‘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

[andy_k]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your reply. I've been mostly dealing with this via the email support (which I think you may have helped with?) but I'm still having problems. I had an SAC change a couple of weeks ago followed a resync, and have since reset the box. However, the dropped calls are still happening. I'm not sure if the box is faulty or if it could be another problem. I've tried forwarding ports and various other things but still having the same problem as I was when I first reported it. Our broadband speed is reasonable - about 6 mbps or so.

[Ben_H]

Hi folks,

andy_k - If you're still facing issues, can you reply to the last email my team sent to you keeping the subject code we supplied the same?

adamajis - I have responded to your duplicate post here.

Cheers, Ben

[adamajis]

i get an intermittent call failed error, can someone check my sac/msc please

[peleep]

hello

I"m now on my 2nd Vodafone VSS, version 3 (plug version). The first one turned out to be faulty. This one i'm not sure.

It boots up ok, the correct white lights come up. However I've had a number of failed calls / calls dropping off and the unit just turns itself off all together before rebooting. Sometimes it doesn't reboot successfully and just ends up with a blinkoing/flahsing orange internet light. Please help?

My setup:

1. Sky broadband unlimited. download 10MB upload 1MB.

2. I also have a V1 VSS, and it works fine - i.e. it can't be a problem with my internet provider nor its modem.

3. The serial of my V3 VSS is 40132322971.

The last failed call / call drop out was today September 2nd, around 4.45pm UK time.

Getting myself a V3 VSS is proving to be a very bad idea!!!

Phil.

[Retired-Kay]

Hi peleep, 

Can you try deregistering the Sure Signal for a few hours and then re-register? 

If the same issue is happening with the dropped calls let us know as we may need to do a SAC change. 

Thanks, 

Kay

[peleep]

hello Kay

I have de-registered. then re-registered 3 hours later.

booted up fine. correct lights came on.

made my first call. Experienced a call fail after a few minutes.

Please can you check that my IP is on the  your white list. and do the MSC SAC LAC thing (pardon if i get the terminology wrong!).

The serial of my V3 VSS is 40132322971.

My broadband details (Sky unlimited broadband)

IP Address 94.13.207.22

Network Type MER

IP Subnet Mask 255.255.255.192

Gateway IP Address 94.13.207.62

Domain Name Server 90.207.238.97 90.207.238.99

[Retired-Lee]

Hi there peleep,

We'll need to take a closer look at this for you.

Please click here to send us your details and we'll be in touch.

Cheers,

LeeH

[ictf]

I have read this thread with interest after recieving a sure signal box about two weeks ago , the reason i bought it is i have gone from 4/5 bars signal to nothing for the last 6 weeks , apparently there is a problem that is difficult to fix on the local mast here . Anyway , the sure signal seemed to work fine for the first week and now i cant make a phone call of more than 30 seconds without it dropping out , sure signal screen goes blank and then an orange light or sometimes a white flashing light [first icon] . I need the signal at home desperately for buisiness and this is going from bad to worse . How can we rectify the situation ?

[Retired-Andy]

Hi ictf,

To be able to see what’s happening, we’ll need some more information from you.

Can you provide the following please:-

Your Sure Signal serial number.
Your speed test results from here.
Your ping test results from here.
Your external IP address from here.
The results of a traceroute.

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.

Cheers,

Andrew

[alex_vdm]

Hello there:

I am having the same problem.

I have had the VSS for a while now, connected through my Sky home broadband router.

Two weeks ago, I have moved my office to a different part of the house, and am connecting through the BT home business broadband (second phone line.)

The VSS works, I get 5 bar signal, I get SMS, I receive call (though there is a delay and a strange noise for the inbound caller at the start of the call) but I cannot make outbound calls and get the dreaded 'Call Failed' error message.

I have reset the VSS multiple times, to no avail.

Does something need to be reset at VF end, as the phone number (and carrier) that the VSS is attached to has changed since the day I registered the device ?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Alex