2nd hand iPhone 4s, cant make/receive calls

mcw92

Hi i bought a 2nd hand iPhone 4s today, and it was working okay. I was able to send texts and go online. I received a call earlier and was ok. Then when they tried to call me back it wouldnt, it would just say call failed.
So then i tried to make a call but it didnt work either. But i can still send texts, just not make/receive calls?
Theres 2 beeps, then the call ends.
Anyone ever have this problem

ZENER

Did you buy it from a reputable source or did it fall off the back of a truck If the latter then it may have been IMEI blocked ?

Ken

mcw92

I bought it on adverts.ie.
Thats what i was thinking, but how could it receive/send texts in that case?
Also i was able to receive one call earlier, and make a call earlier.
?

Miaireland

I wonder was the phone reported stolen and the phone company blocked it. My brother bought a phone from a seller on something similar to where you bought it. Had it a few hours working fine and then it stopped working.

It turned out that the seller reported it stole after he sold it to claim off the phone insurance company.

Recoil12

That's weird,I have the exact same problem as you(iPhone 4s 16GB on vodafone).I can send messages use 3G,etc but just cannot make or receive calls,although I have succeeded once or twice a day but 99% of the time call fails.I ordered a mail in repair last week and my phone was collected today.I will let you know if it gets fixed/what the problem is.I also checked with Vodafone and the phone is not blocked(if that was the case it would not send messages),so I don't think yours is either.I also bought mine second hand on adverts thinking it was an easy fix.I don't think you should have any cause for panic because it must be a common problem.You should be still covered by Applecare limited warranty,this will cover repair/replacement.Just follow this link,fill out the pages and you will eventually be asked to input you IMEI,this is the only information needed to order a repair,you won't need documents,etc.

Hope this helps.

mcw92

Recoil12 wrote: »

That's weird,I have the exact same problem as you(iPhone 4s 16GB on vodafone).I can send messages use 3G,etc but just cannot make or receive calls,although I have succeeded once or twice a day but 99% of the time call fails.I ordered a mail in repair last week and my phone was collected today.I will let you know if it gets fixed/what the problem is.I also checked with Vodafone and the phone is not blocked(if that was the case it would not send messages),so I don't think yours is either.I also bought mine second hand on adverts thinking it was an easy fix.I don't think you should have any cause for panic because it must be a common problem.You should be still covered by Applecare limited warranty,this will cover repair/replacement.Just follow this link,fill out the pages and you will eventually be asked to input you IMEI,this is the only information needed to order a repair,you won't need documents,etc.

Hope this helps.

I would rather return the phone to the seller but im not sure that i will be able to. I would like to get it sorted soon really. How did you get in contact with apple about returning it?

Recoil12

mcw92 wrote: »

I would rather return the phone to the seller but im not sure that i will be able to. I would like to get it sorted soon really. How did you get in contact with apple about returning it?

I just went onto their support page,organised a phonecall(waste of time,they cannot diagnose and try to sell you applecare which is not required).I eventually then requested the mail in repair,which is free when you have warranty)

Here is the link(forgot to add it in last post )

https://expresslane.apple.com/Issues.action

drunkmonkey

mcw92 wrote: »

I would rather return the phone to the seller but im not sure that i will be able to. I would like to get it sorted soon really. How did you get in contact with apple about returning it?

You won't get it back from apple if it's been reported stolen to them. It sounds like you bought a blacklisted phone. Try and get your money back from the seller.

(it might have worked for a minute but then gave up the ghost, i've seen it happen)

Gillo

drunkmonkey wrote: »

mcw92 wrote: »

I would rather return the phone to the seller but im not sure that i will be able to. I would like to get it sorted soon really. How did you get in contact with apple about returning it?

You won't get it back from apple if it's been reported stolen to them. It sounds like you bought a blacklisted phone. Try and get your money back from the seller.

(it might have worked for a minute but then gave up the ghost, i've seen it happen)

It gets reported stolen to the network though in the majority of cases not apple.

OP can take a while to fully go through between all the networks ok, which would explain why there was a delay. In fairness to the seller it may be just a genuine fault and unfortunate timing, if I was you my first port of call would be the seller.

Recoil12

I think some of the other posts may start to panic you.My phone is the exact same as yours and it is not blacklisted so I am sure your phone isn't either.You should should probably find your IMEI(http://www.dev.mk/),check which network it's locked to,contact that network/your network and find out if the phone was blacklisted.If it is try and get your money back or sell it to someone abroad on ebay as it will work there.

Gillo

Recoil12 wrote: »

I think some of the other posts may start to panic you.My phone is the exact same as yours and it is not blacklisted so I am sure your phone isn't either.You should should probably find your IMEI(http://www.dev.mk/),check which network it's locked to,contact that network/your network and find out if the phone was blacklisted.If it is try and get your money back or sell it to someone abroad on ebay as it will work there.

From a data protection point of view they can't give out that info as effectively it's someone else handset (even if you bought it in good faith).
As for the "Chinese" shops in blacklisting it, there's two ways, the first is they have a contact inside the network who puts the request through even though they shouldn't. The second is they change the imei of the handset, so it looks to the network like its a different handset, I'm open to correction but I think this may be illegal, it's definitely something very much frowned upon.

How old is the actual phone?

(declaration of interest, I work for one of the networks)

Recoil12

Gillo wrote: »

From a data protection point of view they can't give out that info as effectively it's someone else handset (even if you bought it in good faith).
As for the "Chinese" shops in blacklisting it, there's two ways, the first is they have a contact inside the network who puts the request through even though they shouldn't. The second is they change the imei of the handset, so it looks to the network like its a different handset, I'm open to correction but I think this may be illegal, it's definitely something very much frowned upon.

How old is the actual phone?

(declaration of interest, I work for one of the networks)

I know you are probably asking the Op but anyway,my phone is just over a month old according to the seller because I bought it very recently,this seemed legit when I used the IMEI checker and it showed that it was first activated around that time.

Subber08

I am having the same problem, bought it 2nd hand off adverts.ie. It's with Vodafone. Not reported lost or stolen. Will not make or receive calls 99% of the time. I called up Vodafone a few times about it, they did something over the phone and would then work again for one or two calls and stop again. I was told to bring it into a Vodafone shop for a sim and phone check if this continued to happen. So brought it into a shop and I was given a replacement sim, which worked when I made calls in shop so left feeling happy only for the same thing to start again. So brought it into another Vodafone shop, told them the story, they reactivated my old sim for my old nokia phone and said they were sending it off to be fixed/updated. Got a call a few days later from that store to say my phone was being sent back to them as it was out of warranty (I told them in the shop I bought it 2nd hand, was never asked about warranty). When I asked what could be done I was told that they don't fix iPhone 4 anymore???? I could pay 205 for a replacement??!!!! I do not want to pay 205 for a replacement for a 2nd handphone that only cost me slightly more than that price.

What are my options? Or how did other people sort this problem as I've seen from the Vodafone forum and boards.ie that other people have had the same problem woth iPhones and Vodafone?

Has anyone tried to get phone unlocked and move to another network?

Subber08

Recoil12 wrote: »

That's weird,I have the exact same problem as you(iPhone 4s 16GB on vodafone).I can send messages use 3G,etc but just cannot make or receive calls,although I have succeeded once or twice a day but 99% of the time call fails.I ordered a mail in repair last week and my phone was collected today.I will let you know if it gets fixed/what the problem is.I also checked with Vodafone and the phone is not blocked(if that was the case it would not send messages),so I don't think yours is either.I also bought mine second hand on adverts thinking it was an easy fix.I don't think you should have any cause for panic because it must be a common problem.You should be still covered by Applecare limited warranty,this will cover repair/replacement.Just follow this link,fill out the pages and you will eventually be asked to input you IMEI,this is the only information needed to order a repair,you won't need documents,etc.

Hope this helps.

Recoil where did you do the mail in repair? I am having the same problem and the phone is out of warranty, bought 2nd hand off adverts.ie also. Was your phone repaired?

Recoil12

Subber08 wrote: »

Recoil where did you do the mail in repair? I am having the same problem and the phone is out of warranty, bought 2nd hand off adverts.ie also. Was your phone repaired?

I requested the service on the apple website:http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=842
I had bought second hand too but still had a warranty.My phone was replaced with a brand new one on the third try,after sending it twice before and still having the problem.I don't think you can request the service without warranty.