If someone accidentally dials 999, police advise them not to hang up.
As every silent emergency call is followed up on, the forces are requesting that people stay on the line and let the operator know the call was made in error.
According to Dorset police, the number of unintentional 999 calls has increased significantly in recent weeks when compared to the same period last year.
It's believed that an update to Android smartphones played a role in the sharp increase in 999 calls.
Police departments have posted tips on social media encouraging people to check their phone's settings. A new SOS emergency function has been added through the power button.
The estimated resolution time for each erroneous 999 call is 20 minutes.
To determine whether the caller needs assistance, staff members call back after checking police computer systems for any prior interactions the caller may have had.
Head of contact management for Dorset Police Supt. Pete Browning stated: "Last month, one out of every five calls to our 999 service were unintentional.
"Our control room staff dealt with accidental calls for more than 1,000 hours in May, which works out to 33 hours per day and time that could have been used to assist crime victims. ".
There has been an increase in calls in recent weeks, according to call handlers at Thames Valley Police and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
The Android update, according to the police, has resulted in a noticeably higher number of unintentional calls to the 999/112 service.
All suspected misdials are forwarded to the appropriate police force because BT is unable to investigate them all.
