One news item today that has really gotten to me: Murdered girl's 999 call

I can't think of many news stories I've read or seen in the last couple of months that have upset me more than that of Hannah Foster's desperate 999 call after she'd been abducted and just before she was murdered.  Hearing the transcript read by a Sky News reporter outside the courthouse earlier, I felt shock and disbelief as Hannah was disconnected.

Strangely there was also a feeling of helplessness on my part, partly as you put yourself in her place and wonder what you'd do in a similar situation and partly that you're listening to it as if it's happening now and you can't do anything to help her.

Why was she cut off?  It would appear to be an automated system that filters out what are known as 'silent calls'.  These are the calls that are made accidentally to the emergency services when keys are pressed accidentally (for instance, when a phone is in one's pocket or bag).  Even if you have a keypad-lock in place this will not prevent you from accidentally dialling 999, 911 or 112.

There are good reasons for letting those numbers through as in an emergency no one wants to be slowed down or prevented from calling 999 (911 or 112) because they can't unlock the keypad.  But this means the emergency services get bogged down with false alarms which they need to route out so as not to waste precious resources.  For Hannah, the automatic system in place failed her and her family and friends have seen the consequences.

Does there need to be a rethink of the systems in place?  Does there need to be a rethink on phone design?  Or perhaps both?  And what else can be done with phone design to help those in an emergency?