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Troubleshooting service issues

If your phone shows "No service" or no signal bars, or you have signal but calls, texts, or data aren't working, this guide walks you through fixing it on Warp, Light Speed, and Dark Star. Most issues clear up in a couple of minutes.

Quick troubleshooting flow​

A few quick checks clear up most service issues, whatever network or phone you're on. This flow starts with the easiest and most effective steps.

tip

Test your connection after each section to see if any of these quick fixes worked before moving on.

Check your plan, device, and SIM card​

  • Check your plan: you can head over to our web app or mobile app to check that your line is active and has sufficient data, minutes, and texts.
  • Check your device: make sure your device is not locked to your previous carrier. Check out our guide on device compatibility to learn more.
  • Check your SIM card: are you using the right US Mobile SIM card? Check our article on SIM cards to learn more.

Update and restart your phone​

Run any software updates on your phone and then restart. This can clear up many common issues quickly.

Toggle network settings​

  • Turn airplane mode on, wait a few seconds, then turn it off. This temporarily disconnects your phone from the network and allows a fresh reconnection.
  • Try toggling off data roaming. Go to your cellular network settings and toggle data roaming off.
  • Make sure VoLTE is turned on. Follow the instructions below depending on your phone operating system.

Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data.

Set up your APN settings​

If you're still experiencing connection issues, follow the instructions below to set up your APN settings.

Most no-service issues after activating or switching networks come down to your APN (Access Point Name) settings — the configuration that tells your phone how to connect. These are usually set automatically, but if they didn't load, you can fix them with our APN setup tool.

Using our APN tool​

The tool gives you the exact settings for your network, so pick your phone below.

On iPhone, you'll install a profile that applies the settings for you.

  1. Open Safari on your iPhone and go to usmobile.com/apn-download.
  2. Choose iOS and your network, then select Download APN.
  3. Select Download when prompted to download the profile.
  4. Once the download is complete, open your downloads, open the file, select the share button, then Save to Files.
  5. Open the Files app and select the downloaded file. Close the Profile Downloaded message.
  6. Go to Settings > General and select VPN & Device Management.
  7. Select the downloaded APN Profile, then select Install in the top-right corner.
  8. Turn airplane mode on, then off, and test your service.
Manual APN setup — Skip the tool and enter your settings manually.

You can find the full list of APN settings for every network on our List of APN settings page.

After updating your APN settings​

After your APN settings are in place, check that your network mode is set to 5G (5G Auto or 5G On). If your device doesn't support 5G, set it to LTE.

Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data.

Special considerations for Google Pixels

If you are using a Google Pixel on our Dark Star newtork and your hotspot won't turn on, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Private DNS and turn it off, then try again. If it still won't connect, add these two fields to your Dark Star APN: MVNO type: GID and MVNO value: 20FF.

If updating your APN doesn't fix the issue​

Try resetting your network settings. Resetting clears saved Wi-Fi passwords and Bluetooth pairings, but it often fixes stubborn connection problems.

warning

Resetting network settings may also remove your saved Wi-Fi passwords so make sure you have them saved somewhere to reconnect.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

After resetting, restart your phone and set up your APN settings again using the steps above.

Still having trouble?​

If you have signal but a specific service isn't working, follow the instructions below to continue troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting calls​

Check if you're blocking calls

Make sure the number you're calling or receiving calls from isn't in your phone's block list.

Turn off call forwarding

If you've set up call forwarding in the past, calls may be going to your forwarded destination instead of your current line. To clear your settings, follow the instructions below.

First, dial ##004# to turn off conditional call forwarding.

Then, follow the steps for your network:

Dial *73 to cancel call forwarding.

Then, turn off call forwarding in your phone settings:

Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and turn it off.

Turn on call waiting

If you're having trouble accepting multiple calls then you may need to turn on call waiting which notifies you about another call coming when you're already on the phone.

Here are the instructions to turn on call waiting depending on your phone's operating system:

Go to Settings > Phone > Call Waiting and turn it on.

Turn off Wi-Fi calling (Light Speed and Dark Star)

If you're on Light Speed or Dark Star and still having call issues, try turning off Wi-Fi calling:

Go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling and turn it off.

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To reenable Wi-Fi calling follow our guide on setting up Wi-Fi calling.

Specific calling error messages

"Out of credit" This happens when you're trying to make an international call, or calling while roaming on a plan that doesn't include it. Check that your plan supports international calling and that you have sufficient minutes remaining.

"There are restrictions on the line" Contact us — our team can clear this for you.

Calls still going to your old landline after porting This is normal after porting a landline number to wireless. It corrects itself within a couple of days.

Troubleshooting texts​

Here are some instructions to check your texting settings to make sure they're set up correctly.

First, go to the Settings app then Messages.

Check iMessage settings

Turn on iMessage and make sure the checkmark is next to your US Mobile phone number under Send and Receive. This makes sure you're sending iMessages with your phone number.

Turn on Send as SMS. When iMessage doesn't go through your phone should now send a text as a backup.

Make sure MMS is enabled

To send and receive picture messages (MMS), turn on MMS Messaging and Group Messaging.

Specific texting error messages

Error 97: SMS origination denied

Your text plan isn't provisioned or is fully used. Check your remaining texts in your Account Dashboard and make sure the number you're texting isn't blocked on your device.

"Insufficient funds for message delivery"

This error appears when your text plan is fully used, or when you're trying to send an international text without the right plan. Check your remaining texts and confirm you're entering the recipient's number with the correct country code.

"Invalid Destination Address" on Google Pixel (Warp) Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps > select your messaging app > Storage & cache > Clear cache.

Troubleshooting data​

Make sure your mobile data is turned on in your phone settings. Here is how you can check the status and turn it on:

Go to Settings > Cellular > Mobile data and turn it on. Scroll down and make sure the app you're trying to use is allowed to use cellular data.

If data still isn't working after these steps — especially after a new activation or network switch — your APN settings are almost always the cause. Follow the APN setup steps above if you haven't already.

Still need help?​

If you've tried everything and still have issues, contact us. We're here 24/7 and can check your line and coverage for you.

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