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Smartphones, like any computer, can go through some strange moments. Being uncooperative from time to time is par for the course. Most smartphones come with the standard call block feature, which is just what it sounds like, a feature that lets you block specific numbers.
Without call blocking, we would likely go insane with all the spam numbers blowing your phone up on a daily basis. It’s so bad nowadays that if you hang up immediately, they’ll call you right back, over and over, until you either answer or block them. Of course, they will change phone numbers by a single digit and call back the next day.
It’s an endless cycle, to be sure, but it’s a pretty cut and dry feature nonetheless. However, that doesn’t mean you should suddenly have issues with numbers you haven’t blocked. If that happens, something is going on that’s deeper than just an accidental block.
Table of Contents
5 fixes To Can’t Call A Number But Number Is Not Blocked
1. They’ve Blocked You
It’s not the answer that most people want to hear but, after all, you can’t see the status of someone’s phone as you’re trying to call them. There’s always the possibility that you are being blocked by the person you are trying to call.
While troubleshooting tips are what we often provide when it comes to difficulties with electronics, you’re on your own with this one. It’s always possible that the person you are trying to call has blocked you by accident.
That might be the best approach for you to take. When you do get the opportunity to talk to the person that possibly blocked you, simply let them know that you attempted to call them at some point, without levelling an accusation one way or the other.
Their response will be an indication as to whether it’s personal or not, accidental or purposeful.
If it was done purposefully, well, good luck.
2. Issues with the Network
There are two issues with network connectivity, the second of which we’ll cover below. For this, it’s simply a matter of network connectivity. It could be that it’s you, or it could be the network as a whole is having trouble.
Even with the best network coverage, you can consistently find areas with low coverage. Even more often, we walk or drive right into them and are usually out before we even realize it. However, some phones have difficulty dropping coverage and picking it back up quickly.
One of the best end-arounds you can try is to turn on Airplane mode, which turns off all of your smartphone’s network features, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular connectivity. It essentially turns your phone into a tablet that has no Wi-Fi.
Leave it off for about a minute and turn it back on again. This forces the phone to seek the best connection and reestablish its networking immediately. Now, attempt to make the phone call again and see if it works.
3. Remove and Re-Insert Your SIM Card
Many of the newer generations of smartphones are switching to eSIMs, essentially a digital SIM card, removing the need to have a physical one in your phone. How well this will work remains to be seen. In the meantime, if you are not using or haven’t set up an eSIM, you can try removing and re-inserting your physical SIM.
- Find a very small paperclip
- Locate the SIM tray on your phone (should be a tiny, capped port with a very tiny hole in it)
- Insert the paperclip and press in until the tray pops out of your phone
- Take some extra time and wipe your SIM card down (microfiber cloth is best)
- Place the SIM back in the tray, positioned in the same way it was when you removed it
- Press the tray back in until it snaps closed
- Your phone should take a minute to read the SIM
- Try to make a phone call again
Another method has you turn your phone off after you insert the SIM card, then turn it back on. You can try both methods, especially if the bullet point method doesn’t do the trick.
4. The Person You’re Calling is Out of Network
We mentioned this up above, and it’s not much of a troubleshooting tip simply because we don’t control the movements of our friends. The only thing you can do in this instance is give it some time or try to contact them via text message.
If you shoot them a text, they should get the message when they return to a coverage area or even before. If nothing else, at least they will know that you are trying to reach them and can then opt for calling you back.
Unless you have location tracking or have your phones set up on a family plan of some kind, it’s difficult to say whether or not they are just in a bad area geographically. However, you can see if they simply walked into a store or something of that nature. Not all buildings are the same, and some will block a cell signal better than others.
5. Customer Support
If you’ve tried all of the above and determined, beyond a doubt, that neither you nor the person you are calling is actively blocking the other, your only recourse is to contact customer support.
If your friend isn’t blocking you, and you aren’t blocking them, and neither of your smartphones are having issues, it’s literally the only option remaining.
At the very least, tech support should be able to determine if something is going on with the network or your phones that isn’t something you can fix on your end.
Final Thoughts
If you can’t call a phone number and haven’t blocked them, look at your network coverage, SIM cards, or your and your friend’s locations to determine whether or not it’s a problem that neither of you initiated.
If your friend is actively blocking you, that’s a personal thing you will have to work out on your own, without contacting customer support.
