iPhone 4S sometimes ringing, sometimes not

[desertman]

A friend of mine has an iPhone 4S on Page Plus Cellular (= Verizon Wireless network) and it is sometimes ringing, sometimes not. In the last 20 minutes I called him three times and got through to him only once (after hearing about four ring tones). The other two times I heard just two ring tones before his mailbox kicked in. He was the whole time on the same property where I (and many other people that I know) never have problems receiving calls on their Page Plus Cellular phones.

Does anybody have an idea what this might mean? I know that many people sometimes have calls that don't go through but the details of this case seem to be different from the other cases.

Greetings - desertman

 

[imaketouchtheme]

The most likely cause is "Do Not Disturb" Mode. If you slide up to access Control Center, there's an icon across the top that looks like a moon. If that is selected, calls will only go through after three or four times and various other notification delays.

 

[C DM]

The most likely cause is "Do Not Disturb" Mode. If you slide up to access Control Center, there's an icon across the top that looks like a moon. If that is selected, calls will only go through after three or four times and various other notification delays.

Doesn't quite sound like it since multiple calls from the same number seem to go through sometimes and not other times.

 

[imaketouchtheme]

Doesn't quite sound like it since multiple calls from the same number seem to go through sometimes and not other times.

I'm not quite sure where you derived that information, but based upon what the OP said in his post, this is an identical situation in which Do Not Disturb mode would impact calls.

 

[C DM]

A friend of mine has an iPhone 4S on Page Plus Cellular (= Verizon Wireless network) and it is sometimes ringing, sometimes not. In the last 20 minutes I called him three times and got through to him only once (after hearing about four ring tones). The other two times I heard just two ring tones before his mailbox kicked in. He was the whole time on the same property where I (and many other people that I know) never have problems receiving calls on their Page Plus Cellular phones.

Does anybody have an idea what this might mean? I know that many people sometimes have calls that don't go through but the details of this case seem to be different from the other cases.

Greetings - desertman

Often when you are sent to voicemail after only 2 rings (on Verizon at least) it means that the phone you are trying to reach can't be found by the system for some reason (as in it's either turned off or somehow doesn't have a good signal or just isn't being contacted by the system for some reason). So unless your friend is a poor reception area, which might explain this type of behavior, it seems like the issue might be on the carrier side of things and your friend should contact the carrier (Cricket in this case) to discuss this issue with them.

 

[imaketouchtheme]

Often when you are sent to voicemail after only 2 rings (on Verizon at least) it means that the phone you are trying to reach can't be found by the system for some reason (as in it's either turned off or somehow doesn't have a good signal or just isn't being contacted by the system for some reason). So unless your friend is a poor reception area, which might explain this type of behavior, it seems like the issue might be on the carrier side of things and your friend should contact the carrier (Verizon in this case) to discuss this issue with them.

You're entirely incorrect. If your phone is in Do Not Disturb mode, it automatically "declines" the call once it's reached by his phone, so it will send it to voicemails after exactly two rings. I work in the wireless industry am very familiar with this situation. It happens all too frequently and people blame the network, when it's actually that exact setting.

 

[C DM]

I'm not quite sure where you derived that information, but based upon what the OP said in his post, this is an identical situation in which Do Not Disturb mode would impact calls.

The OP mentioned calling his friend 3 times and getting through only 1 time and not the other times. If we are talking about DND, assuming the repeated calls option is enabled, then it should kick in on the second call, meaning at least 2 calls out of the 3 would get through. And if that particular DND option isn't enabled, then no calls would get through.

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You're entirely incorrect. If your phone is in Do Not Disturb mode, it automatically "declines" the call once it's reached by his phone, so it will send it to voicemails after exactly two rings. I work in the wireless industry am very familiar with this situation. It happens all too frequently and people blame the network, when it's actually that exact setting.

It appears that you are correct about the way the rejection happens with DND. I remember trying it out in the early days if iOS 6 when it was introduced and didn't recall it working that way, but having tried it again just now it seems like it is.

 

[desertman]

The most likely cause is "Do Not Disturb" Mode.

Thanks. Most likely this was the case here. Do Not Disturb was active. After deactivating it he got - so far - all calls.

If that is selected, calls will only go through after three or four times and various other notification delays.

That is the piece that I did not know and which explains why it was possible to reach him when calling again and again within a short time.

 

[C DM]

Thanks. Most likely this was the case here. Do Not Disturb was active. After deactivating it he got - so far - all calls.


That is the piece that I did not know and which explains why it was possible to reach him when calling again and again within a short time.

Well, normally with DND, if the option is selected it would activate as soon as a 2nd call comes in within three minutes of the previous call. Strange that multiple calls didn't go through and only a single one did based on the example you mentioned originally.

Ultimately though if DND was on and after disabling it none of this is showing up, then it sounds like the issue isn't there anymore, and that's the important part.

 

[desertman]

Strange that multiple calls didn't go through and only a single one did based on the example you mentioned originally.

He originally told me that his wife complained that she always had to call several times because he would not answer the phone at first and I guess that he could not see the exact pattern in this. This does not make me wonder because most people are only rarely able to describe a problem with their computer or their other devices accurately. I on the other hand did not know that Do Not Disturb can get "overruled" when the same person calls two or three times within a certain short time period.

 

[C DM]

He originally told me that his wife complained that she always had to call several times because he would not answer the phone at first and I guess that he could not see the exact pattern in this. This does not make me wonder because most people are only rarely able to describe a problem with their computer or their other devices accurately. I on the other hand did not know that Do Not Disturb can get "overruled" when the same person calls two or three times within a certain short time period.

Yeah, it's one of the available options that can be enabled or disabled there: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5463

Repeated Calls: If someone calls you twice within three minutes, the call won't be silenced.