reference guide
Equipment Troubleshooting Reference Guide
Overview
The Phone Won’t Power Up/Turn On
Are the battery/contacts clean?
Is the battery charged?
Try a different battery or accessory.
The Phone Shows Intermittent Power
Clarify when the intermittent power is occurring. Is it constant?
Does the phone power up, and then shut down immediately?
Are the battery/contacts clean?
Is the battery charged?
Try a different battery or accessory.
Incomplete Wakeup
Does the phone wakeup and then power down immediately?
If yes, check the battery charge.
If no, go to next question.
Are the battery/contacts clean?
Is the battery charged?
Try a different battery or accessory.
Poor Audio
Is the customer experiencing this on every call?
Does the customer have a headset plugged into phone?
Check phone settings for Mute.
Does this happen in every location the customer has attempted to use the phone?
If yes, this is an equipment issue.
Place a test call to the customer.
If the call connects and they still can’t be heard, there could possibly be a problem with the equipment.
If the calling party is getting dead air when dialing the customer, verify that auto answer is turned off.
When did the problem begin?
Is the customer picking up a 1X or EVDO signal on the handset?
Check signal strength.
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
If it is the Keypad sound, check phone settings for Keypad Volume.
If customer is stating that Keypad will not light up, check phones settings for Backlight.
If one or more keys do not function, it is an equipment issue.
No Ringer
If it is a ringing volume issue, check phone settings for ringing volume.
If it is not ringing at all, check phone for ringer settings. (i.e. Is it on Silence or Vibrate only?)
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
Are the charger lights lit (if available) or does the Battery meter on the handset scroll (showing charging)?
If yes, the issue is probably not the port, but a battery/handset issue, see Battery Charging Problem.
If no, check connections and try a different wall outlet.
Use another charger (or VPC) to test with? Does the phone charge with the second one?
If the problem occurs with more than one power source, then the problem will probably be with the handset.
If the phone charges with a different charger, the original charger is defective, not the handset.
Wiggle the charger connection in the handset port with a known working charger.
If the Handset intermittently starts and stops charging, it is probably a defective charging port on the handset.
Battery Charging Problem
Are the charger lights lit (if available) or does the Battery meter on the handset scroll (showing charging)?
Check connections and try a different wall outlet.
Are the connections between the phone and the battery clean?
Is there contact between the phone and battery ports? Are you having a problem with more than one battery? Does the phone work with the VPC or other charger?
If the problem occurs with more than one battery/power source, then the problem will probably be with the handset.
How old is the battery?
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
Wiggle the Data Cable connection in the handset port.
If the Handset intermittently starts and stops connecting, it is probably a defective data port on the handset.
Test with another data cable. Does the phone connect with the second one?
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
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.
Prolonged Talk time (more than 5 minutes)
During charging (home charger or car charger)
In very weak Signal areas (more power is needed to stay connected)
Older or Aftermarket battery being used
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.
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
Where is the customer located, have they had service there before?
Is the System Select set up properly? (ie Not on “Home Only”)
Is the phone programmed properly?
Determine when and where the problem is occurring.
Is the "No Service" indicator on regardless of location? If so, this indicates that there may be a problem with the equipment.
Advise customer to power phone off, remove battery, replace and power phone back on. (Power Cycle)
Educate the customer on limitations of wireless service. The customer may need to try the phone in a different location.
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:
Trees / Buildings / Basements, etc.
Elevation
Distance from cell tower
Capacity (Number of people on the network at one time)
Can’t Receive Calls
Can the customer make outgoing calls?
If not refer to Fast Busy / No Service guides.
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.
Place a test calls to the customer's phone.
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)?
Determine if the customer's calls are being forwarded. If calls are being forwarded, have the customer cancel Call Forwarding (*73).
Check the customer call restrictions in the billing system or handset.
Static
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:
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.
Check VZMap for coverage.
If the static only happens when calling a specific number, the problem is probably with the landline to that number.
If Consistently and Frequently:
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:
Trees / Buildings / Basements, etc.
Elevation
Distance from cell tower
Capacity (Number of people on the network at one time)
Display Problem
What is the display is showing? (i.e. blank, cracked, bleeding, flashing, frozen, etc.)
When did the problem start to occur?
Is the customer having issues with the backlight on the device?
Backlight
If the customer calls regarding the keypad backlight, ask the following:
What is the problem that is occurring? Is the backlight not turning on?
If the backlight is not working properly walk the customer through settings on the device to adjust or turn on the backlight settings.
Check user manual for specific instructions for each device.
Frozen Display
If the customers display is frozen remove the battery from the phone, reattach and power up the handset.
Blank Display
If a customer’s display is blank, check the handset for corrosion or liquid damage.
Have the customer remove the battery from the phone, reattach and power up the handset.
Coverage Issues
Check signal strength, if no bars of Service refer to the No Service section.
Check to insure this handset is capable of receiving the coverage the customer desires.
Power phone off, remove battery, replace battery and power on to see if that restores requested coverage.
Verify customer is in the requested type of coverage area using VZMap.
Call VZW to have them check the billing system for needed feature codes or blocks that would affect the requested service.
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
Check the customer’s equipment to ensure that they have a Picture Messaging capable handset.
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.
If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
Contact VZW to see if there is a possible PIX/FLIX outage.
If yes, advise the customer of the known issue.
If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
Ask VZW to check to make sure the customer has the correct feature codes on the account.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
Ask the customer if they are able to make & receive voice calls.
If voice doesn't work, messaging will not work. Select camera phones are digital only and will not operate in analog service areas.
If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
Find out if the customer is located in the National Enhanced Services Area? Does customer show 1X or EV on the phone?
You may Use VZW Map Tool to search by zip code, city, etc.
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.
If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
Is it happening when they are roaming?
If yes, make sure the customer is within the VZW National Enhanced Services Area.
If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
Ask the customer what is the message origin. (E-mail, handset, Web site, etc).
Problem may be with the source, try to replicate the problem.
If the issue is still unresolved, continue basic troubleshooting.
Ask the customer if there are any pictures messages in the Pix Inbox of the handset.
If yes, messages have been received at some point.