Why does my phone say cellular network not available for voice calls

Do you ever come across the error Straight Talk mobile network not available? Have you experienced this and you’re not sure how to fix it?

In this guide, we’ll be going over the complete steps of how you can solve this problem!

Unlike other tutorials, we wouldn’t just be solving it with generic troubleshooting steps, but we will give you a complete walkthrough of how you can fix it!

If your Straight Talk mobile network is not working, check if there’s an ongoing outage first. Turn airplane mode ON and OFF. Then, check your hardware. After that, check if your device has a VPN activated. Perform a network reset if the problems persist.

In solving any problem, it’s important to know the culprit first for you to be able to resolve it faster. So, why does my Straight Talk phone say mobile network not available?

Reasons Why Straight Talk Mobile Network is Not Working

Determining the reason why your mobile network is not working is tough. As a matter of fact, you might not even find the exact cause.

But, there are few reasons that are considered the most common as to why your Straight Talk’s mobile network is not working properly. They include:

• You don’t have proper cell reception
• You are currently using a VPN (it’s active) 
• There’s currently an outage
• Your SIM card is faulty or damaged

Do all of these causes sound familiar?

They might look easy and you could think that you’ll easily be able to tell them apart, but getting to the root cause will be challenging, if not, almost impossible.

So, in resolving it, you need to approach it completely and comprehensively. You need a tutorial that would address it as a whole rather than just picking out some methods.

This tutorial will not be like all other regular guides you’ll see online. Ours will be complete and comprehensive and we’ll be covering everything from start to finish.

Step #1: Check If There’s a Network Outage

Straight Talk is an MVNO or a mobile virtual network operator; they really don’t have their own towers in the first place.

Instead, they’re dependent on the reliability of other providers. So, the first step is to check if there’s something wrong with the network.

You can do this through any of the following options:

• Contacting Straight Talk
• Using third-party websites to check the status
• Checking other users

Step #2: Toggle Airplane Mode

The next step is to toggle airplane mode on your device – turn it on, and then off.

In the mobile industry, the toggling of airplane mode is seen as one of the most relevant steps. It’s used to reset the connection of the device to the cellular network.

To do this:

1. Open Settings on your device.
2. Select Network/WiFi/Connections > Airplane Mode.
3. Turn it on and wait for it to give you the signal that it’s on.
4. Turn it back off again after 15 to 30 seconds.

Step #3: Power Cycle the Device

Then, do perform a complete refresh of the device by restarting or by power cycling it. The process of restarting/rebooting or power cycling is easy!

You simply have to turn the device off for 30 seconds to one (1) minute, before turning it back on again. This drains all the power on your device, refreshing the system completely.

Step #4: Check Hardware For Damages

Now that we’re done with the software, let’s check the hardware.

The first thing you want to check is your phone’s SIM card tray. Is it damaged? Do you see any type of problem that could have caused your mobile network not to work?

Then, go and inspect the SIM card for any damages on it. They could be as simple as scratches, cuts, and missing teeth on the contact.

To maximize this step, it’ll be helpful to detach and remove the SIM from the SIM tray and then insert it back in again.

Step #5: Disable and Force Close Your VPN Service

Mobile networks function geographically, meaning, if your device is physically not in a location where the mobile network has coverage, then it wouldn’t really work.

This is especially common if you’re fond of using a VPN or a Virtual Private Network. VPNs are known to be able to get past geographical restrictions, and it could be the reason why your mobile network is malfunctioning.

So, you can try disabling or deactivating your VPN service first, and then try to see if your mobile network will function after doing it.

NOTE: Make sure that you close the VPN entirely, not just deactivate it.

Step #6: Ensure Your Coverage Area

Then, make sure that you are operating in an area where the provider you’re trying to use is active.

There are a couple of dead spots in the city, and even where you are like in elevators, certain rooms that have signal jammers, and more. Refrain from being within the vicinity of it so you can troubleshoot it more effectively.

Step #7: Reset Network Settings

Last, but most definitely not least is to reset the network settings of your device. The process is different on Android and iPhones, but here’s how you can do it:

Reset Network Settings on Android

To reset the network settings on your Android device, go to Settings > General Management > Reset > Reset Network Settings. It might ask you for your passcode, just enter it.  

Reset Network Settings on iPhone

To reset the network settings on an iPhone, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. You’ll be required to input your passcode to this.

After that, just wait for the prompt that the network settings have been reset, and then reboot your device.

Once you do perform all of these steps religiously, your mobile network should be up and running again!

My Straight Talk Mobile Network is Still Not Working, What Should I Do?

After following all these steps and you see that the problem is still there, contact Straight Talk’s customer service immediately.

Make sure that you give them precise and accurate information about the troubleshooting steps you managed to perform so they can get to a resolution as quickly as possible.

In contacting them, though, you need to be prepared. They will ask for the following information to be able to help you:

• Your Name
• Serial Number (IMEI of the phone)
• Straight Talk MEID
• Straight Talk Number

They’re the experts; let them help you with the problem you’re experiencing. Should they deem that the problem is with your SIM card, they’ll definitely send over a new one.

They might tell you to try performing a factory reset because there could be a file that’s corrupted and malicious, hindering you from connecting to the network.

If there’s something wrong with the phone, they’ll refer it to a more technical support team.

Whatever the reason and no matter how complicated the dilemma is, they will do whatever in their power to help you.

Read Next: How to Change Your Phone Number on Straight Talk?

Conclusion

If Straight Talk mobile network is not available, ensure that the network is not undergoing maintenance. Then, restart your device and check your hardware for any type of damage, and check if a VPN service is active. Then, perform reset network settings on your device.

The next time that you encounter the Straight Talk mobile network not available error, you know where to go!

People that are armed with this guide would no longer have to take guesses on what to do next – it’s all here, readily available!

Even if you’re not that into technology, you won’t find our guide difficult!

Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites.

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