User:IronGargoyle/Butt dialing

Butt dialing is a term that refers to the inadvertant placement of a cell-phone call by mechanical friction of the telephone keypad against an idividual's bodypart(s)—frequently the buttock or leg while the phone is in a pocket. Such placed calls are often cited as being one of the more annoying consequences of cell phone usage. Given the haphazard nature of butt dialing, most actual connections do not result from the selection of random numbers. Instead, butt dialing frequently triggers the "recently dialed" and "speed dial" lists that are contained within modern cell phones. The "caller" is frequently unaware that the butt-dialed call has taken place, where as the recipient of the call often hears background conversation and background noises such as the rustling of clothes. One way to prevent butt dialing is locking the keypad.

Use in marketing and advertisement
A moble phone advertising campaign by T-Mobile has touted their phones' resistance to inadvertent butt dialing as being an advantage of certain flip phones models—specifically the Blackberry Pearl Flip. These phones can reduce the chance of butt dialing by protecting the surface of the numeric keypad from accidental activation.

Other consequences
In addition to the inconvenience and embarassment that may result from a butt-dialed number, the phenomenon can have other consequences as well. Butt dialing can be costly if it uses up a phone user's airtime minutes. Another, more serious consequence, is the inadvertant dialing of emergency services. Operators of emergency services telephone numbers, such as 911 and 999 report receiving many false alarms that are likely a result of butt dialing. These nuisance calls can result in a drain on operators' time, particular during summer months, possibly due to an increase in roller coaster ridership.