Incoming calls intermittently going directly to voicemail

[LoreckAvery]

Hi, over a year ago I had issue with my iPhone 8plus incoming calls randomly going directly to voicemail. It seems to be mostly “unknown caller id “ numbers but regardless my phone is pretty useless if it isn’t accepting calls. I went thru massive trouble shooting over a year ago and keep my phone in 3G all the time now and that did seem to work, till the last week (or so). Anyone else having this problem and have a suggestion? Apple won’t admit it’s an issue on their end and public says it’s a device issue as they broadcast on the lower bandwidth and some smart phones aren’t smart enough to accept it in a timely manner thus going straight to voicemail. HELP! 

[softech]

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

 Apple says there is nothing wrong with the device and Public says there is nothing wrong with their service/coverage. 😕

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@LoreckAvery 

Did they try to put your SIM on another iPhone just to confirm it is the account issue?

Also, I think you can open a ticket with PM again.  It has been a year, maybe this round of issue (calls going to VM) is caused by something else and they can fix this time.  Have them to look at your account again and re-provision if possible.     

If issue persists,  ask PM if they can  send you a free replacement SIM (or you buy it yourself and they credit you back after).   I am thinking if might be a SIM issue if it is not the account /coverage itself.

[hairbag1]

PM uses Telus and Bell infrastructure, so if it's a network problem...that would explain why you and others are experiencing this problem. Check with Bell to see if the problem is over there too.

[LoreckAvery]

Occurs on both phones and home and away even as far as Hamilton where the apple store is and the test they did which showed something like 13 of 99 calls go directly to vm 

[LoreckAvery]

Yes. They were super helpful and we dealt with this issue in detail for months, trying every solution out there. Apple says there is nothing wrong with the device and Public says there is nothing wrong with their service/coverage. I don’t want to go to a provider that costs more cause they broadcasts their calling on lte but if my phone doesn’t work reliably as a phone I may have no choice. I’ve been with public for 3 or 4 years now. I am definitely not alone in this cause at the time loads of people reached out and I’ve done tonnes of reading. Honestly I was hoping public would change to lte for calling 😕

[esjliv]

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

Ok I’m super resistant to wanting to do that. I did ALL of that last year. I did a soft reset. Then did a hard reset and didn’t restore from iCloud and honestly nothing helped, the only thing that did was forcing it to 3G. I am going to do a reboot and toggling LTE/3G to see if that helps first. Ugh. 

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@LoreckAvery 

You have been a customer for some time now.

Have you ever contacted Public Mobile Customer Support and ask them to look at what they can on their end?

It would not hurt at this point, seems like a pain with what you have been experiencing.

You probably already know methods to reach them, by anyways....

1 -  Faster - Click the bubble comment circle on the bottom right-hand side of your screen,

or use this link to: Get Help With SIMon the Public Mobile chatbot

OR

2 – Slower - Use this link to:

Private Message to Public Mobile Customer Support Agents (CSA)

[CountyDownIeUk]

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

Ok I’m super resistant to wanting to do that. I did ALL of that last year. I did a soft reset. Then did a hard reset and didn’t restore from iCloud and honestly nothing helped, the only thing that did was forcing it to 3G. I am going to do a reboot and toggling LTE/3G to see if that helps first. Ugh. 

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I was having a problem with dates or time? And putting it back to 3G fixed it. And left it at 3G. 

[softech]

@LoreckAvery  I understand how much trouble to go through after a reset.

but you need a friend now.. for his/her phone and SIM to do the testing.   Again, you are lucky you have an iPhone, drive to an Apple store and ask them to test it again.  You paid a premium before for a better support  🙂

[LoreckAvery]

Ok I’m super resistant to wanting to do that. I did ALL of that last year. I did a soft reset. Then did a hard reset and didn’t restore from iCloud and honestly nothing helped, the only thing that did was forcing it to 3G. I am going to do a reboot and toggling LTE/3G to see if that helps first. Ugh. 

[CountyDownIeUk]

Reset and start from scratch. Doing a restore may import a setting to put you back in the same position. 

[softech]

I suggest a reset of the phone too if it is confirmed that it is a device issue. 

Just keep in mind, after resetting the phone, DO NOT restore from the Cloud backup yet.  Test the phone first , just in case there are some settings caused the issue, you don't want it restores back on a clean phone.

[CountyDownIeUk]

How about doing a total reset of the iPhone?

[softech]

i know you did swap the SIM last year.  But it has been a year, it could be a different issue.  See if you can get a  phone from friends and see if it works.

Apple store could help if you really cannot friend a friend's phone to test it out.

Again, try your SIM on another phone as well as try other SIM from friends on your phone to confirm if it is a device or network issue

For now , before you got a test phone.  Try to set it to 4G.. reboot .. see how it goes.  Then set it back to 3G .. reboot and try again. Maybe toggling 3G/4G with reboot would help

[LoreckAvery]

Not from anyone blocked 

[LoreckAvery]

My sister left multiple messages with the time stamp. I will have zero record of any incoming calls at this time but there is a voicemail 

[softech]

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@Yummy wrote:

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

 Now here we are again having the same issue and mostly with unknown callers,

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Do these unknown callers leave a message or you have just 'silence' in your voice mail box?

If all of these calls ending in vmail most likely spammers found a way to go directly to vmail without ringing your phone. Sometimes (Android) I see vmail indicator pop up even though phone is active (no Airplane mode) and of course, message is either 'silence' or some Chinese ad (I would assume).

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True, there are technique and tools for spammers to bypass ringer and go straight to VM on purpose.  If the latest round of voicemail issues are form Unknown callers only and not from friends, I wouldn't worry too much.    But of course, if friends' calls going direct to VM , then it is a different issue.

[Meow]

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@CountyDownIeUk wrote:

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OR.....are these voicemails from numbers that you have blocked?

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I would assume if you block incoming number then you are not suppose to get Anything from that number. No SMS, no calls, no vmail. Call will be rejected and connection severed.

[CountyDownIeUk]

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@Yummy wrote:

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

 Now here we are again having the same issue and mostly with unknown callers,

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Do these unknown callers leave a message or you have just 'silence' in your voice mail box?

If all of these calls ending in vmail most likely spammers found a way to go directly to vmail without ringing your phone. Sometimes (Android) I see vmail indicator pop up even though phone is active (no Airplane mode) and of course, message is either 'silence' or some Chinese ad (I would assume).

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OR.....are these voicemails from numbers that you have blocked?

[Yummy]

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

 Now here we are again having the same issue and mostly with unknown callers,

---

Do these unknown callers leave a message or you have just 'silence' in your voice mail box?

If all of these calls ending in vmail most likely spammers found a way to go directly to vmail without ringing your phone. Sometimes (Android) I see vmail indicator pop up even though phone is active (no Airplane mode) and of course, message is either 'silence' or some Chinese ad (I would assume).

[Anonymous]

@LoreckAvery 

 you can try reseat the SIM card and Make sure your phone is off before removing your SIM card,

1. power off your device

2. take out the SIM card,

3. waiting a 1 minute,

4. put it back and power on,

5. toggling airplane mode off/on,  

and try to reset network settings on an IPhone

Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

This also resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords,

or visit  Here link, 

and go Changing APN Settings On An IPhone

click Here link, 

Ensure you have the correct APN settings by visit Here link,

Select the brand and model of your phone, After doing so, you will be provided with the exact APNs required for your phone on our network.

and do Rebooting your phone,

*what is mean for Rebooting the phone means to turn off your phone and turn it back on again.

and can you try manually selecting network "3G ONLY"

for iPhone visit Here link 

or Here link 

and do Rebooting your phone 

This is quick and simple,

or if you can't fix it you have to do Erase all content and settings,

Erase iPhone - Apple Support (CA)

Hard Reset iPhone - Remove All Content & Settings,

[CountyDownIeUk]

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

Yes and it is off 

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I hear you...but just in case.....some DND settings can be all the time or in a clock...like no calls between 9pm and 7am. 

[softech]

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

I went thru all of this a year ago. Apple did a test on my phone and with a spam calling they said 14 of 99 calls went directly to voicemail and it “wasn’t an Apple issue” it was a provider issue. Public says it’s a device issue (and thru loads of reading not apple specific as android has it sometimes too) since the calls go to VM the service is being provided and there’s nothing they will do. 🤷🏼‍♀️  

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All I am thinking maybe is to try a new SIM card.  Not sure if it will work for sure.  

[hairbag1]

@LoreckAvery...does the same thing happen on both iphones or just yours.

Does it occur only when at home or does it occur when away as well ?

[LoreckAvery]

I went thru all of this a year ago. Apple did a test on my phone and with a spam calling they said 14 of 99 calls went directly to voicemail and it “wasn’t an Apple issue” it was a provider issue. Public says it’s a device issue (and thru loads of reading not apple specific as android has it sometimes too) since the calls go to VM the service is being provided and there’s nothing they will do. 🤷🏼‍♀️  

[softech]

@LoreckAvery   I understand you said you tried to put the SIM on another iPhone before.  I think it is time to try it again and see how it goes.  Maybe we will get a different result ?

Any Apple Store close by?  They can certainly help.  

Or we can do a reverse test.  You have any friends on other carriers? try to have their SIM put into your phone and see how the result is with incoming calls.  Again, this is something Apple Store might be able to assist

[LoreckAvery]

I have updated everything yes. 

[LoreckAvery]

Yes my area does have strong LTE however when it was left to automatically chose it wouldn’t accept 20/25% of my calls. Forcing my phone to 3G fixed the issue for over a year. Now here we are again having the same issue and mostly with unknown callers, which is exactly how it started prior 

[LoreckAvery]

Yes and it is off 

[CountyDownIeUk]

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@LoreckAvery wrote:

Hi, over a year ago I had issue with my iPhone 8plus incoming calls randomly going directly to voicemail. It seems to be mostly “unknown caller id “ numbers but regardless my phone is pretty useless if it isn’t accepting calls. I went thru massive trouble shooting over a year ago and keep my phone in 3G all the time now and that did seem to work, till the last week (or so). Anyone else having this problem and have a suggestion? Apple won’t admit it’s an issue on their end and public says it’s a device issue as they broadcast on the lower bandwidth and some smart phones aren’t smart enough to accept it in a timely manner thus going straight to voicemail. HELP! 

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Check your do not disturb settings. There is a variety of settings. It could be that you set up to refuse any caller ID that is NOT in your contacts list. 

[softech]

In terms of 3G only , your area should have good and strong LTE signal and I don't see why 3G ONLY is needed for a full year.

You have updated your iPhone to the latest iOS?  

But honest, if you are ok on the 3G only, there is nothing wrong with staying on 3G only.  Mobile Data on 3G only actually is faster (except with high latency) and calls are on 3G network anyway.  So, I wouldn't mind to leave it with 3G only if you don't want to spend more time troubleshooting.

[t_p]

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@softech wrote:

@LoreckAvery   did you try your SIM on another phone?  I suggest you try it on another iPhone as well as non-Iphone and confirm if you have the same experience

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@LoreckAvery 

Have you checked and installed any available software/system and carrier settings update?