If you are a Straight Talk subscriber who own a Galaxy S3 and currently bugged by a problem or two, then this post may be able to help you. We are still the fourth part of our Straight Talk Galaxy S3 problems troubleshooting series but we will be publishing more articles like this in the following weeks or months.
We are not trying to compete with Straight Talk because apparently, we don’t have tools its reps use in fixing the problems. We are simply trying to help our readers who contacted us about their problems. If you continue reading, you will notice there are problems that can’t be fixed because its either they’re network- or account-related issues.
Feel free to email us about your problems at mailbag@thedroidguy.com but provide all necessary details so that we can easily and accurately assess your concern. If you want to be helped via social networks, post your concerns on our Facebook wall and/or Google+ page.
The following are problems I addressed in this post. Click on a link to go to a specific problem:
Can’t Add Minutes
Can’t Browse the Internet via Mobile Data
Can’t Send/Receive MMS
Won’t Charge
Calls Are Routed To Voicemail
Can’t Make A Call
Can’t Send/Receive SMS
Calls Constantly Drop
Callers Can’t Hear the Owner
Can’t Add More Contacts
Can’t Browse the Web
Randomly Shuts Down and Boots Up
Can’t Make A Call After Adding Minutes
Can’t Send / Receive Text Messages
Can’t Add Minutes to Straight Talk Galaxy S3
Problem: Hello droid guys, my phone is a Samsung Galaxy S3 and I bought it at Walmart last month. In the first month my phone is working great. However, just this week, I cannot anymore add minutes on my phone. For the past 3 days Straight Talk deducted an amount 3 times from my bank account. I’m not a tech savvy person, I don’t know if there’s something wrong with my phone or with Straight talk. I also contacted the tech support but they’re keep on saying that I need to add minutes so that my phone will work. And I told the tech guy that I already added minutes 3 times and straight talk deducted an amount 3 times from my credit card. I don’t know what’s the issue of my phone, I’ll wait for any suggestions on how to fix my phone. Thank you and more power! — April
Suggestion: Hey April. Apparently, this is an account-related problem and third-parties don’t have access to Straight Talk’s system. But since you’ve contacted us regarding this issue, then we’ll do our best in providing sound advice.
First off, if the rep told you that you need to add minutes to your phone or account, then it must be showing in their system that your account has been “deactivated.” At least, that’s the logical term for account that aren’t “active.” You need to add minutes to your account to “reactivate” it and if successful, you can use the services again.
The problem is, you already attempted a few times but the transactions didn’t go through. Obviously, it’s neither a problem with your phone nor your account but Straight Talk’s system. If you’ve been charged 3 times, demand that you’ll be repaid for the other two transactions. If a rep can’t help you, ask for a supervisor, then ask for the manager, or even talk to the CEO of the company if they can’t figure out what the problem is.
Can’t Browse the Internet via Mobile Data
Problem: Hi Harold, I have a Galaxy S3 from other service provider and just this week I transferred over to Straight Talk because of there cheap unlimited plan. In the first few days, I can simply browse the web anytime and anywhere, but for the past 2 days my internet is not working even when my mobile data is turned On. I called straight talk yesterday and they changed the APN settings of my phone and after that I can again browse the web. But just this morning, again I cannot browse the web. I have an unlimited call, text and data plan in straight talk but why I cannot use my data? Is there something wrong with my phone? I’m tired calling the tech support because they can’t fix the issue. I hope you can help me with my issue. — Mark
Troubleshooting: Hey Mark. I encountered a couple of issues with S3 before wherein the APN will revert to its default settings especially after a reboot or restart. This, of course, was due to old caches in the phone’s memory. The device may revert back to the default APN because the cache that handles the data is still there. You need to clear the cache so that the phone will not revert back to original settings. This might be your case, although there’s another possibility that Straight Talk changed its APN.
So, here’s what you need to do:
Call Straight Talk’s hotline and ask for the correct APN. Jot it down or ask the rep to send it to your via SMS. Yes, they can do that.
Change the APN in your phone and see if that works.
If mobile data works after changing the APN, wipe the cache partition.
Since you can’t manipulate the caches of core services individually, your only option is to wipe the cache partition. It is the directory where all caches are saved. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do it but just follow the steps below and you’ll be fine:
Turn off the phone completely.
Press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power
When the phone vibrates, release the Power button but continue holding the other two until Android System Recovery screen appears.
Use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power button to select it.
Highlight ‘reboot system now’ and hit the Power key.
Straight Talk Galaxy S3 Can’t Send/Receive MMS
Problem: Hi droid guys, I’m with straight talk for almost a year and I don’t have issues with their service. But just this week my phone cannot receive and send a picture message. I already tried those troubleshooting steps that the tech guy provided to me yesterday, I turned off and on the phone but still I cannot receive and send a picture message. I also configured the APN settings of my phone as what the tech guy told me but there’s no use. By the way my phone is Samsung Galaxy S3. Any suggestion to fix my phone is a huge help to me. Thank you! — John
Related Problem: Hello guys, I have a Galaxy S3 from other service provider and transferred to straight talk service. By the way, my phone is 6 months old and I purchased it from AT&T. The issue started a few days ago after I subscribed on straight talk service. I can make a call and send and receive a text message but the MMS is not working. I turned off and on my phone but still I cannot receive and send a picture message. The other day I contacted the tech support of straight talk and changed the APN settings, but the issue still not fix. I don’t know what to do with my phone, the tech support of straight talk is useless the representative told me to wait for 24 hours but until now my MMS is not working. I hope you can help me fix my phone. Thanks!
Troubleshooting: Hey John. Multimedia messaging has a very straightforward process; just make sure mobile data is turned, then verify your account has data credits and that you have the correct APN settings in your phone. There are two APN settings, one for the internet while the other for MMS. Make sure that when you call tech support, the rep is checking the correct one. Straight Talk reps can help you better with this problem, so don’t hesitate to call the hotline.
Straight Talk Galaxy S3 Won’t Charge
Problem: Hello guys, I have a Galaxy S3 for almost 5 months and I subscribed on straight talk unlimited promo. The issue started after my phone shutdown automatically, and after that my phone is not charging . I don’t have any issues with my internet or making a call and sending a text message. However, the battery of my phone is new and I also bought a new charger but my phone still not charging. I also called the tech support but they cannot give me a resolution on the issue, what they’re doing is, they want to turn off and on my phone but I cannot turn on my phone because the battery is already empty. I hate calling the tech guy it’s just a waste of time. I don’t know what’s wrong with my phone, I hope you can help me with my problem guys. Thank you and more power! — Miles
Troubleshooting: Hi Miles. Since I don’t know the history of your phone, we’ll start from the basic troubleshooting. First off, open the back cover and pull the battery out. Press and hold the power key for a minute, then replace the battery and the back cover. Make sure the battery connectors are touching the pins on the phone. Plug the phone in to charge and let it charge for, at least, 10 minutes. After that, attempt to turn the phone on. If it won’t turn on, then try a new charger with a different USB cable. If you don’t have access to such things, try plugging the phone in to your computer just to see if it will charge. If not, then send the phone in for repair as there could be some issues with the USB charge port.
Calls Are Routed To Voicemail
Problem: Hi guys, I have a Galaxy S3 from AT&T and transferred over to Straight talk last month. In the first month, my phone was working great, I can make call and send a text messages to my friends. However, just this week my phone cannot anymore make a call. The signal bars are full, and every time I make a call I can only hear a busy tone. So, I tried calling my number in one of my phones, it ring but the call suddenly routed to the voicemail. There’s no problem with my plan because I subscribed on the unlimited promo of Straight talk. I also contacted the tech support but they’re confused about the issue, for a few hours talking to the tech guy and following those troubleshooting steps that he provided and after that the issue is still the same. I’m tired calling the tech support because they cannot fix the issue. I’m hoping you can help me guys about the issue of my phone. I’ll wait on your reply and thank you! — Paul
Troubleshooting: Hey, Paul. Unfortunately, when it comes to voicemail, there’s only one thing users can do and that’s to set it up. But basically, even the set up is done in the provider’s system and what users are doing are actually initiate (or ask the system) the setup. That said, there’s nothing we can do to troubleshoot voicemail related issues.
I understand why you don’t want to call tech support but for now, there’s nothing much we can do about it. The thing is, your provider is the only one that can fix this issue. I know that because I worked as a tech support for a wireless company before and we have a tool that can fix this problem in one click; the phone number just needs to be “reactivated.”
So, please, call Straight Talk. If one rep can’t fix the problem, try another rep or ask for a supervisor or manager to look into your problem.
Can’t Make A Call on Straight Talk Galaxy S3
Problem: I bought a Straight Talk phone last week at Walmart and subscribed on their unlimited promo which is the $45 plan. After I ported my phone number from other service provider to straight talk the tech guy told me to wait for 24 hours to complete the porting of my number. After 24 hours, my phone is working, but after a few days I cannot anymore make a call but I can send a text message. I contacted the tech support and spent 2 hours talking with the representative but the issue is still the same. I turned the phone off and on but nothing works. I don’t know what is happening on my phone right now. And by the way my phone is a Samsung Galaxy S3 and this is new. Please help me guys about the issue of my phone. Thank you and more power! — Liza
Suggestion: Hi Liza. I understand the rep told you to wait for just 24 hours to regain your service after the port but fact is, porting will take 24 to 48 (I know cases that went beyond this time span) hours to complete. Within this time span, the service may work intermittently. Of course, if the problem persists after 2 or 3 days, you need Straight Talk’s help to fix the problem. There’s nothing much we can do about it considering the fact that it is account-related issue. I am sure the reps will be happy to assist you, if not, then ask for their manager or ask to be transferred to a higher level of support.
Straight Talk Galaxy S3 Can’t Send/Receive SMS
Problem: Hi guys, I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 under by straight talk and I bought it at Walmart 6 months ago. For the past 6 months my phone is working fine, I can make a call, send a text and picture messages and browse the web. However, just this few days my phone cannot anymore send and receive text messages. It’s weird that I can make a call and receive a picture messages but I cannot receive and send a text message. I spent few hours talking with the representative and changed the APN settings of my phone but nothing works. We also do the hard reset of my phone but still I cannot send and receive a text message. I’m not a tech person, I don’t know if the issue of my phone will be fix. Any suggestions is a big help for me, I’ll wait for any response coming from you guys. Thank you! — Hailey
Troubleshooting: Hailey, first of all, check if you still have enough credits in your account to send / receive text messages. I understand you already called tech support and performed factory reset to no avail. This proves the problem is not with the phone but your account or, at least, it’s on Straight Talk’s side.
Basically, there’s nothing much we can do about the problem so call Straight Talk’s tech support again and this time inquire about the status of your account. It’s better that they will be the ones to check on their end as they have more access to their services. I know it’s difficult to explain yourself over and over to different reps but only they can fix this problem for you.
During my tenure as a tech support, problems like this were very common and we had a tool that would give us an idea where things went wrong. I’m sure ST’s reps also have their tools to examine their subscribers’ accounts. As for you, try to stay with the rep until the issue is fixed.
Calls Constantly Drop on Straight Talk Galaxy S3
Problem: Hello droid guys, I have a Galaxy S3 from T-mobile and I transferred over to straight talk last week. I don’t have problems with my phone after I transferred service with straight talk. But this past few days I encountered an issue with my phone, every time that I make a call the call dropped constantly. I checked the signal bars and the signal is full, I also turned off and on the phone but it’s not helping. I tried calling the tech support and spent an hour talking and doing those troubleshooting steps that the representative provided. But after talking to the tech guy the issue is still the same, the call still dropped. I don’t’ know what s really the issue of my phone. Is it the phone or with straight talk? Please help me guys, thank you and more power! — Janus
Troubleshooting: Well, if you ask Straight Talk about it, you’ll be told it’s the phone but if you ask Samsung, it’s your provider. You really cannot get an answer to your question because both parties would deny it. But I think you could answer your own question. If this problem was happening before transferred over to Straight Talk network, then it must be the phone that has a problem. Perhaps, its radio signal receiver isn’t functioning well.
However, if your service became crappy after you transferred over to Straight Talk, then there’s a big possibility that it’s a network-related issue or, at least, it’s on their side not the phone. Because of that, there’s nothing we can do but wait for them until they can fix it. Call tech support again but before doing so, backup all your data and perform full master reset so they can’t blame the phone. Their tech support reps may be so conscious about their call handling time that they don’t want to spend more time with their subscribers troubleshooting the problem so ask for a manager right away.
Callers Can’t Hear the Owner
Problem: Hi guys, I purchased a Galaxy S3 at Walmart 8 months ago and subscribed to straight talk unlimited plan. During my first 7 months my phone is working great. However, just this month my phone is not working properly, every time I call somebody, they cannot hear me talking. I turned Off and On my phone but the issue still not fix. So, I decided to call the customer service of straight talk and we did a lot of troubleshooting, and after an hour the issue is still the same. It’s so frustrating that you spend an hour talking to the representative and after that the issue is not fix. I hope guys you can help me with my issue. Thank you! — Melchor
Troubleshooting: Hey Melchor. It’s apparently a microphone problem. The Galaxy S2 has two microphones, the one that’s problematic is at the bottom beside the USB/utility port. There were a lot of cases wherein dust corroded the hole so the voice can’t reach the mic. Carefully to clean the hole or give it a mild blast of compressed air to see if it would make a difference. If not, then it’s time you brought the phone to a technician to have it thoroughly checked and diagnosed. If damaged, it can easily be replaced but everything depends on the tech.
Straight Talk Galaxy S3 Can’t Add More Contacts
Problem: Hello droid guys, last week I purchased a Galaxy S3 under by Straight talk and immediately subscribed on their unlimited promo. In the first few days, my phone is perfectly fine until I noticed that my Galaxy S3 can only hold for about 15 names and 15 phone numbers. Error message always showed on the screen saying “space was low”. And I’m also confused why my phone had no downloads and I only have Facebook. I called the customer service for help but the representative don’t have any idea what is happening on my phone. They’re keep on saying that my phone has a plenty of space. But why I cannot enter more phone numbers on my phone? It’s so frustrating that they cannot fix the issue. I’m hoping that you will reply about my concern. Thank you guys and more power! — Max
Troubleshooting: It’s probably just a glitch, Max. But honestly, I haven’t encountered this issue before. Okay, so your phone is quite new and I’m not sure how much data you’ve already saved in its internal storage but it would be better if you reset the phone as early as now. After the reset try adding as many contacts as possible and if the problem still persists, then at least we know it has issues out of the box. Have it replaced immediately. I’m sure you don’t want a phone that’s defective since day 1, right?
Straight Talk Galaxy S3 Can’t Browse the Web
Problem: Hello, I have a Galaxy S3 purchased from other service provider and I also bought a straight talk simcard at Walmart last week. After I activated my simcard I can easily make a call and browse the web. However, since yesterday until now I cannot browse the web. I called the customer service last night and told them that I cannot browse the web, but after an hour talking to the representative the only thing he told to me that “he cannot fix the issue of my phone”. It’s very frustrating that I have an unlimited data but I cannot use my internet. I asked the representative if there’s something wrong with my phone but he cannot give me an exact answer about my question. I hope you can help guys about my issue. Thank you and more power! — Justin
Troubleshooting: Justin, the problem is with the phone but you need to get the correct information from Straight Talk. Call the tech support hotline using a different phone but instead of telling the rep you can’t browse the web, ask for the correct APN Settings. You can jot it down or have it sent to your phone via SMS. Once you go the correct APN, have the rep walk you through editing or adding a new APN in your phone. After everything is set, you will be able to browse the web but make sure mobile data is enabled in the first place.
Straight Talk Galaxy S3 Randomly Shuts Down and Boots Up
Problem: Hi, I bought a Samsung Galaxy S3 from straight talk last year. Just this month my phone is not working properly. There’s an instance that my phone will automatically shutdown and will automatically turn on. I tried to remove the battery and wait for a minute before turning On my phone, but after a few minutes the issue occur again. I also do the hard reset on my phone but nothing works. Last week I called straight talk and they reset again my phone but the issue is still the same. The representative told me that they cannot anymore send me a new phone because it’s already out of warranty. I don’t have an idea why I have this issue on my phone. I’ll wait for any suggestion coming from you guys. Thanks! — James
Troubleshooting: Hey James. First of all, I’m interested to know what app you were using when the phone shut down. Also, does the phone keeps vibrating once it shuts down?
Let’s isolate the problem. Try booting the S3 in safe mode to temporarily disable all third-party apps.
Turn the phone off completely.
Press and hold the Power button.
When the Galaxy S3 screen appears, release the Power button.
Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume Down key until the phone finished restarting.
“Safe Mode” will be displayed on the lower left corner of the screen
Once in safe mode, observe the phone closely to see if it would still shuts down on its own. If not, then one of the app may be causing the problem. Reset the phone again but this time install your apps one by one and be mindful of the time when the problem occurs again to know which app causes it.
If it’s not an app-related problem or if the phone vibrates even if it’s off, check the Power key of your phone as it may be stuck or even damaged. Try pressing it multiple times but if it can’t be fixed, it’s time you brought the phone to a technician.
Another possibility is that it could be just a battery problem. You know, batteries are the first component that will deteriorate over time. If there’s no stable power supply, the phone will randomly shut down. So, check on this also.
Can’t Make A Call After Adding Minutes
Problem: Hello droid guys, I’ve been in straight talk for 3 years now and I don’t have any issues with straight talk. Just this week the issue started after I added minutes to my phone. I cannot anymore make a call but I can send a text message. I’m sure that I don’t have problems with my plan because I purchased the unlimited promo of straight talk. I talked to the representative the other day and asked what kind of plan that I have, and he said that I have the $45 plan. How come that I have an unlimited plan but I cannot make a call? I spent 30 minutes talking to the representative and he told me to wait 4-5 hours to activate my phone, but after 5 hours still I can’t make a call. I hate calling again the tech support of straight talk because they’re just wasting my time and they cannot provide an exact resolution of the issue. I don’t know if there’s something wrong with phone? I’ll wait your reply guys and thank you! — Anne
Suggestion: Well, Anne, you really don’t have a choice but to call tech support again because only they can fix this problem. Apparently, it’s account-related issue and we’re not, in any way, equipped to deal with this problem. If the rep told you to wait another 4 hours to get your number reactivated, you’re obliged to do so but beyond that, it’s unreasonable. So, you better seek assistance from higher level support or a manager perhaps. If a rep can’t fix your issue, escalate the call to a higher support. Usually, reps would tell this and that just to get rid of you and the next time you call, you’ll be asked the same questions and information. To avoid that, always ask to speak to a manager if the rep can’t fix your issue.
Can’t Send / Receive Text Messages
Problem: Hi Harold, I’ve been in straight talk for about 10 months and my phone is a Samsung GalaxyS3.During my first few months with straight talk the service is good until I noticed that I cannot anymore send and receive a text message. I know that I don’t have problems with my plan, because I subscribed on their unlimited promo last month and my service end date will be next week. I called the tech support but they cannot figure out what is the issue of my phone. They changed the APN settings and did some troubleshooting steps but the issue still not fix. I don’t want to call the tech support of straight talk anymore, they’re just wasting my time and money. I’ll wait for any advice guys and I hope that you can give a suggestion on how to fix my phone. Thank you and more power! — Dianne
Troubleshooting: Hi Dianne. For text messages, there’s no need to change the APN settings. Ask the rep if there’s a problem with their network. Things like that happen all the time and can be fixed after an hour or two. If the phone wasn’t from Walmart or BYOP, it might have a different message center number out of the box. Sometimes, default settings are restored so let the rep guide you in checking the message center number. He/she should know the correct number that should appear, so ask him/her about it.
It’s a network-related issue so you really don’t have a choice but seek help from Straight Talk’s representatives. With that, you have to call, wait, wait even more and pray they can figure out your problem and fix it. We really can’t help you with this simply because it’s not a phone issue.
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