If your calls keep getting diverted to voicemail multiple times in succession, this could indicate that you have been blocked for various reasons such as:
Frustration can arise when it is impossible to contact someone you need to reach, for whatever reason. There may be multiple causes behind this; here are a few of them.
1. They’re Blocked
There’s no simple way for you to tell if someone has blocked your number. That’s because blocking a number on a device doesn’t simply stop messages from reaching that person’s handset; rather, it redirects calls and text messages instead to voicemail or other recipients – meaning if someone using an iPhone blocks your number without notifying anyone or showing it clearly anywhere within their contact info; but if you can use another device or borrow someone else’s smartphone to test whether your number was blocked for good, you will soon know.
We’ve all experienced calling or texting people who go directly to their voicemail or don’t respond at all, but this should only become concerning if this pattern persists for several days or weeks; then be suspicious that they may have blocked your number.
If you suspect the person you’re trying to contact has blocked your number, open up the Messages app and look for any messages which haven’t received their “delivered” confirmation – this indicates they may be blocking it from iMessage (and possibly other devices).
Note that blocks are temporary; if someone you’re trying to reach has an established pattern of blocking numbers, they could unblock yours at some point in the future. In such a scenario, it would be wise to pursue alternative means of communicating with this individual; perhaps by giving them space as this may be more respectful.
2. Their Phone Is Off
If a phone is turned off, no incoming calls or text messages will reach it – this indicates that the person you’re trying to reach has put their device away for some reason or is currently using something else instead of their device at that moment. Try messaging them on another platform like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger instead; if no reply comes back from this channel either then sending an email may work better.
If you do call them back, chances are you will hear a “not reachable” tone that most networks default to when sending a call directly to voicemail. In addition, your own phone may display “The Person You Called Is Unavailable”. Ultimately, their device must either be turned back on or brought into an area with serviceability before you can connect again.
If you are having difficulty reaching someone, a good way to determine whether they have ignored your efforts would be checking their social media activity. This will give an accurate indication as to when they might return active again. If it has been a few hours since they last active on social media, then chances are good that their phone has either gone dead or has simply stopped working altogether. You could always attempt calling back in a few more hours or contact them through another device such as their tablet or computer instead. So they won’t assume you are being rude or ignoring them, giving their phone time to recover before calling back will help reduce misunderstandings and reduce frustration on both ends.
3. They’re In Airplane Mode
Airplane mode prevents your phone from connecting with the cellular network and any radio frequencies – including Bluetooth signals, cell tower transmissions (cellular data), wireless or Wi-Fi connections and Wi-Fi connectivity. Phone calls will still register but won’t ring or be routed directly into voicemail.
Some use airplane mode while reading an eBook or exercising, preventing unwanted calls or text messages from disrupting them, while others turn it on while traveling or going to sleep in order to block out unnecessary notifications that could disturb them during their downtime. If you try calling them while they’re in airplane mode, they will get a message stating their call cannot be completed as dialed or that they are unavailable.
Send them a text via iMessage; if they’re in airplane mode, their message won’t arrive and instead shows a double checkmark instead of the Delivered tag.
Send a text message while they’re in airplane mode and it will be stored on their server and will be delivered when they switch back on their phone. This can help track down someone who doesn’t respond to your messages quickly enough.
Checking someone’s status on social media apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram is another effective way of determining if they are in airplane mode. When their status is set to private they won’t receive messages from anyone other than those with whom they share contact details – this helps avoid unwanted interruptions by people trying to contact you directly.
4. They’re On Do Not Disturb
Do Not Disturb mode on a phone can mute incoming calls, visual alerts and message vibrations so that you’re no longer disturbed during important business meetings or while sleeping. It is an invaluable feature that provides peace of mind when needed – such as during an important sleepless night!
Your iPhone offers three ways for you to temporarily enable or disable Do Not Disturb mode: clicking or tapping the crescent moon icon from its lock screen, top bar (on X and 11-series phones this icon can be found directly beside the battery indicator) or notification tray. When Do Not Disturb is active it will appear as a red icon both on its display as well as within whatever app you’re currently using.
Observing whether or not someone’s phone keeps going straight to voicemail during certain periods can be an indicator that their Do Not Disturb feature has been activated on their device. The best solution would be attempting to determine when their “Do Not Disturb” period begins, then calling at another time when you can.
iOS and Android phones provide loopholes in their Do Not Disturb settings that enable you to get through to someone even if their phone is on DND mode. You can make exceptions for certain contacts or permit repeated calls from the same number within three minutes without activating DND.
If you realize your friend’s phone is set on Do Not Disturb when they should not be, call them right away and explain what you saw. If they answer their phone and accept, then it appears their Do Not Disturb was accidentally turned off; otherwise they must go into Settings app to manually turn it off themselves.
