Ask Arthur
Ask Arthur: Why does
my network vanish?
A reader says she recently did a SIM swap and now her network connection keeps disappearing. ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK suggests possible causes.
Q: I recently did a SIM swap and now find my network connection keeps disappearing. What is causing it?
A: It’s difficult to give a firm answer without seeing how and when the problem occurs. However, the main culprit is likely to be load shedding. As these scheduled power outages continue, the battery backups on cellular towers can no longer keep up. The tower’s power supply simply dies, and your cellphone signal along with it. More than four years ago, Cell C blamed a nationwide outage on load shedding, even when it was not as frequent as now.
The most likely reason is that the SIM card itself may be at fault. First, make sure it is properly installed by removing it and carefully reinserting it. Second, if the circuit embedded in it is scratched or otherwise damaged, it may not work at all, or give intermittent access. Have it checked at the outlet where it was supplied, or where your provider advises you to take it for checking.
However, there are several other issues at play. If you are in an area with a weak mobile signal (check the number of bars shown at the top of your phone screen), even bad weather can affect the signal, and it may disappear at times. If you have a strong Wi-Fi signal, that could have caused your phone to go offline on the mobile network. Turn off Wi-Fi and see if the signal returns.
And then the handset itself may be the problem. Even brand new phones can be faulty, and not always connect properly with the SIM card. The solution there is to restart your device to clear system processes. You can also try manually setting your mobile network, since some handsets automatically select a network, and may not choose the strongest signal. If you are using a power saving mode, your phone will also reduce signal strength.
We’ve also seen the excuse that when too many devices are connected to the same cell tower, network quality drops, but that is hardly a reason not to see your network at all.
If the problem persists, contact your mobile service provider for guidance.
