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Geek Squad

Fixing common phone problems

Technical Support brought to you by the Geek Squad

You can fix many common problems by following the simple instructions in our troubleshooters below. Or for more help try your phone’s manufacturer support site. You’ll find lots of tips and fixes, as well as the user guides for many handsets.

Sony Ericsson	BlackBerry
Nokia	iPhone
Samsung	Motorola
LG	HTC

Charging / power problems

If you’re having problems turning your phone on, make sure the battery is fully charged:

Connect your phone to its charger. Plug the charger in, wait for a few seconds, and then try to turn the phone on.

If this doesn’t work, try the following fixes:

Turn off the phone, take out the battery, replace the battery and turn the phone on again. Try charging again.
Check that both the battery and charger you’re using are compatible with your phone.
If you have access to another battery and charger of the same type, use them to work out if the issue is with the phone, the battery, or the charger.

How can I make my battery last longer?

To make your battery last longer between charges, try turning off some your phone's features when youâ€™re not using them. These could include:

Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Location services
3G (only if you don't want to use the internet)

Remember - you'll need to turn them on before you'll be able to use them again!

My phone’s locked – I need help to unlock it

A PIN protects your mobile. If you forget your PIN or enter it incorrectly too many times you may be blocked from using it. To get it back up and running, you need to get a Personal Unblocking Key (PUK).

Call your service provider to get a PUK.
Don't try to guess the PUK - if you enter the wrong PUK too many times, you may have to get a new SIM.

To set up a new PIN or deactivate it, look in your mobile's user guide.

I can't get reception

Select a network below to find out what coverage is like in your area:

My calls break/drop

Dropped calls or low sound quality during calls can be caused by low signal strength or temporary gaps in network coverage. You should contact your network provider for help with signal strength issues.

The signal bars (usually in the top corner on your phone’s main screen) show the strength of the signal your phone is receiving. The number of bars goes up as the strength of signal increases and down as the signal decreases.
Try using your phone to a different place to increase its signal strength. If you’re inside a building, move towards a window.

I can’t receive calls

If you can’t receive calls, try the following fixes:

Make sure your phone is turned on and you have a strong signal:
- The signal bars (usually in the top corner on your phone’s main screen) show the strength of the signal your phone is receiving. The number of bars goes up as the strength of signal increases and down as the signal decreases.
- Try using your phone to a different placeto increase its signal strength. If you’re inside a building, move towards a window.
If your phone's profile is set as Silent, Flight, or Offline you may not be able to receive calls, or hear a ringtone when a call is made. Change the profile to General or Normal and try calling your phone again. You can find instructions for changing your profile in your phone’s user guide.
You might not hear you phone ringing if its ringtone has not been enabled or if the volume is too low. You can find instructions for changing volume and selecting a ringtone in your phone’s user guide.
Contact your service provider (they send you your bill) to check there are no bars on your account.

I can't call from my phone

Some service providers (the company who send you your bill) put a call limit on your billing account. This protects you as it stops thieves running up too high a bill if your phone is lost or stolen.

If you can’t make calls, contact your service provider to make sure you’ve not gone above the call limit set on your account.

If you’re under your call limit:

Switch your phone off, and remove the SIM card. Now turn your phone on again without the SIM card in it. Turn off the phone, replace the SIM and try calling again.
If this doesn’t work, try using a different SIM in your phone to work out whether the problem is with your handset or your SIM.

Picture/video messaging, internet or WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) problems

Make sure your network and phone both support the service you want to use:

Contact your service provider (they send you your bill) to check if the service is included in your contract.
You also need a phone that supports these services in order to use them. Look in your phone's user guide for information about this.

If your network and phone both support the service, it’s likely the service settings are either not installed or are wrong. Click here to install the correct settings for picture/video messaging, mobile internet or WAP. If you’re having problems abroad
Contact your service provider to find out if the service is supported when you’re outside the UK.

SIM card problems

A SIM card is the small card inside your phone that establishes a network connection. Your network provider provides the SIM card – contact them for help with SIM card issues.

Your phone may display a SIM card error message if:

The SIM card is out of place. If you’ve recently dropped, bumped, or opened your phone the SIM card may need adjusting. Follow the SIM card installation instructions in your phone’s user guide.
Your PUK (Personal Unblocking Key) code is entered incorrectly too many times. See our PIN and PUK page for more information.

You have recently changed network providers. Your SIM card or phone may be configured for your previous network and will need to be reconfigured. Please contact your current network provider for help.

Liquid damage

Your phone isn’t waterproof. Most of the time, mobile phones damaged by liquid cannot be repaired. To avoid liquid damage do not:

Use your phone in the rain.
Keep your handset anywhere damp (a window ledge or glove compartment).
Expose the phone to condensation.
Take your phone from a very cold climate into a warm climate as condensation can form.

Does my iPhone or iPod have liquid damage?

If you’re not sure whether your iPhone or iPod has liquid damage there’s an easy way to check. Providing your device was made after 2006, there’ll be a liquid submersion indicator in the headphone socket.

All you need to is shine a torch into the socket to see what colour the bottom half of the dot inside is:

If it’s white or silver your device may be fine.
If the dot is red or pink it means that liquid has got into your iPhone.

Product	Where is the Liquid Submersion Indicator?
iPhone 3G
iPhone
iPod touch
iPod nano
iPod classic
iPod shuffle (3rd generation)

If your iPhone has liquid damage its warranty will be void and Apple won’t be able to repair it.

If you have Lifeline or Geek Squad insurance, you can make a claim online.
If not, give our sales team a call on 0870 087 0870 to buy a replacement.

I can't make calls to or from countries outside the UK

If you can’t make calls from outside the UK, or you can’t call countries outside the UK from the UK, contact your service provider (they send you your bill). They’ll activate international roaming on your account to allow you to make international calls.