Calls going directly to Voicemail

[SouthernblondeLKS]

This past week my phone has been sending some calls straight to voicemail without even listing that someone called (no one in the recent call list). I'm trying to figure out if this is a network issue or a software/hardware issue. I've made sure that none of the callers I've missed are on the "straight to voicemail option" (I actually don't have that setting for anyone). I've checked my sound options to make sure they are turned up (and made sure it's not set to priority...I hate that new lollipop feature), and I've checked the radio signal strength. Everything seems to be in order. I tried to call the person back who left me the message and it rang several times, then gave me an error message saying that the call couldn't be completed. This happened twice and then I finally got through the third time. After that I made a call to someone else to see if it went through. It did.

There has only been one other time when I've gotten that error message and it was (ironically) to Comcast. Sometimes I have to dial four or five times before I can get through to them. It's always a Verizon error message (which is why I'm leaning more towards a network issue), but I'm open to ideas/suggestions.

Any ideas to the problem?

 

[SpookDroid]

Can you replicate the issue often? Like, calling yourself with another phone and you'll know it'll go straight to voicemail? Or a number that the error pops up a lot with?

If so, I'd try using your SIM in a different phone (unlocked or Verizon's, of course). If what you used to do before to replicate the issue doesn't give the errors, it might be a phone issue. But if you can replicate that with a different phone, it's either a SIM or a network issue.

 

[doogald]

I was going to say - that sounds like a sim card issue. I think I'd go to to a vzw store and see if they can provision you another one.

 

[SouthernblondeLKS]

Thanks for the responses! Hasn't happened again. It's extremely intermittent. It's hard to get it to replicate. Only time will tell if I'm going to have the problem again. It's only been with two numbers. The first went straight to voicemail and when I tried to call back I got a Verizon message error (twice, and the third call went through). I asked if the phone rang when she called my number or if it went straight to voicemail and she told me it rang. The second person it happened with, it went straight to voicemail (she said it never rang), but I was able to call back and get through no problem. Both happened on the same day and it hasn't happened again since. I've since rebooted, cleared the cache, and just did some general maintenance on my phone. No problem since. I've gotten calls from both people and placed calls with no problem. I'm hoping it was just a network error.

 

[SpookDroid]

Let's hope it was, but if it happens again, I'd see if they can give you a new SIM

 

[SouthernblondeLKS]

Update: It happened again. Worst possible time, too. It was for a job interview that I really wanted. I'm insanely pissed right now. Definitely going to get a new SIM. Phone never rang and it's not in the call log. I did fortunately have a voicemail so I know it was missed.

After calling back I got a message that I'd never heard before about "please state your name so google voice can best determine who to forward your call to". I started to wonder if the company who was trying to reach me uses google voice. I've personally never used it, so I know nothing about it. I think I may have google voice blocked because I was getting weird calls later at night, so I blocked a number that turned out to be google voice. But would that block all numbers using google voice? And would they still be able to leave a message? If this isn't the problem then it's definitely a hardware problem.

 

[Crashdamage]

My wife and I have used Google Voice for thousands of calls over the last few years with no problems at all. No one has ever told us about any messages from Google Voice. They never know we are calling using Google Voice.

Anyway, you can block a Google Voice number, same as blocking any other number, but you can't block all Google Voice calls.

Whether or not blocked numbers can leave a message depends on how you blocked them.

This doesn't smell like a problem with the phone. More like a network error or signal coverage issue. Definitely get a new SIM, especially if yours is over 2 years old.

Have you contacted your service provider's tech support?

Android since v1.0. Linux since 2001

 

[SouthernblondeLKS]

Google voice was just something I wasn't familiar with, so when I went to call back the number I missed it caught me a little off-guard. I've never used it. I've only blocked a few (spam) numbers through Verizon's site. I also know there's an option to save the number and set it "send all calls to voicemail" but I've never used that option. Any time I block a number it's directly through Verizon's site.

I went to the store to get a new SIM (the old one was only 10 months old, as is the phone). The guy that helped me said it did sound like it was a SIM issue since it was so intermittent. After replacing the SIM he did a test call in the store and it went through no problem. I'm going to call my cell from my work landline when I go in this afternoon to see if goes through. I'm hoping it was just the SIM. The weird thing about the calls that have gone directly to voicemail is that I've noticed I have decent signal (in today's case I was expecting the call so I had my phone right in front of me and it had full bars the entire time), so I was hesitant to believe that it was a network issue.

Either way, I've had time to calm down about the missed call. Maybe missing the job was a good thing and I don't realize it. The woman who left the message was kind of bitchy, so maybe I avoided a position at a company that would destroy my soul. Maybe my phone was looking out for me.

 

[Crashdamage]

Karma...

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[TiMar99]

I get random calls going directly to VM, but not all and varies on location as well. Today a new problem started where each call I was on would simply drop after a few mins and in various areas with great network service. Verizon gave me a new SIM card, does this sound like the right fix for my issue? Advice would be greatly appreciated as I have made a fool of myself dropping several work calls.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[SouthernblondeLKS]

For me, the calls going directly to voicemail have mostly been at home. I have medium signal strength at home (not full bars, but always at least half). Like you, I've always had decent signal when the phone acts up (though I don't get a lot of dropped calls). That's why I was leaning more towards it being a SIM issue. It sounds like yours might be a SIM issue, too. If the problem persists after getting the SIM replaced it's either the phone itself or a network issue/something wrong on Verizon's end.

So far *knocks on wood* I haven't had the issue repeat. But my issues were so infrequent that only time will tell if switching the SIM fixed it (so far, all the calls I've had have come through no problem). But I know how you feel about not wanting to look stupid at work. I'm gun-shy now about phone interviews because I don't want the issue to repeat. I'm insanely reliable. Technology is not.