Want to make a call or send a message, it’s just too easy with your Alcatel smartphone as it lets you do much more than just talk and send messages. But when there’s no signal or the network is too weak, the usage of smartphones is limited as most of the tasks of exchanging photos, videos, audio, SMSes, chats, etc are done when the phone has network reception. What to do if your phone starts showing a weak signal or lost network issue which has been noted as a common problem in Android devices.
There could be a number of problems like the SIM card is not inserted properly or it isn’t allowing the phone to register to a network or if there are hardware or software related issues that need to be fixed. Well, here’s a comprehensive list of to-dos for those who are looking forward to fixing Alcatel weak signal or lost network issue.
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Restart the phone
Weak signal or lost network issue? Why don’t you turn off your phone? It is because when the phone is awake, there are hundreds of processes and tens of apps running continuously which gives opportunities for bugs to cause any issue or temporary technical software-related glitch might happen when you command the phone to do certain things like searching for available networks. This is where rebooting technique comes into play as it refreshes the system and fixes temporary glitches at the earliest.
Airplane Mode
Can’t find the network? Many readers at GetDroidTips have reported that turning ON airplane mode and turning it Off gives the system a kickstart thus fixing any temporary glitch such as no network. Simply turn it on, keep it active for 30 seconds or so and turn it off and then, check for an available network.
Is SIM Card working properly or not?
It is possible for a SIM card to stop working if its old and worn out. Another reason could be that the phone isn’t able to detect the SIM Card due to any software problem or it is highly likely that the SIM card is not inserted properly. Further, it could be possible that you love moving SIM card from one phone to another that causes wear and tear and eventually, the chip mounted on the SIM becomes unreadable. You can ask for replacement of SIM Card if it’s damaged or worn out in any fashion.
Check for available networks automatically/manually
This is an efficient method to bring the phone out of ‘No Service’ or ‘No Signal’ mode. You need to make sure that you have selected the right mode under ‘Mobile Networks’ section based on the situation. First of all, if you are at home or office or someone where the city boundary, you must keep the network mode ‘Automatically’. This will allow the phone to search and register for networks which aren’t too difficult since you are in your city only.
Things change when you are traveling somewhere within or outside the city where the home network isn’t available and you have to sign in to a foreign network. If you have set the network mode at ‘Automatically’, it will register when the network is available but if there’s no network available, it will consume battery while searching for the networks. This is when you get ‘No Signal’ or ‘No Service’ error on your home screen. Thus, you need to swipe to ‘Manually’ selected network mode where you will be able to search for the available network at your will and register for any partnered network which allows you to stay connected more efficiently than Automatic mode when traveling.
Update the firmware
What if the outdated firmware that your phone is using is the culprit? It is possible that the firmware might introduce anomaly or bugs if it’s outdated which means it can affect either any particular feature, the performance of the device or the phone as a whole. But keeping the firmware updated can sort such an issue which is also known to fix weak signal or lost network issue.
- Firstly, open the ‘Settings’ tool on your phone and go to the ‘About Device’.
- Next is to tap on Software Updates or System Updates where you need to tap on check for updates.
- Once you spot any update available for your device, you can download and install it.
- Note that if the problem is severe and there is no update available, take the technician’s help to roll back to the previous version which can resolve the issue.
Is it an app causing the problem?
What if an app is the root cause? There are many reasons why an app might trigger the weak signal or lost network issue such as either some of the apps might contain malware or any bugs or it could be outdated thus supporting bugs. Further, there is a phenomenon where apps cause conflict with each other. It could be a third-party app or a pre-installed but since you don’t exactly know who’s the culprit, you will have to narrow down the list of apps.
Firstly, uninstall or disable the apps that you recently downloaded as most of the issue occur apparently after a triggering third-party app is installed. Further, boot into the safe mode to narrow down the list by confirming that the issue is caused due to third-party apps or pre-installed apps. You must clear app cache by going to the Settings >> Apps >> Click on individual apps >> Clear Cache.
“Error while searching for network”?
If that’s the error you are getting, follow this simple procedure to outrun the error and fix it.
- Open Settings and tap on ‘Mobile Network Settings’.
- Press the power key and home key together and hold it until the phone turns off.
- Now, remove the battery if it’s removable and then, press home button and the power button 10 times.
- After that, press power key and home button together for a minute so that the charge left in the circuits is completely drained.
- Further, reinsert the SIM Card three times while keeping the phone switch on and then, restart the phone. This must solve the said error.
Seek help from a nearby service center
If you are unable to fix the problem by yourself, you might need help from a service center. It could be faulty network IC or network antenna if its due to faulty hardware for which, you’ll have to report to a service center unless you have the knowledge or how to open the phone, disassemble it and then, assemble it again.
Read More:
Guide To Fix Nokia Power Button Not Working Problem
Quick Guide To Fix Sony Wifi Problems [Troubleshoot]
How To Fix Alcatel GPS Problem [Methods & Quick Troubleshoot]