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Solution

‘Call Failed’ error when making calls

Retired-George
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

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

686 REPLIES 686

I'm having a combination of this and the no signal problem now that I have finally managed to add my new number to the sure signal (why it decided to work fine the next day I don't know).

 

My new Samsung S2 switches between showing no service and full 3G vodafone signal, however, I cannot make, or recieve calls/texts regardless of signal being shown or not. Tried resetting the suresignal and verified the number is added correctly. Strangely another Android phone in the household began to behave in the same fashion yesterday, but the two Nokia 5800's continue to work perfectly. Suresignal serial is 40111000135.

 

Any hel;p would be appreciated as I'd quite like to be able to use my new phone!

Hi mini-luke,

 

I must admit that this is a bit of a strange one as the outbound call failed issue will normally be down to an issue with the service area code (sac) attached to your Sure signal however it would affect all phones when connected to the Sure signal and not just specific devices.

 

So we can test this please can you disable the WIFI and also switch the network to WCDMA or 3G only on the phones where you have this issue to make sure that it is definitely routing through the Sure Signal.

 

If it is definitely an issue when routing through the VSS please follow the instructions on the PM that I have sent to you and we can get this looked at for you.

 

You can find your PM inbox here.

  

James

I sent an email (to Lee) a week ago and no reply so back to the forum.

Your solution appears to last for a day and then the following day, I'm back to square one.  I.e. I cannot dial out.

 

Retired-Simon
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

Hi goto

 

Thanks for your post. Having checked your e-mail address I can see that the only e-mail sent in to us was in May. Did you send the e-mail from a different e-mail address to the one you have registered on the eForum?

 

If so, please don't post the e-mail address here, just let us know and we'll contact you by PM.

 

Thanks

 

Simon

mc_snapper
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

This is exactly the problem we're getting.  Support on 191 hasn't been able to fix it and is suggesting a replacement box.  How can we check if it is this SAC/LAC problem?  The support technician didn't mention this at all, just suggested a reset which we'd already done.  Please let us know what we should do.  We got the Sure Signal when we upgraded because our reception is so bad in our house.  Now with the Sure Signal it's non-existant.  Phones ring once and then the call is dropped - consistently.

Hi mc_snapper,

 

Thanks for your post here and welcome to the Vodafone eForum from all of the team.

 

When looking at the SAC/LAC issues then the main symptoms of this is getting a call failed message when making an outbound call even though you are connected to the Sure Signal.

 

If this is the case, please follow the instructions on the PM that I have sent to you and include your Sure Signal serial number in the communication.

 

Once done, one of our team will be able to pick this up for you.

 

You can find your PM inbox here.

 

James

 

If you have any comments regarding how I have handled your query today, please complete our short feedback survey.

tilusnet
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

Hi, 

I am having the same issue as many here. I tried the hard reset method, it did not solve the problem.

I also live in the N19 postcode area like some people here.

Can you please advise.

 

Thank you.

Hi tilusnet

 

Thanks for your post. I've sent a PM across to you so that we can access your account and speak to you further. Please provide the info in the communication that James has requested in his post above.

 

You can find your PM inbox here. If you can't access this link, please ensure that the box next to "Turn on private messages" is ticked on this page, and let us know if you need any further assistance.

 

Thanks

 

Simon

 

jean_r
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

I'm haveing the same problem with a newly installed Sure Signal box.  Internet and text messaging work, outgoing calls fail, incoming calls go straight to voicemail.

 

Jean.

Now both the lights are flashing.  No signal.  Guess I'll have to return the "Sure" Signal and the phone I bought to work with it back to the shop and go back to my old phone and network.  Useless.