"Not registered on network."

[hasasimo]

I'm getting this error an inordinate number of times when attempting to make calls. Seems like if I'm ever in a dead spot for a few seconds, the phone never wants to reconnect to the network. The S7 Edge used to take a little long to do so too but nothing like the Note 7 so far. Sometimes even turning airplane mode off and on doesn't work. Did I get a lemon? I'm hoping this is fixable via software update.

 

[mhinc]

I'm getting this error an inordinate number of times when attempting to make calls. Seems like if I'm ever in a dead spot for a few seconds, the phone never wants to reconnect to the network. The S7 Edge used to take a little long to do so too but nothing like the Note 7 so far. Sometimes even turning airplane mode off and on doesn't work. Did I get a lemon? I'm hoping this is fixable via software update.

I would say it's the FlexAntenna tech in the phone mixed with a poor signal area

 

[hasasimo]

I would say it's the FlexAntenna tech in the phone mixed with a poor signal area

The signal here is quite good. But I do have to enter/exit a parking garage every day and there's no reception in there. Once it's lost it never comes back on its own.

Sounds like I'm the only one with this issue. It's infuriating, quite frankly. Had to fiddle with Airplane Mode on the highway when I noticed I wasn't getting a call I was expecting.

Is there anything I can do to fix this?? Hardware issue? Software issue? I have no other problems with the phone but I'm about ready to return it.

 

[bable]

Call your carrier and ask them to reset your location, also go into networks> more networks > Network operator and reset that your carrier.

The note 7 doesn't seem to support a struggling signal nearly as well as my note 4 did though

 

[hasasimo]

Thanks for the feedback. I couldn't do the reset network thing as it times out searching for networks. So it just stays on T-Mobile for me.

The problem is persisting. I don't think it even bothers searching for a signal after a signal is lost. It just decides to stay without one even after I've exited my garage and entered an area with excellent reception. If I want to restore a signal I have to turn Airplane mode on/off a couple of times.

Still don't know if its software or hardware but I'm surprised something so basic and vital is under-performing so much on such an expensive, flagship device.

I don't think T-Mobile can do anything about it except for replacing the phone, which might not even help. I'll give them a call anyway.

 

[Nakrohtap]

I have seen this on my phone as well in areas/stores where I haven't previously had any issues connecting.

 

[hasasimo]

I have seen this on my phone as well in areas/stores where I haven't previously had any issues connecting.

Sorry you're having the issue too, although it is a bit reassuring that I'm not the only one. I'd rather it be something fixable via software update than have to replace my phone.

 

[Nakrohtap]

I guess the only way to tell for sure is to have someone else with a Note7 test it in the same area.

 

[Rukbat]

Next time you exit the garage (and you know you should have a good signal), hold the power button until the phone resets (15-30 seconds) and see if it finds the network. (The problem could be the modem [software], the receiver, a bad antenna connection, almost anything.)

 

[hasasimo]

Next time you exit the garage (and you know you should have a good signal), hold the power button until the phone resets (15-30 seconds) and see if it finds the network. (The problem could be the modem [software], the receiver, a bad antenna connection, almost anything.)

Would this be the same as restarting the phone or turning Airplane mode on/off? Because that works. And the phone generally gets very good reception and doesn't drop signal... it's just that when it does come across an area (like the garage) with no signal, it doesn't ever want to come back on its own.

Could that still be the modem, receiver, or antenna?

 

[geraldem]

I had the same thing happen to me today. I had to reboot phone, toggling airplane mode did not work at all. Only happened once, but concerned about it happening more.

 

[hasasimo]

Just got off the phone with T-Mobile... they suggested I keep Wifi off and said the phone may sometimes search for a Wifi connection instead of a network connection once signal is lost. Doesn't make much sense to be honest. Would be a bit annoying to have to turn off Wifi when I leave home only to turn it back on when I get into work. I doubt that suggestion will work anyway but I'll try tomorrow.

Next steps are a hard reset and exchanging the device. Would be annoying to do especially considering there are no other problems and that I don't even know for sure if it's hardware-related.

 

[mhinc]

Just got off the phone with T-Mobile... they suggested I keep Wifi off and said the phone may sometimes search for a Wifi connection instead of a network connection once signal is lost. Doesn't make much sense to be honest. Would be a bit annoying to have to turn off Wifi when I leave home only to turn it back on when I get into work. I doubt that suggestion will work anyway but I'll try tomorrow.

Next steps are a hard reset and exchanging the device. Would be annoying to do especially considering there are no other problems and that I don't even know for sure if it's hardware-related.

'

You know it could just be your SIM card. I would try replacing that first, TMobile should do so for free.
And do you have your wifi set to search and notify for networks? I believe the S4 has a setting to prevent that from happening, So don't turn OFF your wifi just change that option to not search for networks

 

[hasasimo]

Problem solved! I want to thank everyone for their advice and feedback.

Here's what happened:

I kept WiFi off when going through my garage, as the T-Mobile rep suggested. That appeared to work. So I thought, ok at least there's a work-around even though I shouldn't have to turn off my WiFi every time I leave home.

The next day, I forgot to turn WiFi off, but the problem never resurfaced. I went through the garage twice that day and both times the phone reconnected to the network within a reasonable amount of time.

How could the problem just suddenly disappear? Well I think the solution came at the end of my phone call with T-Mobile. I asked them to reset my connection/location as was suggested in this thread. They never even suggested it as a solution but I remembered reading it here and thought it couldn't hurt. Well, now it seems to be working as it should and I can safely say I now love everything about my Note 7 as I expected to (fingers grossed re ScratchGate).

So if anyone is having this issue, have your carrier reset your connection/location and it may just do the trick. There could be other culprits as well, like a bad SIM, but the good news is that it probably isn't hardware related.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Nakrohtap]

Is that like reprovisioning(?) your SIM?
I did a reset in my network operators settings. Is this different?

 

[tpierce67]

I had the exact same issue on a brand new device. It was on T-Mobile, IT was a faulty SIM card. They swapped out the SIM at a store and I have not had the issue since. Hope this helps.

 

[hasasimo]

So this issue returned on my old Note 7. And now I have a new Note 7 (after the recall) and a new SIM card, so it wasn't the phone or the SIM card to begin with. It's a firmware or OS issue. If you enter an area with 0 reception (in my case a parking garage), you'll have to toggle airplane mode off and on twice or just restart your phone to regain reception.

I'm not as annoyed with it as I used to be, probably because I know I don't just have a faulty phone. Just something I'll live with given that the phone is otherwise outstanding, but I'm hoping Samsung will solve this with a future update because it's probably an easy fix.

 

[BlackZeppelin]

I have seen this on my phone as well in areas/stores where I haven't previously had any issues connecting.

Very occasionally this happens on my Galaxy S5 too.

 

[hasasimo]

Very occasionally this happens on my Galaxy S5 too.

I think if it wasn't for the lower level of the garage (where there is 0 reception) I wouldn't even know this bug exists. That's the only place it happens so far. If it still happens with your S5 though, I won't hold my breath for Samsung to fix it on the Note 7. Oh well.