Skype Users in the US Can Now Make 911 Calls

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When enabled, it can share your location with emergency services. 

Just Dial 911 on Skype

If you need to make a 911 call on Skype, you just dial 911. However, you need to enable Location share from your device. This is important to let Skype capture your location and be able to share it with the operators. 

Skype promises that your location will only be shared to route your call so that an emergency operator will get your specific location details. 

To enable location sharing, just tap your profile picture, go to Settings and pick Privacy. From there, you can enable 911 emergency location sharing. At any time you can disable it. 

Previously, Skype told its users that they can’t use the app to make emergency calls. But Skype changed its stance and it now allows people to call 911 when they are in a crisis. 

However, this feature doesn’t work on all devices. If you’re using a device with no API for location sharing or if you’re located in a place where location sharing is unavailable, Skpye can’t share your location automatically with the emergency services operator. 


Skype 8.80

This feature is part of Skype 8.80. In addition to the ability to make 911 calls, the latest Skype version also includes support for custom reactions on ability. 

You can also zoom in on the share screen. Voice messages are now longer, from two minutes to five minutes. And these new features are now available on desktop and mobile platforms.  

But you need to remember that Skype doesn’t replace your telephone. Even though it can help you talk to your family and friends around the world, it’s not intended for emergency services. 

Now that you can share your location with the emergency service, it may still cause problems. Furthermore, if you don’t have an Internet connection, you still can’t call 911 during an emergency. 

Nevertheless, Skype is a great communication tool. You can use it for video calls, chat, and host meetings with your team. It’s free to use. However, if you’re going to call a landline, you will need Skype credits. 

Between WhatsApp and Skype, the latter is a winner when it comes to business use. For personal use, though, WhatsApp is better. 

Skype is designed for computer calls. But you can now use your mobile phone to call other people. However, its features are prohibitive if you’re using a mobile 4G connection. 

WhatsApp, on the other hand, is best for mobile calls. Even though you can use WhatsApp on our PC or Mac, the setup is a bit finicky. But if you’re calling a friend using your mobile data plan, WhatsApp will treat you better. 

In terms of video quality, Skype offers better quality. The reason for this is that it’s designed for PC usage. Thus, it’s compatible with HD webcams. 

But when it comes to security, WhatsApp is way better because it uses end-to-end encryption. It means that its developers can’s see your communications. 

However, you can’t use WhatsApp to make 911 calls but you can with Skype.


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Author: Jane Danes

Jane has a lifelong passion for writing. As a blogger, she loves writing breaking technology news and top headlines about gadgets, content marketing and online entrepreneurship and all things about social media. She also has a slight addiction to pizza and coffee.

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