reference guide
Equipment Troubleshooting Reference Guide
Overview
The Phone Won’t Power Up/Turn On
τ Are the battery/contacts clean?
τ Is the battery charged?
τ Try a different battery or accessory.
The Phone Shows Intermittent Power
τ Clarify when the intermittent power is occurring. Is it constant?
τ Does the phone power up, and then shut down immediately?
τ Are the battery/contacts clean?
τ Is the battery charged?
τ Try a different battery or accessory.
Incomplete Wakeup
τ Does the phone wakeup and then power down immediately?
τ If yes, check the battery charge.
τ If no, go to next question.
τ Are the battery/contacts clean?
τ Is the battery charged?
τ Try a different battery or accessory.
Poor Audio
τ Is the customer experiencing this on every call?
τ Does the customer have a headset plugged into phone?
τ Check phone settings for Mute.
τ Does this happen in every location the customer has attempted to use the phone?
τ If yes, this is an equipment issue.
τ Place a test call to the customer.
τ If the call connects and they still can’t be heard, there could possibly be a problem with the equipment.
τ If the calling party is getting dead air when dialing the customer, verify that auto answer is turned off.
τ When did the problem begin?
τ Is the customer picking up a 1X or EVDO signal on the handset?
τ Check signal strength.
τ If a poor signal is being received, educate the customer on limitations of wireless service. The customer may need to try the phone in a different location.
Keypad Problem
τ If it is the Keypad sound, check phone settings for Keypad Volume.
τ If customer is stating that Keypad will not light up, check phones settings for Backlight.
τ If one or more keys do not function, it is an equipment issue.
No Ringer
τ If it is a ringing volume issue, check phone settings for ringing volume.
τ If it is not ringing at all, check phone for ringer settings. (i.e. Is it on Silence or Vibrate only?)
τ Does the customer have a headset connected to the phone? If so, remove headset from phone and check ringer. (Some handsets will only ring in the headset when one is attached.)
Charging Port Problem
τ Are the charger lights lit (if available) or does the Battery meter on the handset scroll (showing charging)?
τ If yes, the issue is probably not the port, but a battery/handset issue, see Battery Charging Problem.
τ If no, check connections and try a different wall outlet.
τ Use another charger (or VPC) to test with? Does the phone charge with the second one?
τ If the problem occurs with more than one power source, then the problem will probably be with the handset.
τ If the phone charges with a different charger, the original charger is defective, not the handset.
τ Wiggle the charger connection in the handset port with a known working charger.
τ If the Handset intermittently starts and stops charging, it is probably a defective charging port on the handset.
Battery Charging Problem
τ Are the charger lights lit (if available) or does the Battery meter on the handset scroll (showing charging)?
τ Check connections and try a different wall outlet.
τ Are the connections between the phone and the battery clean?
τ Is there contact between the phone and battery ports? τ Are you having a problem with more than one battery? Does the phone work with the VPC or other charger?
τ If the problem occurs with more than one battery/power source, then the problem will probably be with the handset.
τ How old is the battery?
τ Verizon Wireless recommends customers purchase new batteries every year. VZW batteries have a one-year warranty. Any battery has only a limited number of charges in its life.
Data Port Problem
τ Wiggle the Data Cable connection in the handset port.
τ If the Handset intermittently starts and stops connecting, it is probably a defective data port on the handset.
τ Test with another data cable. Does the phone connect with the second one?
τ If the problem occurs with more than one Data cable, then the problem will probably be with the handset. If the phone connects with a different data cable, the original cable is defective, not the handset.
Handset Gets Hot
τ Inform the customer that under certain conditions handsets will become warmer than usual during the following situations, warming is not necessarily a sign of defect.
τ Prolonged Talk time (more than 5 minutes)
τ During charging (home charger or car charger)
τ In very weak Signal areas (more power is needed to stay connected)
τ Older or Aftermarket battery being used
τ It is very rare for a handset to be the cause of excessive heat conditions, but if the customer is adamant that there has been a significant change in the handset temperature, then the handset could be at fault.
τ Note: Extreme and significant overheating! If the customer complains of extreme overheating (using words such as: "fire," "smoke," "swelling of the battery," "explosion," “property damage” or “personal injury”), have the customer contact Verizon Wireless directly.
“No Service” Indicator is on
τ Where is the customer located, have they had service there before?
τ Is the System Select set up properly? (ie Not on “Home Only”)
τ Is the phone programmed properly?
τ Determine when and where the problem is occurring.
τ Is the "No Service" indicator on regardless of location? If so, this indicates that there may be a problem with the equipment.
τ Advise customer to power phone off, remove battery, replace and power phone back on. (Power Cycle)
τ Educate the customer on limitations of wireless service. The customer may need to try the phone in a different location.
τ If above does not resolve the problem the handset is probably defective.
Inconsistencies in coverage may also be due to any of the following variables:
τ Trees / Buildings / Basements, etc.
τ Elevation
τ Distance from cell tower
τ Capacity (Number of people on the network at one time)
Can’t Receive Calls
τ Can the customer make outgoing calls?
τ If not refer to Fast Busy / No Service guides.
τ If the customer can make outgoing calls but not receive calls, it is probably not a problem with the handset. See below for other problems.
τ Place a test calls to the customer's phone.
τ Check ESN/MTN match in Billing System. If there has been a recent ESN change, is the old phone turned off (sometimes the old handset still receives calls until the switch request goes through completely)?
τ Determine if the customer's calls are being forwarded. If calls are being forwarded, have the customer cancel Call Forwarding (*73).
τ Check the customer call restrictions in the billing system or handset.
Static
τ Ask the customer for details on how often this happens and in what areas?
If only occasionally or only in some areas or only on some numbers dialed:
τ Check signal strength. If a poor signal is being received, educate the customer on limitations of wireless service. Customer may need to trythe phone in a different location.
τ Check VZMap for coverage.
τ If the static only happens when calling a specific number, the problem is probably with the landline to that number.
If Consistently and Frequently:
τ Frequent Static in known good service areas at various call times, can indicate a defective handset.
Inconsistencies in coverage may be due to any of the following variables:
τ Trees / Buildings / Basements, etc.
τ Elevation
τ Distance from cell tower
τ Capacity (Number of people on the network at one time)
Display Problem
τ What is the display is showing? (i.e. blank, cracked, bleeding, flashing, frozen, etc.)
τ When did the problem start to occur?
τ Is the customer having issues with the backlight on the device?
Backlight
τ If the customer calls regarding the keypad backlight, ask the following:
τ What is the problem that is occurring? Is the backlight not turning on?
τ If the backlight is not working properly walk the customer through settings on the device to adjust or turn on the backlight settings.
τ Check user manual for specific instructions for each device.
Frozen Display
τ If the customers display is frozen remove the battery from the phone, reattach and power up the handset.
Blank Display
τ If a customer’s display is blank, check the handset for corrosion or liquid damage.
τ Have the customer remove the battery from the phone, reattach and power up the handset.
Coverage Issues
τ Check signal strength, if no bars of Service refer to the No Service section.
τ Check to insure this handset is capable of receiving the coverage the customer desires.
τ Power phone off, remove battery, replace battery and power on to see if that restores requested coverage.
τ Verify customer is in the requested type of coverage area using VZMap.
τ Call VZW to have them check the billing system for needed feature codes or blocks that would affect the requested service.
τ If the handset still does not show the requested coverage, check to insure that the customer has not selected a handset setting blocking the requested coverage on the phone’s settings (i.e. Force Call, etc.)
Messaging Issues
τ Check the customer’s equipment to ensure that they have a Picture Messaging capable handset.
τ If they do not have a Picture Messaging capable handset, educate the customer that they will not be able to send/receive pictures from their handset. Advise the customer that if they are sent a Pix Message they will receive a text message advising them that they can go to www.vzwpix.com to view the picture.
τ If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
τ Contact VZW to see if there is a possible PIX/FLIX outage.
τ If yes, advise the customer of the known issue.
τ If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
τ Ask VZW to check to make sure the customer has the correct feature codes on the account.
τ If that was the issue, once the codes are corrected, have the customer power off the phone; make a test call to #832. The customer should be able to send/receive video messages.
τ Ask VZW to check to make sure that TXT Message Blocking (VBLOC/TXT MSG SERVICE BLOCKED) feature code is not on the customer’s account.
τ If the customer has a TXT Message Blocking feature code on the account, have them remove the feature code from the account and then power cycle the device.
τ If Vblock is removed, another TXT feature has to be added. Have them add either PAYG, a la carte TXT pkg, or IN Msg bundle.
τ If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
τ Ask the customer if they are able to make & receive voice calls.
τ If voice doesn't work, messaging will not work. Select camera phones are digital only and will not operate in analog service areas.
τ If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
τ Find out if the customer is located in the National Enhanced Services Area? Does customer show 1X or EV on the phone?
τ You may Use VZW Map Tool to search by zip code, city, etc.
τ If not, customer will not be unable to receive picture messages on their camera phone if they are not in the National Enhanced Service Area.
τ If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
τ Is it happening when they are roaming?
τ If yes, make sure the customer is within the VZW National Enhanced Services Area.
τ If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
τ Ask the customer what is the message origin. (E-mail, handset, Web site, etc).
τ Problem may be with the source, try to replicate the problem.
τ If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
τ Ask the customer if there are any pictures messages in the Pix Inbox of the handset.
τ If yes, messages have been received at some point.
