Emergency 9-1-1 voice call services for AT&T and T-Mobile customers in the Santa Barbara area experienced disruptions Thursday morning. Both the Santa Barbara Police Department and the County Sheriff’s Office confirmed these outages, which specifically affected individuals attempting to call 9-1-1 using the mentioned cellular carriers.
However, officials clarified that alternative methods for reaching emergency services remain available and unaffected for those experiencing call connectivity issues. Individuals unable to make a voice call to 9-1-1 are still able to text 9-1-1. This text-based emergency service functions independently of the reported voice call outages with AT&T and T-Mobile, providing a critical communication channel during this period.
In addition to texting, local police and fire agencies can be directly contacted through their respective dispatch centers. These centers are staffed continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ensuring that direct phone lines are monitored for incoming emergency calls. This provides a third option for residents needing immediate assistance if traditional 9-1-1 voice calls are not connecting.
Regarding the text-to-9-1-1 program, the Sheriff’s Office has previously provided essential guidance for its effective use. Dispatch center manager Susan Farley has emphasized that the most crucial detail for those texting 9-1-1 is to include the exact location of the emergency. Farley noted that, unlike voice calls, text messages do not automatically provide location information to dispatchers. This means individuals must manually type out their precise whereabouts to ensure emergency personnel can accurately locate them.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Raquel Zick issued a direct plea to the public concerning the outage. Zick urged residents, "Please do not call 9-1-1 to test the outage." She explained that even if a test call does not appear to connect on the caller's end, dispatchers may still receive their number. This necessitates a callback from emergency personnel, which consumes valuable time and resources. Such unnecessary callbacks divert dispatchers from responding to actual emergencies, potentially delaying assistance for those truly in need. Therefore, the public is requested to keep 9-1-1 lines clear unless they are reporting a genuine emergency.
As of the reporting time, authorities had not released any further information regarding the underlying cause of the service outage for AT&T and T-Mobile customers. Furthermore, an estimated restoration time for full 9-1-1 voice call service on these specific cellular networks was not available. Residents are encouraged to utilize the advised alternative contact methods—text-to-9-1-1 or direct calls to agency dispatch centers—for any immediate emergency needs while the situation is ongoing.
