Hello avid readers! Most of you may have been amassed with a great deal of issues relating to your network or service. This article lays out the most common concerns you may face while using your Samsung Galaxy S6 device. Issues sending text messages or making and receiving calls are covered. Feel free to read through each problem and its corresponding fix as the answer you are looking for may be found in each one. If your issue is very complex, don’t do anything without consulting a technician first as you may further damage the device if you attempt to fix it on your own.

If you happen to own a Samsung Galaxy S6 or any other Android device for that matter, then feel free to reach us using this form or you can also send us an email at [email protected]. Be sure to religiously fill out the form as this will help us gauge the issue your getting and provide an accurate solution as well. We will do our best to respond to every email we receive. 

 

Problem # 1: Unable to send text messages through VPN on a Samsung Galaxy S6

Greetings! I came across an article about texting problems with the new Galaxy S6 Edge and wondered if you may be able to assist with a problem I’m having with my new Galaxy S6 Active. I just got it yesterday and I have set all my preferences and apps back up. One thing I noticed is that now, I cannot send a text message when I’m using my VPN service through Private Internet Access (though I’ve been doing this successfully with my S5 with the same apps installed). Essentially, I run a VPN with internet kill switch for privacy / proxy purposes, and I’ve never had a problem sending texts. With the new phone, it always fails when I’m on VPN. I’ve removed the kill switch and tried a few other settings with no luck. Because the introduction of the new phone is the only real difference to the equation, I’m guessing that may be it. I’ll also reach out to PIA to ask them about their mobile app for new phones. Thanks in advance! — Derek

Solution: Hi Derek. That must have been such a bummer especially that a new phone is involved.  I just want to confirm though, can you still receive text messages fine? Who is your service provider? What is your messaging app? Are you using the same VPN account? Is there a difference if you try sending the text message through a Wi-Fi connection or mobile data?  To further isolate the issue, try sending a very short text message (one word) and see if it goes through. If it does, it has something to do with the VPN or phone setup. The reason for this is that a very short text message is sent through a 2G connection thus the VPN doesn’t see it. The best way to go is to contact PIA and check if they have a different setup for newly released phones or try switching to a different VPN. I’m sure the issue lies there and not with your phone per se.

Problem # 2: Unable to hear the original caller whenever a second call comes in on Samsung Galaxy S6

 

Hello there. I purchased a Galaxy S6 a week or so ago. Although I love my phone (my S3 lasted me 3 good years), I do have one issue. When I am talking on the phone using the phone’s earphones & a call comes in (on call waiting), I suddenly can’t hear my original caller. Even when I wait for the second call to go to voicemail, I still can’t hear the person I was first speaking with. I have to unplug my earphones and put the phone on speaker. This is super annoying and not to mention unsafe while I’m driving. Can you help? Has anyone else had a similar issue? Thanks for the time. — J.L. 

 

Solution: Hello J.L. This is the first time that we have heard of such issues with the Galaxy S6 or on any Galaxy series for that matter. Clearly this has something to do with the Call Settings on your phone. Have you tried checking the call preferences? Make sure that the Call Waiting option is turned on in order for the second call to be placed in queue and not overlap your original call. Go to Settings>More Settings>Call Waiting. You can turn the setting ON/OFF from there. If this workaround doesn’t work, try tweaking other Call Settings especially those that involve the headset functionality. You may also want to turn off the Bluetooth function if you are not using it. There have been reports that it is affecting incoming calls when turned on while on a call. What is your carrier provider? Why don’t you call them and check if it has something to do with their network just to cover all the angles.  If it boils down to a defective firmware, a hard reset should resolve the issue. Let us know if you need further assistance.

Problem # 3: Samsung Galaxy S6 gives out ’emergency call only’ error

Hello. I haven’t even had the S6 for two months (it’s been barely a month) and so far it’s okay except for the fact that sometimes it doesn’t let me call and just says ’emergency call only’ on the screen. Why is this happening and what can I do to fix it? — Jessica Gallardo

 

Solution: Hi Jessica. Is there a specific instance when the ’emergency call only’ error starts to pop up? Or is this happening randomly? The primary reason for such error in general is that your phone is not getting enough or any signal from the network to make a phone call. If you think you are in a location with a strong signal but can’t get any bars, try restarting your phone to refresh the network connection. This is proven effective in fixing a heap of problems. You may also try to contact your network provider and check if there’s a network outage in your area. Let them verify as well if the signal is strong enough to make outgoing calls both inside and outside your vicinity. Make sure that your phone is set to automatically select a network so that it will directly connect to the right network. One secret to acquire more bars is to dial ‘#######’ on the dial pad of your phone. This will ping the network in some way and get the needed connection. This always works for me. To determine if it has something to do with your phone, try inserting the SIM card to another mobile device and check if it’s getting a signal or not. If it is then the issue lies on the phone’s firmware or hardware. Try downloading the latest firmware update (if there’s one available) to try and fix some bugs that may be affecting it. If you have attempted all the troubleshooting steps and still has the issue, perform a hard reset to your phone.

Problem # 4: Dropped calls and ‘Sorry, not registered to network’ error on Samsung Galaxy S6

Hi. I have been having lots of issues with my phone dropping calls in the middle of conversations. Also, I have tried to call someone multiple times and a ‘sorry not registered on network’ error will appear. I have read some things on the Internet but I don’t believe it’s my carrier. I’ve had the same carrier, T-Mobile, for almost five years now and have never had these issues. Lately, the phone has been having some weird glitch looking thing that goes across the notification bar where the service bars are. It only appears for a split second and doesn’t affect the phone itself but still very strange. — Britany Cope

 

Solution: Hi Britany. That glitch is pretty weird indeed. Though these issues are not new to T-Mobile subscribers using the Galaxy S6. Did you make sure that you have ample network signal prior to making the call? Did you notice a change in the amount of signal when the calls were dropped? This issue may also be related to the error you’re getting when trying to make an outbound call. The primary cause of this error is an unregistered or unknown IMEI number. To solve this, we need to ensure that your phone’s software is up to date. Make sure that you are fully charged prior to performing this action. Select Settings>Software Update and wait for your phone to reboot and complete the update. Another solution is to turn off all your wireless connection and set your phone to Airplane mode. Wait for a couple of minutes then disable the Airplane mode. Next you need to turn off your device and remove the sim card (nano sim). Leave it detached for a couple of minutes again then reinsert it. Turn your phone back on and open Settings>Mobile Networks. Now press the Home button and Power button for 15 seconds. Your device will blink a few times and reboot. If none of these methods worked, the last option is to restore the EFS backup. Do it with caution and get assistance if you’re unsure of the process. Hope this helps.

Problem # 5: Delayed text messages on Samsung Galaxy S6

Hi. I’m hoping you can help me before I throw my new S6 at my salesperson! I’ve had this phone for less than two weeks. Twice within the past week, I have noticed that no texts were coming through (which is odd since that’s primarily how I communicate).  I rebooted the phone and wham! I get a flood of all the texts that were supposed to come to my phone in the past day or so. The texts stopped again this morning, and after rebooting the phone, I got a flood of messages. I switched to this phone from a Samsung Galaxy S4 and have never had an iPhone. All the problems I have found online have to do with the switch between the Android and Apple devices, so they’re not much of a help. Since I cannot remove the battery from the phone, I cannot do a hard reset. I’m not sure what else to do other than take the phone back to the store and ask for a replacement or repair (and pay a fee along with it). I’ve noticed my battery also drains really quickly – much quicker than the S4.  The reviews talked about how great the battery life was on this phone, and I have been really disappointed. Not sure how much of that can be helped though. I am a Sprint customer and would love any help you could give. Any suggestions? —Jennifer C

Solution: Hi Jennifer. This seems like an issue with the SIM card attached to your phone. It may be having a hard time connecting to the Sprint network thus the delay in getting the text messages. Is this a new SIM? Rebooting your phone helps to refresh your connection to the network that is why you’re barricaded with text messages afterward. You may also want to take the SIM card out for a couple of minutes to reset the network connection. Make sure that you are using a nano SIM. Reinsert the card and wait for it to be recognized by the device prior to sending a text message. Also make sure that your phone is set to automatically select a network so that it will get the right connection immediately. Calling Sprint support is also highly advisable as they may have some tweaks that they can apply to their network and can definitely help you troubleshoot this mess. If your network provider deems it necessary to reset your phone to its factory setup, you may follow these steps cautiously and make sure to create a backup copy first. They may even replace your phone considering that you have concerns with your battery as well. Hope it’ll turn out well though.

Problem # 6: No network service on Samsung Galaxy S6

Hi droid guy! To be honest I heard about you just today while surfing Google. I live in Lebanon and my Galaxy S6 is not getting any service so I can’t call nor receive one. I changed my sim and the issue still persists. It only gets reception for a few minutes. If you have a solution then I would be at your utmost gratitude. Thank you in advance. — Alden 

Solution:  Hello Alden. Thank you for checking us out and for trusting us with your concern. What is your service carrier provider? You may want to call their Customer Service hotline and inform them of your issue. It is possible that the location you are in is far from their satellite thus causing the weak signal. Have you been connected to the same network since? Try rebooting your Galaxy S6 as this will also refresh the network connection. The best route right now is to talk to your network provider’s Customer support so they can do the necessary troubleshooting and will determine if your phone needs a factory reset or a replacement.

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