V20 Android Calls Not Coming Through on US Cellular? Here’s What Actually Fixed It For Me
Last month my LG V20 Android phone basically stopped ringing. Texts were coming through fine, data worked, but calls? Nothing. People told me later they’d tried calling three or four times and it just went straight to voicemail without my phone ever showing a missed call. If you’re running a V20 Android phone on US Cellular and dealing with the same thing, I went down this rabbit hole so you don’t have to.
Quick Answer
If V20 Android Calls Not Coming Through on US Cellular, the fastest fixes are: toggle Airplane Mode on and off, turn off Wi-Fi Calling and then back on, disable “Enhanced Calling” (VoLTE/5G calling) in your network settings, and check that Do Not Disturb isn’t silently blocking calls. Since the V20 is an older device, it’s also worth confirming your SIM is still compatible with US Cellular’s updated network if the software fixes don’t work, that’s usually the next step.
Why This Is Happening (It’s Not Just You)
Before I get into the fixes, it’s worth knowing the context. US Cellular has been in the middle of a major network transition, with parts of its infrastructure moving over to T-Mobile’s network. A lot of people have reported sudden call issues tied to this switch, including calls going straight to voicemail, delayed text bursts, and “SOS mode” appearing out of nowhere on phones that worked fine for years. Older SIM cards sometimes aren’t fully compatible with the updated network, which is a bigger deal than most people expect for something this small.
The LG V20 is an older device at this point, which makes it more likely to hit compatibility snags as US Cellular updates its network infrastructure. So if your V20 was working fine and then suddenly wasn’t, it’s not always something you did.
Fix #1: Toggle Airplane Mode
This sounds too simple to matter, but it forces your phone to fully disconnect and reconnect to the nearest tower, which resolves a surprising number of “stuck” connection issues.
- Swipe down to open Quick Settings
- Tap Airplane Mode to turn it ON
- Wait a full 10 seconds
- Turn it back OFF
- Try making or receiving a call
Fix #2: Turn Wi-Fi Calling Off, Then Back On
Wi-Fi Calling is supposed to help when cellular signal is weak, but a corrupted Wi-Fi Calling connection can actually block calls entirely instead of helping.
- Open your Phone app
- Tap the three-dot menu (top right)
- Go to Settings > Connections or Network & Internet
- Find Wi-Fi Calling and switch it OFF
- Restart your phone
- Turn Wi-Fi Calling back ON
Fix #3: Disable Enhanced Calling / VoLTE (This One Worked For Me)
This is the fix that actually solved it for me, and it’s the least obvious one. “Enhanced Calling” is a 5G/VoLTE feature that’s supposed to improve call quality, but in a lot of areas it does the opposite and interferes with basic signal stability.
- Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks
- Look for Enhanced Calling or VoLTE
- Turn it OFF
- Make sure your network mode is set to LTE/CDMA instead of 5G-only
- Restart your phone
Some phones won’t let you toggle this directly. If that’s the case, you’ll need to call US Cellular support and ask them to disable Enhanced Calling on their end for your line, then repeat the steps above.
Fix #4: Check Call Forwarding Settings
If calls are silently forwarding somewhere else (even to voicemail immediately), you’ll never see them ring.
- Open Phone app > three-dot menu > Settings
- Go to Supplementary Services > Call Forwarding > Voice Call
- Turn OFF all forwarding options
Fix #5: Check Your Block List and Do Not Disturb
Easy to overlook, especially if a caller was accidentally blocked or DND turned itself on after a software update.
- Settings > Do Not Disturb > confirm it’s off, or that “allow calls” exceptions are set correctly
- Phone app > Blocked Numbers > confirm the number trying to reach you isn’t listed
Fix #6: Reset Network Settings
If nothing above works, a full network reset clears out corrupted carrier configurations.
- Settings > System > Reset Options
- Tap “Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth”
- Confirm and restart
Note: this will remove saved Wi-Fi passwords and Bluetooth pairings, so only do this if the lighter fixes didn’t work.
Fix #7: Check Microphone Permissions for the Phone App
Some users get calls that connect but then can’t hear or be heard, which can look like calls “not working.”
- Settings > Apps > Phone (or Dialer)
- Tap Permissions
- Make sure Microphone is set to Allowed
Fix #8: SIM Card Swap
If you’ve tried everything above and calls still aren’t coming through, the SIM itself may not be compatible with the updated network infrastructure. This is common enough during the US Cellular/T-Mobile transition that it’s worth ruling out early if the other fixes don’t help. Visit a US Cellular store for a free SIM replacement, or call support and ask them to check if your line has been fully migrated.
How to Check If It’s a Network Outage (Not Your Phone)
Before you spend an hour digging through settings, it’s worth ruling out whether calls not coming through is actually a tower or account issue on US Cellular’s end. This step alone saved me from resetting my network settings for nothing.
- Ask a family member or friend on a different carrier to call you and see if it rings
- Check US Cellular’s official support page for any listed outages in your area
- Log into your US Cellular account and confirm your line shows as active, not suspended or “pending migration”
- Try calling from a completely different location, since a bad local tower can cause calls not coming through even when everything on your phone is set up correctly
If calls still aren’t coming through no matter where you are, it’s much more likely a device or SIM issue rather than a network outage, and you can move straight to the fixes below.
V20-Specific Software Update Steps
Since the V20 is an older device, a few settings live in slightly different menus than on newer phones, and it’s easy to miss the update that actually fixes calls not coming through.
- Go to Settings > About Phone > Software Update
- Check for any pending carrier update, not just an Android OS update these are separate on the V20
- If an update is available, connect to Wi-Fi and install it before trying any of the fixes above
- After updating, restart the phone and toggle Airplane Mode once (Fix #1) to force it to grab the new carrier profile
A lot of V20 owners skip this step because the phone doesn’t always show update notifications clearly, but an outdated carrier profile is one of the more common reasons calls stop coming through after a network change.
Troubleshooting Table
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Calls go straight to voicemail | Call forwarding enabled | Fix #4 |
| No ring, no missed call notification | Enhanced Calling / VoLTE conflict | Fix #3 |
| Calls connect but no audio | Microphone permission blocked | Fix #7 |
| Works on Wi-Fi, not on data | Network settings corrupted | Fix #6 |
| Started after a known outage/update | SIM/tower compatibility | Fix #8 |
| Random, inconsistent issue | Airplane mode / Wi-Fi calling glitch | Fix #1 or #2 |
Pro Tips
- If the issue started suddenly with no changes on your end, check for local outages before assuming it’s your phone carrier-side tower maintenance is common and looks identical to a device problem.
- Keep your phone’s software updated. Carrier network configs are often pushed through system updates, and an outdated phone can miss critical fixes.
- If you’re getting delayed message bursts along with the call issue, that’s a strong sign it’s network-side, not your device.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Resetting network settings first — do this last, not first. It wipes saved networks and rarely fixes VoLTE-specific issues anyway.
- Assuming it’s your phone’s fault — during a known carrier transition, tower and SIM issues are just as likely as device settings.
- Ignoring Do Not Disturb — this is one of the most overlooked causes because the phone still “looks” normal.
What Actually Causes This (In Plain Terms)
If you’re wondering why calls not coming through happens in the first place, it usually comes down to one of three things: your phone’s radio settings are misconfigured (VoLTE, Wi-Fi Calling), your SIM’s provisioning is out of sync with the network, or the tower your phone is registering to is mid-transition and dropping voice traffic while still allowing data. On the V20 specifically, the combination of an aging radio chipset and a rapidly changing network on US Cellular’s side makes it more prone to all three at once. That’s why the fixes above start with the cheapest, fastest checks and only move to a SIM swap once those are ruled out.
FAQ
Voice calls and SMS route through different parts of the network. It’s common for data/text to work while voice calling specifically fails due to VoLTE or tower configuration issues.
Not always. Try the software fixes first. If none work and calls not coming through has lasted more than a few days, a SIM swap is worth trying since it’s usually free.
Yes, a number of users have reported similar call problems tied to the network’s transition toward T-Mobile infrastructure, particularly with older SIM cards. Older devices like the LG V20 seem more prone to it since they’re more likely to be running an outdated SIM or firmware version.
It can still work, but because it’s an older device, you may need a SIM replacement or a manual network settings update to stay fully compatible as US Cellular continues its network transition.
Sometimes, especially if it’s a temporary tower reconnection issue. It’s the fastest thing to try before anything else.
Usually same-day if you visit a US Cellular store in person. Mail-order SIM replacements can take a few business days, so if the issue is urgent, an in-store swap is the faster route.
In some cases yes, especially if the update includes an updated carrier profile. It won’t help if the root cause is SIM compatibility, but it’s worth ruling out first since it costs nothing to check.
When to Just Call US Cellular Support Directly
If you’ve gone through every fix above and calls are still not coming through, it’s not worth losing more time guessing. Contact US Cellular’s support team directly and specifically mention that you’re on a V20 and calls aren’t coming through even though data and texts work — this detail helps their team skip straight to checking your SIM provisioning and Enhanced Calling settings on their end instead of running you through the same basic steps again. Have your account number and phone’s IMEI ready, since they’ll likely need both to check if your line has fully completed the network migration.
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