MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED DCS QUESTIONS
As you begin to use your new mobile phone and all its functions, some things may happen that you don't expect. These commonly asked questions and answers highlight any potential surprises and their simple solutions.
1. When I turn on my phone, why does the light on the screen keep going off? Is my
battery not working?
A. The battery is working as long as you see icons on the screen. The light automatically
goes off to conserve
the battery's charge. Any time you press a key, the light will come
back on, then go back off again.
2. Sometimes when I press the power button, my phone won't come on. Why is that?
A. When you press the power button, be sure to hold it until the keypad lights up. That
indicates the power is
on. The same applies when turning your mobile phone off.
3. Occasionally when I dial a number, I hear three beeps and the call disconnects.
Why?
A. If you hear three "even" beeps, the network is busy due to high call volume.
If you hear three escalating
beeps, that usually means the mobile phone is not getting a
signal. At least two bars of signal strength
should show on your screen to successfully
make or receive a call.
4. I looked through the items that came with my phone and didn't see any card. What
is the SIM Card?
A. The SIM card looks like a credit card or computer chip (depending on which model phone
you have). It fits
in your phone, underneath the battery. This chip contains all of your
account information about billing, calling
plan, any restrictions you've set, etc. It's
what makes your phone work. The SIM Card is installed at the
factory.
5. I turned my phone on and the words "Insert Card" or "Card
Error" appeared on the screen. I didn't do
anything different to the phone, what
happened?
A. Remove the SIM Card/chip from the back of your phone. Wipe off the gold circle section
of the SIM Card
and reinsert the gold circle, making sure the gold circle matches up with
the brass contacts. The contacts
may be dirty, which can prevent a good connection and
cause that message to appear.
6. What is a PIN code and why do I need one?
A. The PIN (personal identification number) code is a security feature that locks your
mobile phone every time
you turn it off. You'll be prompted to enter your PIN before you
can use your phone. The default PIN,
programmed at the factory is 1 2 3 4, but you will
want to access your menu option and change the PIN to
a secret four-digit number that's
easy for you to remember.
7. I forgot my PIN number! I entered what I thought was my PIN code, and my screen
display said that my
phone was "blocked." What do I do?
A. If your handset is "blocked," do not do anything. Do not enter any more
numbers. When your handset is
blocked, if you enter the wrong number a total of 10 times,
your SIM card will be rendered useless and you
will have to purchase a new one. Stop by
the Lexcom Office at 200 North State Street and we will reset
your phone.
8. Why does the envelope on my screen keep flashing even though I have read all my
messages?
A. Once a text message is delivered, it is stored on your SIM Card (some phones have
additional storage as
well). Your SIM Card allows you to store up to 20 text messages at a
time. A flashing envelope on the
Motorola, Ericsson, or Nokia phone indicates that you
have no room for additional text messages. Delete
the older text messages so that new ones
can be delivered to your phone. On the Nortel phone, a flashing
envelope indicates that
you have unread text messages and a solid envelope means that you have stored
text
messages.
9. My phone never rings! All my calls go directly to voice mail! Why?
A. If your phone is not getting a signal from a tower, all incoming calls will go directly
to voice mail. If you are
getting a signal and your phone still does not ring, it is
likely that you are forwarding all calls to the voice mail
number.
10. I am trying to set my Call Forwarding to another number, but it won't go
through. What am I doing wrong?
A. To set Call Forwarding properly, you must enter all eleven digits (1 plus the area code
and phone number)
of the phone number to which you are forwarding calls.
11. Some of the menu items I see in my Manufacturer's Owner's Manual
are not available on my phone.
Why not?
A. The answer depends on which model phone you have. It's possible that our network does
not support the
option. Or, if your handset has an option for "Extended" menus,
the extended menus may not be kept on,
and therefore don't appear on the screen.