BC 811 - Network Disconnects

[Gumlaut]

Called 811 for Covid19, hold times are crazy and are estimated at 2.5-4 hours. Cellphones disconnect after 2 hours as per network policies. 2.5 hours of my life gone and no other way to contact to them. Lost my place in line and can’t even get through to 811 again to start the process again.

Can Public Mobile change this during this extended emergency situation?

[darlicious]

https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/services-and-resources/find-services 

@Gumlaut  Try the above link to search for other medical/health services that may be available in your local area of the province.

@CannonFodder  By using the OP as an example of what many bc residents are likely experiencing when trying to access an overwhelmed 811 service in bc and highlighting the following points:

1. The high use of cellphones by residents and being cut off after a designated time period is common industry practice.
2. Long wait/on hold times for 811 without success spanning 24 hrs +
3. Self assessment/ contact with covid 19 and infection likely with this resident
4. Inability to access the recommended first two primary health contacts after self assessment and the inability to access 811 to access testing (family doctor and UPCC)
5. Lack of access to proper medical care outside of large population centres
6. The need for a 811 call back service/dedicated line
7. Lag time to trace possible community transmission

I can only hope the email doesnt get lost among many others and grabs someones attention at global news to be addressed in some shape or form.

[Korth]

Google is littered with this common complaint, it seemingly affects customers of all Canadian (and many American) carriers.

People are unable to access emergency information services because actual queue hold/wait times exceed maximum call connection times. No notification or callback system is implemented.

It's not something the networks can realistically fix during this sort of crisis.

It is something the emergency lines have to figure out. (And it's an old problem which has been solved with old solutions - they are basically faced with a decision about whether spending money on this upgrade will be worthwhile, they are uncertain about what is prudent because the duration of this COVID-19 scare is still completely unknown and unpredictable.)

I'm surprised our much-hyped Canada Alert Emergency SMS-CB system isn't being used to send critical public updates on a daily basis. What a useless thing, lol.

[CannonFodder]

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@darlicious wrote:

@geopublic  I was thinking that myself. So on an outside chance of getting the question of call back service for 811 posed to Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry I emailed Keith Baldry of global news asking him to ask the question if possible......a stab in the dark but maybe something will come of it.

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A most excellent idea!!! 👍  Kudos, thumbs-up, & Bravos to you for thinkin' of that!!! 👍  I get the impression that Keith would pose that question, if he gets around to seeing it.

Question for you, though...... did you specifically mention the issue that this forum thread is about, i.e. being disconnected and losing your place in line, because of cell phone network policies? If you included that, AND Keith sees it, I'd bet that will be asked.

Oh, and see @Gumlaut , I told you she was "good people"! 😉 

[geopublic]

@darlicious  👍👏You deserve at least 1000 bravo's for this one. 🙂

[darlicious]

@geopublic  I was thinking that myself. So on an outside chance of getting the question of call back service for 811 posed to Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry I emailed Keith Baldry of global news asking him to ask the question if possible......a stab in the dark but maybe something will come of it.

[geopublic]

If anyone responsible for 811 and all similar numbers is listening please implement a call back number option ASAP. That way people don't have to stress by waiting  on the line for hours in fear of losing their place.

A little bit of common sense and showing some dignity to all Canadians in need during these exceptional times will be greatly appreciated by all.

[Korth]

Huh.

I didn't know about this 811 service.

I did know that telecomm/datacomm systems are running reduced QoS because of sudden sustained demand. My ping times are terrible!

Though I didn't know about any "network policies" to auto-disconnect long calls.

Most provinces (including mine) have officially declared a state of emergency. Endless health warnings and info resources about COVID-19 - and plenty of public service announcements from individual businesses (to their customers) describing "temporary" adjustments to their service provisions/availability.

But where do we learn about these officially mandated "policies" which specifically impose these sorts of rules on technical services/infrastructure?

I never really wasted much time following Canada politics or reading/watching much Big Media news, lol, I'd rather be somewhat uninformed than completely misinformed.

[CannonFodder]

@Gumlaut  Although I don't know @darlicious  THAT well, I think you should take her up on her offer.... based on the multitude of posts I've seen here, I'm pretty sure she's "good people"!

One other thought here - if you have a family member, or a friend, that has a landline, ask them to make the call on your behalf, in which case they wouldn't be getting disconnected in the way that you have been. Obviously, you'd need to give them all the pertinent info.

[darlicious]

@Gumlaut  If it makes you more comfortable you can always private message me....

[darlicious]

@Gumlaut  If your symptoms remain mild and if you don't think you have exposed anyone else to the virus self quarantine is the safest option but i would still phone the ER and inform them of your status, your personal info, PHN, etc....take their advice but prepare them and your local ambulance station of the possibility of an emergency call and/or have them make the proper arrangements for you to be transported safely (for everyone iinvolved) to get tested and for them to begin tracing any community transmission.

    The failings of our medical system outside major centres should not fail you or your fellow citizens. You must advocate for yourself better yet do you have someone to advocate for you? Are you willing to disclose the general area of the province you live in? I can be very resourceful......

[Gumlaut]

Here is the final followup. 

Calls over 2 hours in length are dropped by Public Mobile as per network policy. 

Family doctors in my area don’t exist
The health unit I’m in doesn’t take calls about Covid and says to call 811

The urgent primary care center doesn’t do Covid and says to call 811

Walk in clinics have refused to do potential Covid patients and to call 811

811 has determined that I need to followup with the second tier but are bogged down 

ETA on second tier is always greater than 2 hours regardless of when I’m calling in (afternoon, morning, 3AM)

My final options are to call the ER switchboard and warn them that I’m coming in, call 911 and get an ambulance ride in, or call repeatedly during “slow times” to 811 and hope they are less than 2 hours.

[CannonFodder]

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@darlicious wrote:

@CannonFodder  It seems to me that @Gumlaut is doing everything right but

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Agreed, except for the thought of potentially, ", 811 was the only option short of bogging down the ER.", which, as I said, and you did in your next post, call ahead, so then the potentially infected doesn't just stroll in their doors.

[darlicious · Accepted solution]

@Gumlaut   If you are unable to get thru to 811 and need to arrange a test you are advised to call your nearest  urgent primary care centre or your nearest hospital so they can prepare for you to be tested. Heres a list of UPCC in bc:

Fraser Health

• Burnaby Urgent and Primary Care Centre
• Surrey Urgent and Primary Care Centre
• Ridge Meadows Urgent and Primary Care Centre

Interior Health

• Castlegar Urgent Primary Care Centre (opening soon)
• Kamloops Urgent and Primary Care Centre­­
• Kelowna Urgent and Primary Care Centre
• Vernon Urgent and Primary Care Centre

Island Health

• Nanaimo Urgent and Primary Care Centre
• Victoria Urgent Primary Care Centre (opening soon)
• Westshore Urgent Primary Care Centre – Langford

Northern Health

• Prince George Urgent and Primary Care Centre
• Quesnel Urgent and Primary Care Centre

Vancouver Coastal Health

• REACH Urgent and Primary Care Centre – East Vancouver
• North Vancouver Urgent and Primary Care Centre
• City Centre Urgent and Primary Care Centre – Vancouver

Hopefully this helps you find the help you need.

[darlicious]

@CannonFodder  It seems to me that @Gumlaut is doing everything right but as I suspect they are in northern bc? Or one of our smaller cities like kamloops that suffer from a huge shortage of family doctor's and overflowing walk ins clinics where often your only option is the hospitals emergency department.

   @Gumlaut  your location would be extremely helpful for me to find you an appropriate phone number. If it helps you could try emailing telehealth@northernhealth.ca

[CannonFodder]

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@Gumlaut wrote:

Thanks for the concern everyone but unfortunately this isn’t a “I’m looking for self diagnosis or more information” and more a need to schedule a legit test with the province. Symptoms match but aren’t extreme yet and I have confirmed contact with infected people.

Family doctors don’t exist here, walk ins are at capacity all the time, 811 was the only option short of bogging down the ER.

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Well, from what I've heard and read, there's two ways to get their okey-dokey for a test, i.e. 811, or your family doctor, over the phone, and they DO NOT want people that have symptoms and "confirmed contact with infected people" to be using a walk-in clinic, or the ER.

Since you said you don't have a family doctor, I suggest you try as @JoyLuck  suggested, and get on it early. Barring that, maybe dig up the phone number of local walk-in clinics, or even the hospital, and phone them, and explain the situation of not being able to get through to 811, and your cell service automatically disconnecting. Just MAYBE someone there can give you whatever it is you need to get the test done.

Good luck 👍 , and if you're so inclined, let us know how this gets resolved.

[darlicious]

@Gumlaut  Where in bc are you located? Maybe I can find a source here in Vancouver that can get you a more direct phone number or health unit you can call close to you to get you a test.

[JoyLuck]

Gumlaut, your best bet is to keep on trying in the early morning hours (after midnight).

[Gumlaut]

Thanks for the concern everyone but unfortunately this isn’t a “I’m looking for self diagnosis or more information” and more a need to schedule a legit test with the province. Symptoms match but aren’t extreme yet and I have confirmed contact with infected people.

Family doctors don’t exist here, walk ins are at capacity all the time, 811 was the only option short of bogging down the ER.

[mpcdesign]

@Gumlaut, one can also just Google on the updates too. My wife has been listening to CBC all-day long. Freaking depressing. I had to turn her out and CBC. 

Thankfully, I finally installed Google Home and was asking Google to play different playlists. That got me in an upbeat mood and dance like nobody was watching until the wife saw me that is!

[CannonFodder]

The other option, that I've seen mentioned before, and is also mentioned in @Triguy 's post, is to call your local doctor's office, and they'll give you the same info as you'd get from 811..... that SHOULD get through in much less time than 811.

[Luddite]

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@JoyLuck wrote:

How about try this:

BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool

https://covid19.thrive.health/

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And https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Journey/COVID-19/Pages/COVID-Self-Assessment.aspx

[geopublic]

@Gumlaut  The policy was put in place for a reason. If PM were to remove the restriction then more than likely a majority of the circuits would get tied up and people would not be able to make calls. So 2 hours during high usage periods is fair IMO.

[darlicious]

@Gumlaut  Unfortunately voip service does not work for 811. There is the option of emailing your questions/concerns. You can call 604 215 8110 as the alternate number for those that cannot access 811. You can also try the 1 800 service bc number and have them transfer you . Calling your local health authority may also be a good alternative.

[LovesToPM]

For covid-19 in B.C., you may find some info here:

https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provinci...

Is it an emergency?

If you or someone in your care has chest pains, difficulty breathing, or severe bleeding, it could be a life-threatening emergency. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately.

[LovesToPM]

@Gumlaut You may try one of these Voip apps (they work with wifi or mobile data enabled).

TextNow, Fongo, Google Voice/Hangouts.

I hope one of them works.

[JoyLuck]

How about try this:

BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool

https://covid19.thrive.health/

[Gumlaut]

Number doesn’t actually matter, the hold times do. With a 2-4 hour hold you’ll never make it through to talk to anyone as your cellphone disconnects as per network policy at 2-2.5 hours.

[Triguy]

There is another phone# in this link.

https://covid19.dialogue.co/#/info?id=ca-bc