A personal communications device configured to communicate with a wide area network in response to an alternate mode activation signal is provided. The personal communications device also comprises a signal broker operatively connected to a monitored interface from among the one or more interfaces along a control path. The signal broker is configured to monitor signals at the monitored interface and upon observing an alternate mode activation signal at the monitored interface, inject an alternate mode signal configured to initiate the alternate communication over the wide area network. In some embodiments, the alternate communication is different from a communication that would have occurred in the absence of the injected alternate mode signal. The alternate mode signal may comprise an emergency mode signal configured to initiate an emergency communication over the wide area network. The emergency communication may comprise an SMS message, a telephone call, an HTTP command, an email, or the like.