‘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

[MattP]

Hi Gemma

Yes, my phone is all ok now thanks.  However my wife's phone is still not working at home on the SS.  It's an iPhone 4S and the SIM has worked in a previous handset and this was my old phone which previously worked fine.  I have removed and re-added her as a user on the SS but still it doesn't pick it up, even after several days?

The only other thing I could think of was a new SIM card??

Thanks

Matt

[DaveCD]

@MattP 

I would recommend trying a new SIM card first. You can collect one from your local store, or see here for how to get in touch and we'll send one.

@joannemc  

I can see from the traceroute that it fails early on and will likely be at the setup.

Please use a different Ethernet cable and ensure the following ports are open on your router: 

Ports to be opened for forwarding

• 8 (TCP & UDP)
• 50 (TCP & UDP)
• 53  (TCP & UDP)
• 67 (UDP)
• 68 (UDP) 
• 123 (UDP)
• 500 (UDP)
• 1723 (TCP & UDP)
• 4500 (UDP)
• 33434 - 33445 (UDP)

IP addresses to be allowed on the router & firewall

• 183.133.177-179
• 183.133.181-182
• 183.131.128-191

I can see it's registered successfully, so once the above steps have been followed please perform a reset:

• Unplug the ethernet cable from the Sure Signal
• Locate the button on the base of the box next to the Ethernet ports
• Press and hold the button for approximately 30 seconds
• Once the lights come back on, release the button
• Plug the cable back in
• Allow around one hour for the Sure Signal to come back online.

@craigeady 

We'll be able to help with the administration side of your query, see here for how to get in touch.

Please take a look at our Sure Signal Troubleshooting thread. If this doesn’t resolve your query, please post your reply either below, or in the relevant thread, together with the details requested, including the following information.

Your speed test results from here.

Your ping test results from here.

Your external IP address from here.

The results of a traceroute.

Your Sure Signal serial number:

VSS Traceroute command

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 tracert 212.183.133.177 press Enter

Paste the output of this command into your reply.

This will help us get the quickest possible resolution for you.

Thanks

DaveCD

We aim to reply to emails within 48 hours. If you need a quicker response, please visit our Contact Us page.

[craigeady]

Hi DaveCD

Speedtest result is download 5.42Mbps upload 0.35Mbps

Pingtest result

line quality B*

Ping 40ms

Jitter 3ms

IP address 86.162.68.147

Serial number 40123240935

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop>tracert 212.183.133.177

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.177]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1     1 ms     1 ms     2 ms  BThomehub.home [192.168.1.254]
  2    24 ms    25 ms    25 ms  217.32.141.132
  3    24 ms    26 ms    27 ms  217.32.141.174
  4    28 ms    29 ms    28 ms  212.140.235.82
  5    28 ms    28 ms    28 ms  31.55.164.213
  6    28 ms    28 ms    28 ms  31.55.164.109
  7    28 ms    28 ms    28 ms  109.159.248.219
  8    31 ms    37 ms    36 ms  core2-te0-15-0-17.ealing.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.
248.164]
  9    37 ms    33 ms    36 ms  peer1-xe4-1-1.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net [213.121.1
93.156]
 10    40 ms    35 ms    36 ms  lndgw2.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.124]
 11    38 ms    36 ms    36 ms  85.205.0.93
 12     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 13     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 14     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 15     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 16     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 17     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 18     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 19     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 20     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 21     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 22     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 23     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 24     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 25     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 26     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 27     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 28     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 29     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Many thanks

Craig

[Ben_H]

Hi Craig,

Thanks for your details.

It looks like we'll need to de-register the PAYG line from the Sure Signal you have so you can register again with your monthly number.

Please take a look here for how to get in touch with my team.

We aim to reply to emails within 48 hours. If you need a quicker response, please visit our Contact Us page.

Cheers,

Ben

[peter1979]

Getting really fed up now, I'm unable to initiate or receive calls on a random basis. The  only reason I'm with Vodafone is because the suresignal, I will start to look for other providers if the issues don't get fixed soon.

Problems started a few months ago. Below is a list of symptoms I'm experiencing:

1. Trying to initiate outbound calls (9 times out 10 attempts):

- Dialling for a long time then "Call ended" message (full bars)

- Dialling for a long time then "Ourt of service area" followed by a mobile network not available message (full bars chang into "no signal" then back to full bars within seconds

- not registered on network

- during calls bars go down from 4 to 2, 3. I used to have steady full bars when in Suresignal range.

2. During outbound call:

- calls drop randomly with "call ended" message

3. Outbound text messages:

- not deliverable message intermittently

4. Inbound calls:

- this person's phone is unavailable or similar

- calls dropping mid call

5. Inbound text

- can't be sure but I think sometimes there is a delay in receiving texts

Suresignal displays steady power and system light (the left one) as if everything was ok. No flashing lights. 

After restarting the suresignal I can usually make one call then it all goes again. Very annoying. 

Suresignal version: 2

Mobile phone make/model: Samsung Galaxy S3, Iphone 5s

Network mode selected on mobile: WCDMA/GSM (auto connect)

Note that phones have no issues whatsoever when I'm out an about, only when in range of my Suresignal

[peter1979]

On top of this I have not been able to view my bills for months. I'm getting the following:

"Sorry, due to the high levels of registrations Vodafone Bill Centre is receiving it is taking a little longer to complete your registration. Please try again in a few minutes. The rest of My Account is available for you to use."

[peter1979]

..

[Retired-Sarah]

Hi peter1979,

So we can help further, please could you provide us with the following information.

Your speed test results from here.

Your ping test results from here.

Your external IP address from here.

The results of a traceroute.

Your Sure Signal serial number:

VSS Traceroute command

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 tracert 212.183.133.177 press Enter

Paste the output of this command into your reply.

This will help us get the quickest possible resolution for you.

Thanks,

Sarah

[peter1979]

Hi

Speed test: ping 25ms, download 67.49Mbps, Upload 9.22Mbps

Ping test: 22ms, Jitter 0ms. Unable to test packet loss. Line Quality: B*

External IP address: 81.156.53.85, ::ffff:519c:3555 (IPv6)

Sure signal serial no: 40113830000

 Tracert results:

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.177]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms 1 ms 192.168.1.254
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 7 ms 7 ms 6 ms 213.120.158.173
5 11 ms 10 ms 10 ms 212.140.206.98
6 11 ms 11 ms 12 ms 217.41.169.247
7 12 ms 11 ms 12 ms 217.41.169.109
8 10 ms 10 ms 11 ms acc2-10GigE-3-3-0.sf.21cn-ipp.bt.net [109.159.25
1.219]
9 24 ms 23 ms 22 ms core1-te0-4-0-2.ilford.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.25
1.129]
10 19 ms 19 ms 19 ms host213-121-193-152.ukcore.bt.net [213.121.193.1
52]
11 19 ms 19 ms 19 ms lndgw2.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.124]
12 20 ms 20 ms 19 ms 85.205.0.86
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Looking a few messages up I can see that there are some additional ports that you now require to be forwarded compared to what I was last told by vodafone support when I first bought my SS:

53 (TCP & UDP)
67 (UDP)
68 (UDP)
33434 - 33445 (UDP)

I have now set up port forwarding for these ports as well, but I would like to know when did these requirements change and how were customers notified? I didn't receive any communication regarding this.

[DaveCD]

@peter1979 

For most users the Sure Signal is plug and play.

I can see that your Sure Signal is now connecting with us and is taking traffic.

I also noticed that the Sure Signal was running an old software version so I have updated this for you now.

Once the lights have settled down, please reset the device as follows:

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

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

DaveCD