve will be re-charged when you charge your cell next time.

Fourth Scenario: How to disable a stolen cell phone? To check your cell phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:
* # 0 6 #. A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the sim card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use or sell it on Ebay either.

Fifth Scenario: Free Directory Service for Cells. Cell phone companies are charging users $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial:
(800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all.
So, program your phones now and commit all of this to memory. Or print it out and put it in your car, day planner, office, etc.