No or Poor Reception or Service

Try the following actions to resolve the issue. If the issue persists, proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

Make Sure the Smartphone Has Been Activated on the Wireless Network

If no activation has taken place, the BlackBerry smartphone displays an Activation Required message.

Make sure the device has been activated on the wireless network.

Make Sure the Wireless Transceiver is Turned On

BlackBerry Device Software 5.0

On the Home screen, click Manage Connections.

Make sure the Mobile Network box is checked.

BlackBerry Device Software 6.0 to 7.0

On the home screen, click Manage Connections.

Make sure the Mobile Network box is checked.

Make Sure the Call Forwarding Option is not Activated

BlackBerry Device Software 5.0

1. On the BlackBerry smartphone, press the Menu key.
2. Select Options.
3. Select Call Forwarding.
4. Make sure the Forward All Calls option is not selected.

BlackBerry Device Software 6.0 to 7.0

1. On the home screen, click Phone.
2. Press the Menu key.
3. Select Options.
4. Select Call Forwarding.
5. Make sure the Forward Calls option is not set to Always or Conditional.

Make Sure that 'Do not disturb' is Disabled

Verify that Do Not Disturb is disabled.

BlackBerry Device Software 4.5 and 4.6

1. On the Home screen, click the Sounds icon.
2. Click Advanced.
3. Click Active.
4. Click Phone.
5. Change the Do Not Disturb field to No.

Confirm that Ring Tone and Volume Settings are Active

Confirm that the BlackBerry smartphone audio settings are not set to Silent, All Alerts Off, or Vibrate Only. To confirm audio settings, complete the following steps.

BlackBerry Device Software 5.0

1. From the Home screen, select Sounds (or Profiles).
2. Verify that Silent, All Alerts Off, or Vibrate Only are not active.

BlackBerry Device Software 6.0 to 7.0

1. From the Home screen, click the Sound and Alert Profiles icon in the area at the top of the screen.
2. Verify that Silent, All Alerts Off, or Vibrate Only are not active.

Verify that the BlackBerry Smartphone Has Been Correctly Provisioned for a Voice Plan

The BlackBerry smartphone user must have a voice plan to make or receive calls. Contact your carrier to confirm your provisioning.

Check the Wireless Signal Strength

A customer might experience issues with voice quality if they have low or intermittent signal strength. The signal strength of a BlackBerry smartphone should be between –40 and –100 dBms. To check the signal strength of a BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps.

BlackBerry Device Software 5.0

1. On the Home screen, click Options.
2. Click Status.
3. Check the signal value. The value should be between –40 and –100 dBms.

Note: You can press and hold the Alt key, and then type nmll to change the signal indicator bars to the numerical value. Repeat this step to again display the signal strength bars.

BlackBerry Device Software 6.0 to 7.0

1. On the Home screen, click Options.
2. Click Device.
3. Click Device and Status Information.
4. Check the signal value. The value should be between –40 and –100 dBms.

You can also check the signal strength indicators on the BlackBerry smartphone Home screen. The text shows the type of wireless network the BlackBerry smartphone is connected to. The bars indicate the level of signal strength. The more vertical bars you see, the stronger the signal strength. Four to five bars is the optimal strength. A service indicator in CAPITAL letters indicates a greater number of services are available to the customer. If the service indicator is in lowercase letters, the wireless signal may not be strong enough to allow email messaging to the BlackBerry smartphone.

Indicator	Description
	Full wireless coverage with faster than 3G data speeds (speed varies between the wireless service provider being used and network conditions) Send and receive email messages, personal identification number (PIN) messages, and Short Message Service (SMS) text messages Place and answer calls and transmit data at the same time (depending on wireless service provider limitations) Browse webpage
	Full wireless coverage with faster than 3G data speeds (speed varies between the wireless service provider being used and network conditions) Send and receive email messages, PIN messages, and SMS text messages Place and answer calls and transmit data at the same time (depending on wireless service provider limitations) Browse webpage
	Full wireless coverage with faster than EDGE data speeds Send and receive email messages, PIN messages, and SMS text messages Place and answer calls and transmit data at the same time (depending on wireless service provider limitations) Browse webpage
	Full wireless coverage with high-speed data Send and receive email messages, PIN messages, and SMS text messages Place and answer calls Browse webpage
	High speed connection over the Evolution Data 3G network Send and receive email messages, PIN messages, and SMS messages Place and answer calls Browse webpage
	Send and receive email messages, PIN messages, and SMS messages Place and answer calls Browse webpage
	The BlackBerry smartphone user might be roaming into another wireless network, which is not part of the home network, or the BlackBerry smartphone user might be roaming into another network that does not have a data roaming agreement with the wireless service provider. Contact the wireless service provider for more information. Send and receive SMS text messages Place and answer calls Cannot send or receive email messages or PIN messages Cannot browse webpage
	Full wireless coverage Send and receive email messages, PIN messages, and SMS text messages Place and answer calls Browse webpage
	Send and receive SMS text messages Place and answer calls Cannot send or receive email messages or PIN messages Cannot browse webpage For more information how to improve the network connection, visit www.blackberry.com/support to read article KB02623.
	Send and receive SMS text messages Place and answer calls Cannot send or receive email messages or PIN messages Cannot browse webpage For more information on how to switch from GSM to GPRS/EDGE, see www.blackberry.com/support to read article KB01631
	The BlackBerry smartphone user is currently within a wireless coverage area. This icon indicates the strength of that coverage. The more vertical bars that are visible, the stronger the coverage.
	The BlackBerry smartphone user is currently within a wireless coverage area, but can only place emergency calls. If the BlackBerry smartphone is locked, or if the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card is removed, emergency calls can still be placed by clicking the Emergency Call option on the Device is locked screen. Cannot send or receive email messages, PIN messages, or SMS text messages Cannot place or answer calls Cannot browse webpage
	The wireless signal is turned off on the BlackBerry smartphone. If the BlackBerry smartphone is locked, emergency calls can still be placed by selecting the Emergency Call option on the Device is locked screen. Cannot send or receive email messages, PIN messages, or SMS text messages Cannot place or answer calls Cannot browse webpages Other applications are available on the BlackBerry smartphone. Any pending messages are sent when the BlackBerry smartphone user returns to a wireless coverage area that is part of the wireless service provider's network.
	Cannot connect to their wireless network Cannot place emergency phone calls (911) if the BlackBerry smartphone user is in a remote location outside their wireless coverage area or if the user is in a concrete and steel structure that inhibits the wireless signal. The BlackBerry smartphone user can only place emergency phone calls if the BlackBerry smartphone is roaming onto a wireless network that does not have a service agreement with the network. To verify this status, the X indicator switches to signal bars when the user dials 911. Cannot send or receive email, PIN, or SMS messages Cannot place and answer calls Cannot browse web page Other applications are available on the BlackBerry smartphone. Any pending messages are sent when the BlackBerry smartphone user returns to a wireless coverage area that is part of the wireless service provider's network.

If the signal strength is good, ask the customer where they were when they experienced the issue and if they noticed if the signal strength was low. Talk to the customer about areas where signal strength weakens and causes the signal to become blocked by tall buildings, terrain, landscape, and physical distance. Let them know that in these situations moving to an open area might help improve the voice quality.

Test the SIM Card

If the BlackBerry smartphone uses a SIM card and the signal strength is fluctuating or is not acceptable when in a good coverage area, the SIM card might be damaged. Replace the SIM card with a working SIM card, and then test the voice quality again.

Test Any Accessories

If the customer was using an accessory when they experienced the audio issue, remove the accessory, and then test the BlackBerry smartphone volume settings. Accessories might include one of the following:

• Wired headset
• Bluetooth headset
• Hands-free Bluetooth car kit

If the issue occurs only when using an accessory, the issue might be with the accessory and not the BlackBerry smartphone. If the accessory is not an approved BlackBerry accessory, refer the customer to the manufacturer for further technical support.