Full Signal but emergency calls only! - Samsung Galaxy S4 on 3!

[AC Question]

2 days ago my phone suddenly had no signal which didn't return back. I took out the battery and sim and restarted the phone and then it displayed with a message saying "unable to connect to (3) network". I have an unlocked phone from 3 so was able to test both a Vodafone and Virgin sim card into the device which both worked fine. As well as this, I was also able to test my 3 sim in another phone which also worked. For some reason I am only unable to my own sim in my own phone..

I phoned 3's technical support centre and they were confused, went to a manager whom was also confused and said I had to send it for repair after carrying out all tests there end. I then spoke to Samsung who insisted it was nothing wrong with the phone and suggested I asked for a replacement through my insurance company (I lost my old phone and got a new one 10 days ago through my insurance). Both the phone and the sim card are all working fine, neither blacklisted or blocked. I am going round and round in circles and neither 3, Samsung or the Insurance company have a clue what's going on. I have another two phones on the 3 network and they are all completely fine.

I personally feel that there must be some issues within the settings off the phone, but after messing around I have been unable to find a solution. Please can someone help me, I have wasted so much time on this, someone must know the problem! Thank you!

 

[anon8380037]

I switched to Three 2 weeks ago with my own Galaxy Note 3.

They only employ confused people in support.

So you have had this phone 10 days, 8 of which it worked. Did you use mobile data in that time?
You spoke to support but are not able to get to a store so they have not physically tested it?
How am I doing?

 

[Jake_hks]

Yes I have used the mobile data in this time, in fact every service going. No one can work out from either 3, Samsung or the insurance company whether its the phone or the sim. I was hoping someone new more about this such as changing some of the settings in the phone.

 

[anon8380037]

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk Pro

 

[anon8380037]

Full signal, do you mean you can't get voice but can get data, can't get either, Have 5 bars of voice signal but no data, or voice and 4H/H+ data are showing on your panel.

Is Three embedded in the settings like my shots (mine was from Amazon previously on another nw)

- screenshots did not post in any order -

If you can either check your screens against mine, or ideally post them here covering your imei.

My first guess is Auto selecting the network. You may want help in finding these. If you don't think I can help, someone else may know.

 

[Jake_hks]

I have checked all setting as you've shown and its the same, but thanks! And I cannot get either data or calls, its just like having a phone without a sim! When I tried to click 3 as my network provider its displays the message "error connecting to (3) network". Thank you for your help!

 

[Jake_hks]

Hi! I managed to miss one of your print screens. I just checked status and its displays the following which is not like yours...

 

[anon8380037]

Hello. Well that's something to show them.
I haven't played around with the Available Networks search results. (it takes a while to search with data off). Maybe if you click on '3' , and 'Select Automatically' and see what options there are.
Though you say the sim works in other phones which is strange, another new sim should help. I would insist on it.

FYI - when I moved to a rolling contract with Three, it obviously takes a few days (5 for me) to port my number over. So while I had the temporary number, the Status screen was showing the temporary number. My previous network (Talkmobile) showed Unknown there. After porting, Samsung Kies and Status still showed the temporary number. No big deal, but I was worried about my Samsung account and warranty. I was advised here the sim needed editing. I went to another store and they made a new sim which only took an hour to swap on the network, but status is showing Unknown again, which is fine.

You're welcome and I hope they can sort it from there. Come back if you need more help.

Welcome to Android Central.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Jake_hks]

Hi! Samsung rang me up about 1 hour ago to check the status of my phone and I explained the whole situation again to them and they were confused!:/

So I just spoke to 3 and instead of telling them what's wrong I have just asked for a new sim to be sent out which will come tomorrow. Hopefully that works. If not, the phone also booked in for repair now tomorrow afternoon, so let home the postal man delivers the sim before Samsung come to collect my phone! Haha!

Thank you very much for all your help!

 

[anon8380037]

Hi! Samsung rang me up about 1 hour ago to check the status of my phone and I explained the whole situation again to them and they were confused!:/

So I just spoke to 3 and instead of telling them what's wrong I have just asked for a new sim to be sent out which will come tomorrow. Hopefully that works. If not, the phone also booked in for repair now tomorrow afternoon, so let home the postal man delivers the sim before Samsung come to collect my phone! Haha!

Thank you very much for all your help!

I think it's down to Three screwing up, so you can explain that to Samsung if you don't get the sim. Nice to get another phone anyway if you have everything saved. Good luck.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk Pro

 

[PROPLANE65]

Any solutions to the original issue? Im now having the same problem on my Note 3... Ugh.

 

[Sandu Paul]

I have the same problem .. Got 4 bars on note 3 but only for emergency calls. I have installed an app network signal info and i can see the network operator 23410 and this is o2 .23420 is three, you can google the rest.So basicaly phone conected to another provider mast just for emergency calls.you can check to whom you are connected if you want but there is no way to fix this.

 

[anon8380037]

Any solutions to the original issue? Im now having the same problem on my Note 3... Ugh.

Sorry I missed your post and no one responded. I was not active on Android Central for a period.
I hope you found a fix.

Errr - Welcome to Android Central.

 

[Rukbat]

Problems like this are usually a bad SIM or a bad SIM port. If you can, press the SIM down gently to make sure it's making contact. If not, the carrier should have no problem putting another SIM for you, to test whether the SIM is bad. (Their cost is the time it takes the employee to change the SIMs and the account information - SIMs are so cheap it should be a mortal sin to charge for them.) The second most likely cause is an improperly set up account. (A bad SIM port is covered under warranty - everything else takes a couple of minutes in the store [assuming an actual human being is there, not some sort of human-appearing salesbot].)

 

[Metal Militia]

3 was taken over buy Vodafone

Metal Militia AC App

 

[Metal Militia]

In Australia I meant

Metal Militia AC App

 

[benthe1]

....Hopefully that works. If not, the phone also booked in for repair now tomorrow afternoon, so let home the postal man delivers the sim before Samsung come to collect my phone! Haha!

Thank you very much for all your help!

So how did it go?

 

[ABC44]

Hello,

I had the same issue this month with a new Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini.
Reappearing message "Emergency calls only".
Nor a new SIM card, nor an Adroid update helped. Frustrating....

Then I just played around with the "Network mode" setting :
LTE/WCDMA/GSM --> WCDMA/GSM or
LTE/WCDMA/GSM --> WCDMA only

In both cases the problem was solved. The message didn't return. ...

Maybe the solution was a combination of these 3 things (simcard / androidupdate / networkmode) .. who knows ....

I'm sharing this information without guarantee to success for similar cases.


Greeting

 

[Charlene Ticay]

My phone doesnt send any text and really pissed me off i cant even recieved any messages .my phone says not registered in network . Pls.. help this problem i had this problem for more than one week for my globe prepaid roaming

 

[Robert Bierd]

With references to the above full signal but emergency calls only!... I have just bought a sim only note 4 with same problem l solved it buy setting my phone to GSM only, it was set to WCDA/GSM auto connect, So when I switched on my phone had a white triangle in top left hand corner with error no network that would keep happening though out the day... Samsung or tech support couldn't work it out, but since I set my phone to GSM only then tap on network operators after it search for a few min, tap you network and all will be fine