How to fix unreliable call making and constant call failures on iPhone?

pthielen wrote:

Anyway, is there an actual fix for this that I'm not aware of?

If the phone is brand new, why not return it and get a different one?

Sorry for my rant; but I'm sure you are all feeling very similar (or have in the recent past). Thanks much.

No, I've never had any issues with cellular calling except in areas of poor signal strength. Nothing Apple has done has ever "broken" my WiFi or BT. I'm extremely pleased with my iPhone 17 Pro.

Issues with your connection are within the purview of — and best handled by — your carrier.

Admittedly, making that call that is NOT something many of us relish … but that’s just the way it is.

Just be ready to hear “No one else has reported the problem” … and be ready to respond with something along the lines of, “Perhaps not, but that doesn’t mean that I’m NOT having the problem.”

Remember, that 1st tier CSR you reach is far too often scored on how quickly he/she makes you “go away.”

Best of luck.

800 numbers are not long distance calls. The whole reason they exist is they are toll free.

https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/what_is_a_toll_free_number_and_how_does_it_work.pdf

pthielen wrote:

I installed iOS 26.2 hoping this might resolve things, but (of course) it hasn't. It drops calls, goes into SOS mode, can't connect to cellular, the person I'm talking to can't hear me because my side of the call keeps breaking up. I have no idea why Apple would release such a pile of garbage; I expect much better from them.

I went to Verizon and they reimaged the eSIM.

I deleted the networks several times.

The phone has been shut down many times.

Nothing has worked. Obviously I can't call Apple, assuming I could even find their number, because the phone doesn't work. Because there are quite a few cases of this happening to people on different carriers I don't believe this is a cellular provider thing; this is clearly an Apple thing. I also feel if I were to get a new phone from Apple, assuming they would even do that, I'd have the exact same issues. I'm making sure I let everyone I know, and come in contact with, to absolutely NOT get an iPhone 17. Hopefully they won't.

Does anyone know of anything else I could try? What have I missed?

Thanks.

Hello~ If you’re convinced this is an Apple issue…stop in and have Apple take a look.

~Katana-San~

Make sure you choose a competent Apple store. I have a 17 regular and had problems not with calls (so far) but with internet connection. In the Verizon store with WiFi and cellular it had an internet connection, I could check out some available accessories online, etc and then in then it would stop getting content, browser screens would go white when they refreshed. Moving around in the store did not help. They had 2 WiFi connections, one secure for transfer and one public, both were flaky. This was with an available cell signal with DATA on in the cell settings. When I got home I figured out internet on cell data was only working on 5g, when there is no or weak 5g it reverts to 4gLTE and then no browser or Apple Maps. The interface is designed poorly in that the same space the 5g, 4g occupies is used for the WiFi so it's hard to tell exactly what your connected to. Plenty of space to shows both. I went to the Apple store in Trumbull and the 'genius' showed me some new features on the phone and concluded it must be a Verizon network problem after running their diagnostic test. After calling Apple tech support I actually got a US person who directed me to reset the network preferences and after that didn't work update to the just released a day earlier 26.2. So far it's working well finally but the swipe up slowly to get the App Switcher only works occasionally. I miss the home button. It wants me to unlock when using bluetooth headset just to hear the last text message. My old iphone let me listen to new messages and only needed to unlock for previous messages. Aside the the liquid interface making things harder to read this ios has a lot of problems. Just tapping the screen wakes it of so when I put it in my pocket I sometimes pause a timer without knowing it.