If you've got an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus running on AT&T, you may be experiencing more dropped calls that normal, particularly for people in areas where AT&T is working on rolling out VoLTE. Luckily, there's a quick and easy fix you can perform that should stop all your dropped calls in their tracks. Here's how!
How to fix dropped call issues on your AT&T iPhone 6 or 6 Plus
- Launch the Settings app.
- Tap on Cellular.
- Tap on Enable LTE.
- Tap on Data Only.
That's all there is to it. Using this setting, you will still enjoy fast data speeds with all the benefits of LTE, but your phone calls will not use LTE, but the older 4G network instead. Since most of the issues seem to be caused by VoLTE enhancements, this should stop dropped calls until the network rollout is complete in your area. We'd recommend trying to enable voice and data every now and again to see if AT&T has resolved the problem. If not, just toggle Data Only back on for a little while longer.
While we've gotten reports from AT&T users specifically in the Chicago area, I'd assume this trick would work for anyone that's having dropped call issues due to LTE enhancements in a given geographical area on any network. So if that sounds like you, give this a try and let me know how it works for you!
Reader comments
Is your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus dropping calls on AT&T? Here's the fix!
I thought you're going to suggest this fix: Switch to T-Mobile...!
Ha, Ha, you are so friggan funny you should tell your jokes down at the mental hospital they will love you??, switch to T Slowble??, Ahhhhh No.
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Ha, I have my 6 Plus on T-Mobile. Eventually they will also have a widespread rollout of VoLTE called "HD Voice" in previous press releases. It was shown on a Galaxy Note 3 a while back. Using Wi-Fi calling is very close to that ability in call clarity and has so far, worked like a champ on iOS being part of its overall design.
My old Galaxy S3 had it tacked on as a bloatware app which if you got too far from your router, your call would drop instead of a seamless handover to the T-Mobile network (still no VoLTE in California).
Using FaceTime audio, that is a great stopgap for the time being for any others with a LTE capable iPhone.
Otherwise it's back on 4G when talking with friends and family who use various other phones from Android devices to BlackBerry and Windows Phone which is still quite robust no matter how you look at it. 4G is still great but in raw speed, it doesn't stack up to the crazy fast speeds on T-Mobile.
A carrier that I've been with for sixteen years now.
me too I was number 1000 on Omnipoint -- than Voicestream - and T-Mo - great customer service and prices all these years, I get a $10 loyalty rebate every month, 2 unlimited lines for $103, I cut all my land-lines already. used a BB for the last 8 years, now switched to an I-phone 6, did not like the small screen of the I-phones 5 and before
LoL my iPhone 6 for tMobile keeps dropping calls and I think that this fix may apply to tmobile as well.
It is happening for me on Verizon. Is there a similar problem on Verizon?
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Yes. Had to shut it off for verizon, too. Verizon even lists that it is a 1.0 service. Not yet ready for prime time
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Yes it is happening on Verizon. They should it fixed by the end of the year..
Is there an issue on Verizon too?
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Yes
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I haven't experienced any issues when using the feature with Verizon.
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Kind of, but the problem is probably a bit different than on AT&T. The fix will solve your issues if you are experiencing them though.
Verizon rolled out VoLTE across its entire network with the flip of a switch. Verizon, however can't yet hand off from LTE down to 3G (almost all Verizon phones use 3G for voice minus iPhone 6 & Plus, Galaxy S5, and one LG model). If you start a call that started out on LTE, and are in an area with spotty LTE or driving and lose LTE coverage, your call will always drop. If you drop a call that started on LTE and see 3G instead of LTE when it drops, that is indeed your problem.
AT&T is adding VoLTE slowly by bringing a few markets online at a time. I'd guess they're tweaking things which will temporarily cause reception problems in markets they are bringing online. I'm not sure if AT&T can handoff voice calls between networks.
I have an iPhone 6 with AT&T, and my calls still use 4G and not LTE even with the setting enabled. Is it only available in very few locations?
Same for me. I assume it's in limited areas. I haven't seen a list.
What does lte do when calling do for me when calling? Confused
This was the first time I have had this happen. I travel a lot and was in Indiana now over night arrived in Columbus Ohio. I completely stopped receiving calls and all my calls outgoing were "Call Failed" I also stopped receiving email notifications. Went through this fix processes and now I am back up and running. Just a little disturbing when you live and die by your phone.
I understand why this is a fix on Verizon, as they specifically say VoLTE calls will not fall back to the older voice network. However, I don't understand why this is an issue on T-Mobile and AT&T where I thought they were implementing fall back if LTE were to drop.
Presumably their fall back isn't working as well as they thought it would...
Allyson could you share your iPad wallpaper please?
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Yes I have, thanks much!
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I was using voice and data in DFW without issue, but do not think ATT has rolled out VoLTE here yet. I have switched it to data only until I hear more.
Update: Just made a phone call and my 6+ drops to 4G for the phone call even if on Voice and data for the LTE setting.
Just like the 4...you're holding it wrong.
I had this same issue on my iPhone 5, and it started happening to my 6 recently. I wish I had a cell phone that could reliably take a call vs some beta roll out feature implemented poorly.
I know this is an older article, but it still pertains today! This is in Northern California....
I had two iPhone 6 phones that could not call my home phone, and my home phone (uverse voip) could not call them. My Galaxy and iPhone 5, no problems. Tested with friends iPhone 6, same issue. Home to iPhone 6=fast busy signal. iPhone 6 to home=dropped call as soon as home phone picked up. This went on for some months, even spent countless hours on phone with AT&T, both wireless and uVerse. No solution. My rage came to a boil when upgraded iPhone 5 to iPhone 6s and had no such problem. Now I was on a serious hunt for a solution. Stumbled on to this page after tons of searching and hours of resetting, updating, etc...Simply switching from "voice and data" to "data only" solved my ongoing problem.
Cannot thank you enough for ending this never ending headache!!!