topic Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help! in Get Support

Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 14:36:27 GMT

Just discovered a major issue where I can not make any calls by keypad-dialing the number, I can only make calls by calling from my contacts. If I try to DIAL a number, regardless of whether they are IN my contacts, I immediately get this message: "No cellular network available. Connect to an available Wi-Fi Network to make calls.". (I'm actually on wifi, but I've never used wifi calling.) This is a problem because if I want to dial out now, every single number has to be added to my contacts and called from there.

I have no idea how long this problem has been going on, to be honest, because I don't make calls very often, and usually only from my contacts. I started service with PublicMobile mid-last year and I know that I definitely did not have this problem with my previous cell service provider on the same phone.

What I've Tried:
- Calling a number via my contacts (works immediately)
- Keypad-dialing a number that happens to be in my contacts ("No cellular network available.")
- Keypad-dialing a number that is not listed in my contacts ("No cellular network available.")
- Receiving calls (no issues)
- Restarting the phone (did not fix it)

- Investigated phone app settings (I don't see anything that could be causing this)

- Googling (I have no idea what to search for with this very specific issue-- most people with outbound phonecall problems either have a poor cell signal or simply can't make or receive calls at all.)

I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 with Android 7. I only use the default phone app to make calls. I have not tried resetting my phone-- I'd like to avoid that hassle if possible.

Help!

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

gjong26 — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:04:08 GMT

Most likely it sounds like the wifi phone app. You can reset the app and clear the cach if you go into your apps and find it there. Other option is to turn off the wifi and make a call using the celluar services if you are able to do so. What wifi phone app are you using?

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:08:34 GMT

I don't use a wifi phone app, I use the Galaxy S6 default phone app.

I just tried making calls with wifi and data turned off, and nothing changed.

I just tried making calls after clearing the default phone app's cache, and nothing changed.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Nomis — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:10:18 GMT

Is your SIM card correctly inserted in the phone? Have you juste tried to pull out the SIM card then put it back in and restart the phone?

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

geopublic — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:12:47 GMT

@Sevinda wrote:
I don't use a wifi phone app, I use the Galaxy S6 default phone app.

I just tried making calls with wifi and data turned off, and nothing changed.

I just tried making calls after clearing the default phone app's cache, and nothing changed.

@Sevinda Go into your Dialer app settings and make sure you remove any reference to WiFi calling or VOIP reference.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:14:28 GMT

@Nomis wrote:
Is your SIM card correctly inserted in the phone? Have you juste tried to pull out the SIM card then put it back in and restart the phone?

I have to imagine that the SIM card is correctly installed since I can call from contacts and use data successfully, BUT for the sake of troubleshooting I just popped my SIM card out and put it back in, tried to make some calls, and nothing changed.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

gjong26 — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:15:28 GMT

After you verify the SIM card you can check your call settings to make sure WIFI calling is turned off. So go to your phone icon and select the 3 dots to get into your phone settings. Check and play around with the settings there to see if that makes any difference.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

gblackma — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:20:51 GMT

@Sevinda which plan are you on? Can you download the TextNow app and see if you are able use it over WiFi to make a call byn dialing. Also, do you have another phone handy that you can either place your SIM into? Or another providers active SIM that you can switch between phones? Put you SIM into their phone and theirs into yours. Thanks.

@Sevinda wrote:
Just discovered a major issue where I can not make any calls by keypad-dialing the number, I can only make calls by calling from my contacts. If I try to DIAL a number, regardless of whether they are IN my contacts, I immediately get this message: "No cellular network available. Connect to an available Wi-Fi Network to make calls.". (I'm actually on wifi, but I've never used wifi calling.) This is a problem because if I want to dial out now, every single number has to be added to my contacts and called from there.

I have no idea how long this problem has been going on, to be honest, because I don't make calls very often, and usually only from my contacts. I started service with PublicMobile mid-last year and I know that I definitely did not have this problem with my previous cell service provider on the same phone.

What I've Tried:
- Calling a number via my contacts (works immediately)
- Keypad-dialing a number that happens to be in my contacts ("No cellular network available.")
- Keypad-dialing a number that is not listed in my contacts ("No cellular network available.")
- Receiving calls (no issues)
- Restarting the phone (did not fix it)
- Investigated phone app settings (I don't see anything that could be causing this)
- Googling (I have no idea what to search for with this very specific issue-- most people with outbound phonecall problems either have a poor cell signal or simply can't make or receive calls at all.)

I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 with Android 7. I only use the default phone app to make calls. I have not tried resetting my phone-- I'd like to avoid that hassle if possible.

Help!

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:25:20 GMT

@geopublic wrote:
@Sevinda wrote:
I don't use a wifi phone app, I use the Galaxy S6 default phone app.

I just tried making calls with wifi and data turned off, and nothing changed.

I just tried making calls after clearing the default phone app's cache, and nothing changed.
@Sevinda Go into your Dialer app settings and make sure you remove any reference to WiFi calling or VOIP reference.

I can't find any references to WiFi Calling or VOIP in either my phone app's settings or in Android settings at all, unfortunately.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

geopublic — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:35:01 GMT

@Sevinda wrote:
@Nomis wrote:
Is your SIM card correctly inserted in the phone? Have you juste tried to pull out the SIM card then put it back in and restart the phone?

I have to imagine that the SIM card is correctly installed since I can call from contacts and use data successfully

@Sevinda Correct

, BUT for the sake of troubleshooting I just popped my SIM card out and put it back in, tried to make some calls, and nothing changed.

Your problem is definitely a phone issue and not a SIM issue. If you have access to another phone simply insert your SIM and you should be able to make calls.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

geopublic — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:38:37 GMT

@Sevinda wrote:
@geopublic wrote:
@Sevinda wrote:
I don't use a wifi phone app, I use the Galaxy S6 default phone app.

I just tried making calls with wifi and data turned off, and nothing changed.

I just tried making calls after clearing the default phone app's cache, and nothing changed.
@Sevinda Go into your Dialer app settings and make sure you remove any reference to WiFi calling or VOIP reference.
I can't find any references to WiFi Calling or VOIP in either my phone app's settings or in Android settings at all, unfortunately.

@Sevinda Check for any settings (filtering) that will only allow you to use your mobile network for calling only numbers in your contacts and the rest to use WiFi. It's definitely a setting on your phone that is causing the issue.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:39:46 GMT

"Also, do you have another phone handy that you can either place your SIM into? Or another providers active SIM that you can switch between phones? Put you SIM into their phone and theirs into yours. Thanks."

So I just tried swapping SIMS by putting someone else's SIM in my phone and making a keypad-dial call and a contact call, and there's no change. That has to mean it's probably settings or software issues in my phone, I'd guess? I can't for the life of me find WiFi calling settings anywhere in my phone app or my phone's settings. I don't understand 😞

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:47:34 GMT

@Sevinda

shots in the dark here...

Do you have bluetooth on?

Do you have a voice control app on?

Turn off cell data. Turn off bluetooth. Turn off wifi.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:47:54 GMT

"Check for any settings (filtering) that will only allow you to use your mobile network for calling only numbers in your contacts and the rest to use WiFi. It's definitely a setting on your phone that is causing the issue."

Thank you, that's apparent to me now, too. I don't know where the heck the related settings are buried, because I've been through every settings menu I can find. I'll keep looking and I guess if I can't find them I'll reset the **bleep** phone.

I appreciate everyone's assistance.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:49:14 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Sevinda
shots in the dark here...
Do you have bluetooth on?
Do you have a voice control app on?

Turn off cell data. Turn off bluetooth. Turn off wifi.

Bluetooth is always off. I've tried making dialed calls with wifi and data off with no success. No voice control app that I'm aware of.

Thanks for trying 🙂

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Nomis — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:52:26 GMT

https://thedroidguy.com/how-to-fix-samsung-galaxy-s6-edge-wi-fi-calling-issues-1048511

Have you had a look at this post on The Droid Guy?

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Daps — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:52:46 GMT

Go to phone "settings".
Select "appications".
Select "phone".
Scroll down. You can deactivate wifi calling here.

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:01:07 GMT

@Nomis wrote:
https://thedroidguy.com/how-to-fix-samsung-galaxy-s6-edge-wi-fi-calling-issues-1048511

Have you had a look at this post on The Droid Guy?

I just took a look. Every how-to I've come across, including this one, references a setting that isn't present in my phone: "Settings > Connections menu and touch Wi-Fi Calling to get to Wi-Fi Calling settings." I think I've got a variant that doesn't include WiFi calling, which is even more baffling with regards to my issue. Even that article says I'd have to root my phone and install a different ROM to get WiFi calling on some variants (which I definitely didn't do).

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

DOA — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:03:38 GMT

Uninstall and reinstall the stock phone app.

settings->apps and notifications->(see all apps)->Phone->advanced->app details->uninstall

Re: Can't dial out, can only call from contacts. Help!

Sevinda — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:04:05 GMT

@Daps wrote:
Go to phone "settings".
Select "appications".
Select "phone".
Scroll down. You can deactivate wifi calling here.

That setting isn't present. Apparently my phone variant (SM-G920T) doesn't include WiFi Calling at all by default.