New updates are added at the bottom of this story…….
The original story (published July 7, 2022) follows:
Samsung offers four handsets in its previous generation Galaxy S21 lineup. It includes Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra and S21 FE (Fan Edition).
All of these devices are currently running on the latest One UI 4.1 based on Android 12. Also, they are listed to get monthly security patches.
While security patches aim to fix security vulnerabilities and bugs and keep devices running smoothly, sometimes they can do the opposite.
Galaxy S21 does not receive calls or texts
That said, some Galaxy S21 owners are now (1, 2, 3) reporting issues receiving calls and text messages (SMS) after the June 2022 update. calls or send text messages.
Here are some reports for reference:
After receiving an update on June 18, my phone is not receiving any calls, people trying to reach me can hear a ringtone but I can’t see anything in my phone. I tried putting my sim card in another phone and it works perfectly. I can however make outgoing calls correctly. (Source)
An update (I think the G996BXXU5CVF1) was pushed to my phone today. After the update, I can’t make or receive calls. It seems that a few others have this problem. Is there a way to revert to an earlier update? (Source)
As evident from the reports above, the June 2022 update broke two of the most basic smartphone functions for Galaxy S21 users.
Unfortunately, generic troubleshooting steps like clearing the cache and restarting the device don’t seem to fix the problem.
Luckily, users managed to find workarounds that might do the trick. You can check them out below.
Workaround 1:
So I ended up flashing the previous version and I will not update to the newer version on this phone. I tried the newer version first, flashed that with a factory rest and had the same issues. Flashed the previous version and everything works as before. (Source)
Workaround 2:
Hi. I tried a new SIM card with the same problem (only the first call was successful). Then I tried one last idea: I forced the phone to stay on the 3G/2G network and hey… IT WORKS. But obviously the data connection is horrible. The problem seems to be related to 5G/4G connectivity. (Source)
Additionally, a Samsung Care ambassador on the community forum stated that this issue occurs on international variants and users will need to contact regional Samsung support. Here is the full statement:
Other than that, we haven’t come across any acknowledgment from the support team. However, we’ll be keeping an eye out for the latest developments and updating this story as anything noteworthy arises.
Update 1 (July 12)
11:32 a.m. (IST): Samsung has released the July 2022 patch for Galaxy S21 users in the US. However, there is no indication if this solves the problem with calls and texts.
Update 2 (July 14)
10:48 a.m. (IST): Some users are now reporting that this problem persists even after updating the device with the July 2022 patch.
Update 3 (July 15)
12:12 p.m. (IST): One of the affected users confirmed that this issue was resolved after manually downgrading and installing the May 2022 Patch.
So, users can try rolling back to the previous version as a potential workaround and see if that helps.
Update 4 (July 21)
12:02 p.m. (IST): Samsung Galaxy S22 owners are also reporting (1, 2) the issue where they cannot receive or make calls after the recent update. In addition, the SMS do not go through or are sent twice.
Unfortunately, Samsung has not yet acknowledged this problem. However, we’ll keep an eye out for the latest developments and let you know if we find anything noteworthy.
Update 5 (July 25)
10:37 a.m. (IST): According to those affected, the problem with calling and texting on the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 devices is caused by an incorrect CSC code in the June update.
Also, this issue would be fixed in the upcoming August 2022 update which is expected to be available for Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 on August 1 and August 8 respectively.
Update 6 (July 26)
10:36 a.m. (IST): Samsung has now acknowledged the ongoing calls and texting issue on the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 and is working to fix it.
However, our team is aware of this and as soon as we have more information about the fix on this, we will let you know. My sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused. ^ Alfred (Source)
Update 7 (July 27)
1:19 p.m. (IST): One of the affected people explained how you can go back to the previous version to fix the problem with calls and texts on the Galaxy S21.
Update 8 (July 28)
12:08 p.m. (IST): Verizon support has reportedly confirmed that the July 2022 update for the Galaxy S21 which includes a fix for the call and text issue has been delayed.
However, it should be available at all times as the rollout was supposed to start at the end of the month.
Thanks for the tip: Matthew Reiter!
To note: We have more stories like this in our dedicated Samsung section, so be sure to follow those as well.
Featured Image Source – Samsung Mobile Press
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