‘Call Failed’ error when making calls

[Retired-George]

This issue has the following symptoms:

For version 1 Sure Signal (the one with four lights on the front):

• Lights one, two and four are all solid
• Incoming calls, texts and internet all work correctly
• When making a call on a registered phone, the error ‘Call Failed’ or similar is displayed

For version 2 Sure Signal (the one with 3 lights on the front):

• The power and system lights are both solid
• Incoming calls, texts and internet all work correctly
• When making a call on a registered phone, the error ‘Call Failed’ or similar is displayed 

For version 3 Sure Signal (the plug in version):

• The power, internet and service lights are all solid and the in use light is either solid or flashing
• Incoming calls, texts and internet all work correctly
• When making a call on a registered phone, the error ‘Call Failed’ or similar is displayed

Troubleshooting steps:

Check for planned maintenance:
Planned maintenance can cause periods of downtime, so check the forum for any planned maintenance. If there is, this will be announced at the top of the Sure Signal forum.

Reset your Sure Signal:

For versions 1 and 2:

1. Hold in the reset button until all lights go solid
2. Pull the power lead out with the reset button still pushed in
3. Continue to hold down the reset button and reconnect the power lead
4. Wait for all lights to come on and then release the reset button

For version 3:

1. Locate the button on the base of the box next to the Ethernet ports.
2. Press and hold the button for approximately 30 seconds.
3. Once the lights come back on, release the button.

The Sure Signal will be back online in around 1 hour.

If you’re still unable to make calls, there may be a compatibility issue with your Sure Signal and your location information (also known as SAC/LAC compatibility).

A SAC (Service Area Code) connects to a mast and is used to determine the rough location of where a call’s made. It's needed for the emergency services to know where a call was made from.

As a Sure Signal can be used anywhere in the country, it doesn't automatically come with a SAC. The SAC is generated based on the postcode you enter when registering your Sure Signal and it's created based on the nearest cell to your location.

In order for calls to be made, they must go over an MSC (Mobile Switching Centre). If the MSC doesn't hold the SAC for your area on its database, the call will fail.

The MSCs should now hold all SACs for Sure Signal calls. For anyone who is still affected please post in this thread and we can look into it further.

Thanks,

Jenny

[Shell]

Hi

Are we still waiting for the firmware roll out to finish?

I did previously give our serial number and followed the instructions, but the problem continues - along with echoing on the calls some times (only heard by the person calling us, not by us in the office).

Some one at Vodafone did previously suggest sending the unit back to be exchanged. Is it worth it?

Thanks

Shell

[Retired-Lee]

Hi there Jimster, Shell,

@ Jimster - I can see Trev has already responded to your query about battery drain in this thread. As soon as we have a response from our support teams we'll update the linked thread.

@ Shell - Poor audio quality is normally down to latency or speed issues on the internet connection and there's nothing Vodafone can manipulate to resolve. In this instance I'd urge you to contact your ISP with a view to increasing speeds. Tell me; are the lights on the VSS in the required state?

In relation to the firmware upgrade; the rollout will continue for the foreseeable future. 

I trust this helps explain your situation.

I'd appreciate your thoughts on how I've handled your query today - eForum Survey

Cheers,

Lee

eForum Team

[Shell]

Hi Lee

This was what I was told and I know this from problems at another office where we have a rather rubbish ADSL line (where we have more than echoing issues.. like people can't hear you at all). At this site though we have a 10mbit/sec leased line that certainy has no speed or latency issues!

Thanks

Shell

[Retired-James]

Hi Shell,

Many thanks for your post here.

Unfortunately I don’t have any Sure Signal support in at this time of night however; I will pass your post onto our day team who will be able to assist you further tomorrow.

James

eForum team

[Retired-Lee]

Hi Shell,

Thanks for coming back to me and also for your patience.

If you're experiencing poor audio quality and you're adamant it's not a speed issue then I'll need for you to show me the results of a tracert test please:

• On a PC
• Click on Start and select Run
• Type CMD into the Run box and press enter/click OK
• A black box will appear
• In this box type tracert212.183.133.177 and press Enter
• Paste the output of this command into your reply along with the results of a speedtest

Cheers,

Lee

eForum Team

[dazlicous]

think i must have had the firmware update

within the last few days not had 1st call fail once

thanks guys

[tallmartin]

Hi

I am getting the same problem, I have tried reseting the VSS and have rebooted router.  I am getting call failed message on my Iphone 4 and on my wifes Iphone 3GS.  Please can you try updating the firmware on my VSS.

Thnaks

[mj78]

Not sure if this is significant or not, but my SS now has all steady solid lights except the one with the mobile symbol.

SS number - 21227838634

[Shell]

Hi Lee

Tracing route to host212-183-133-177.uk.access.vodafone.net [212.183.133.177]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  xx.xx.xx.xx

  2     3 ms     2 ms     3 ms  xx.xx.xx.xx

  3     3 ms     2 ms     3 ms  ge-0-0-0-105.cr2.th-lon.zen.net.uk [62.3.84.149]

  4     9 ms     9 ms    10 ms  ge-3-0-0-0.cr1.wh-man.zen.net.uk [62.3.80.46]

  5     9 ms     9 ms     9 ms  ge-2-0-0-0.cr2.wh-man.zen.net.uk [62.3.80.50]

  6     9 ms     9 ms     9 ms  ge-6-8.car1.manchesteruk.level3.net [195.16.169.89]

  7    16 ms    15 ms    15 ms  ae-4-4.ebr1.london1.level3.net [4.69.133.102]

  8    16 ms    15 ms    16 ms  ae-56-111.csw1.London1.Level3.net [4.69.153.114]

  9    18 ms    15 ms    15 ms  ae-1-51.edge3.london1.level3.net [4.69.139.73]

 10    70 ms    69 ms    69 ms  glbx [4.68.62.246]

 11    75 ms    74 ms    74 ms  vodafone-ltd.tengigabitethernet7-1.ar6.lon3.gblx.net [64.214.144.122]

 12     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 13     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Please feel free to tell me where there's an issue with speed and latency on our line! Only issue I see is that it gets a bit high for voice at gblx/Vodafone's end (hop 10/11) but we don't experience general call quality or lag issues at all. Just the person we're calling externally hears audio/our voice from our end echo, when we're in the office on the SureSignal. We hear them fine and the only issue they have with us is the echoing. Edit: oh and of course what this thread is all about, "called failed" when ever we try to make a call unless we have just made one or is the 2nd attempt.

As I've mentioned, I know what happens when the line is poor quality as we've had to give up using the SureSignal at our other office until a leased line goes in there. The ADSL there gets put under load and latency just flies up through the roof. Useless for voice data, I know how it all works - it's my job. There we experience no audio getting through to the other caller (but we just about hear them), it breaks up (digital break up/like a robot), etc etc as you would expect with a poor connection and voice data.

Thanks

Shell

[Retired-BenJ]

Hi Shell

I've sent you an email as I want to escalate this issue. If you can reply back with the details we need we will be in touch shortly.

Thanks

BenJ
eForum Team