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Cell phone says "emergency only" sometimes

tbloxhamtbloxham Registered User regular
edited January 2008 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
Hello all. Sometimes, espescially when I'm in areas of bad signal, my phone will start to say "emegency only" but then when I go back to somewhere with signal it sometimes doesnt switch back to saying that it can make calls until I reset it. Is it just my phone being not very good, or evidence of something more sinister? I've only had it a day or so, its a refurbished phone that I bought jus to give me a phone number while I sort out something longer term.

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    GihgehlsGihgehls Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    It sounds like your phone isn't roaming onto other cell towers properly, so it is giving you minimal functionality (possibly required by law.) I would call up your provider and tell them what is happening.

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    QuazarQuazar Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    "Emergency Calls Only" means the SIM card is inactive, meaning you don't have service. Take it to your wireless provider's nearest store and they should be able to hook you up with a new SIM card and get it fixed.

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    DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    In case you're wondering why this happens, in the US, the FCC mandates that every phone must be able to dial 911 for emergency assistance even if you don't actually pay for phone service.

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    tbloxhamtbloxham Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Quazar wrote: »
    "Emergency Calls Only" means the SIM card is inactive, meaning you don't have service. Take it to your wireless provider's nearest store and they should be able to hook you up with a new SIM card and get it fixed.

    I'd read it might be this, but provided I stay in areas of decent signal (or go back into an area with very strong signal) the phone comes back and I can make calls) Surely if the SIM card was inactive it would never allow calls?

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    QuazarQuazar Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    tbloxham wrote: »
    Quazar wrote: »
    "Emergency Calls Only" means the SIM card is inactive, meaning you don't have service. Take it to your wireless provider's nearest store and they should be able to hook you up with a new SIM card and get it fixed.

    I'd read it might be this, but provided I stay in areas of decent signal (or go back into an area with very strong signal) the phone comes back and I can make calls) Surely if the SIM card was inactive it would never allow calls?
    Sometimes a SIM card can be shoddy and will do it randomly. Turning the phone off and back on typically works, but a new SIM card should fix it. A rep at the store you go to should be able to troubleshoot it further if the SIM isn't the problem.

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    That_GuyThat_Guy I don't wanna be that guy Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Depending on how old the SIM is and how long it has been since it has gotten an an updated roaming data base, it might give you issues like you described. Do you have a "32k" or "64k" SIM and who is your provider?

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