How to fix No Service Error, other signal issues with your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and other Galaxy smartphones

This post contains standard troubleshooting procedures and workarounds used to fix 'No Service,''No Signal' error and other signal problems you may encounter with your Samsung Galaxy handset such as the Galaxy S4, S5, S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge Plus, Note 4, and Note 5. These methods are also applicable to other Galaxy variants including the Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy Tabs and Galaxy A3.

Note: Menu settings and options may vary depending on the carrier and OS platform the phone is running on.

Signal issues like No Service, Emergency calls only, or No Signal errors are often due to several factors including network outage, bad SIM card, incorrect settings, or hardware damage on the device. Other cases of No Signal or No Service problem are tied to some environmental factors like location signal barriers. Other possible interference include third-party casing or accessories. Another thing you have to consider as a potential culprit is a third-party app that may be causing conflict to your phone's network functionality.

The best way to fix the problem is by looking into the possible causes beforehand.  This means you need to think back of what has happened before the problem instigates. For example, did your phone shows No Service or No Signal all of a sudden, after downloading or installing an app, and the like. This way, it would be easier for you to isolate the problem and determine the underlying cause.

Troubleshooting Procedures

Step 1. Check for network outage.

The first thing to do is the your phone suddenly shows No Signal, No Service, or other signal errors is to check for possible network outage. In this regard, contact your Internet Service Provider or network service carrier to verify if there are any outages affecting network services in your location. In case you are getting poor signal or no reception in specific locations verify with your carrier about their current network coverage.

Step 2. Verify account status.

Generally, carriers will temporarily disable your services if your account is bad standing. For example, you may have failed to pay your previous bills for some reasons and this has resulted to your account being placed in an inactive status. In this case, contact your carrier and settle your accountability to resume services.

Step 3. Verify the SIM card.

Sometimes, it may be a bad SIM card that is causing you this trouble. It could be that the SIM card is loose or damaged and needs to be replaced. To determine if the SIM card is fine, try to remove the SIM card from your device and then re-insert it. Make sure it's properly placed into the SIM card tray and that it's secured. Just be sure to power off your phone completely before you remove the SIM card.

For further assistance in SIM card testing, please contact your carrier. Or you can also try to exchange SIM cards between the devices if you have another device using the same network. This will help you know whether or not the SIM card is damaged.

If you've just switched to another carrier and kept using the same phone, and then it's showing No Service, No Signal, or Emergency calls only, then you need to contact your previous carrier for a SIM unlock. Usually, your device needs to be reprogrammed by your current carrier to activate their service.

Step 4. Soft reset or reboot.

A soft reset often helps in fixing device issues caused by minor software bugs or system glitches. That said, perform a soft reset or simply reboot your device.

Step 5. Check your network settings.

Make sure Airplane mode is not activated. Disable Airplane Mode, if needed. To check, open the Quick Settings and locate the Airplane Mode switch. To launch the Quick Settings, swipe down from the top of the screen. Toggle the Airplane Mode on and off and see if there are any changes afterwards.

Step 6: Verify Mobile Network settings and manually search for available networks.

Make sure Mobile data is enabled on your device. Go to Settings-> Mobile networks-> tap on Network Mode, and then select WCDMA/GSM (auto connect) option. Next, select Network operators and tap on Search networks. Allow your phone to scan for available network. Once the search is complete, select your carrier from the list and restart your device.

Step 7. Boot your phone into Safe Mode.

If the problem occurs after installing a new app, there's a higher chance that the problem is triggered by the app. To determine whether it's due to faulty third-party app or not, boot your device into Safe Mode and diagnose your phone. To boot into Safe Mode, follow these steps:

• Power off your phone.
• Hold the Volume Down while powering your phone back on.
• Once the phone has booted up in Safe Mode completely, try to make a test call.

If it works just fine, then you may need to consider disabling or uninstalling downloaded apps.

Step 7. Hard Reset/Master Reset/Factory Reset

If your device is still unable to get a signal or network service after performing all prior troubleshooting methods, then your last resort would be a hard reset. The process will reset your phone to factory defaults, which means losing all your personal information from the phone including photos, contacts, apps, and documents. That said, be sure to backup all your important contents before you begin. Once you're all set, follow these steps:

• Tap Apps from a Home screen.
• Tap Settings.
• Tap Backup and Reset.
• Tap to select Factory Data Reset.
• Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the reset process.

Your phone will then reboot and you'll to go through the initial setup.

Other Helpful Workarounds:

• Remove any third-party accessories or casing. Third-party accessories are not schemed as that with the OEM's. So there's a higher chances that they wouldn't fit with your device even though they are usable. To isolate the problem, try to remove any third-party casing and see if there are any changes without them on your device.

• Ensure your phone is running the latest Android software version. This will help you optimize your device. Also, software updates also contain fix patches to certain bugs or software glitches. 

• Check your device for any possible damage (liquid or physical damage). Your Samsung smartphone is designed with a Liquid Damage Indicator (LDI) located on the battery and in the battery compartment. The LDI should appear in solid white, or white with pink or purple Xs. Other than that color denotes a potential damage to certain components on your device, which resulted to the No Service or other signal problems you are experiencing. In this regard, you can set up an appointment with an authorized Samsung technician to check your device and repair if needed. 

Contact your carrier or network provider if you are getting other SIM card errors and that you are unable to connect to your carrier's network.