You
look down at your phone’s screen and instead of signal bars or Wi-Fi symbols,
you see an abrupt ‘SOS’. Fear may arise and you may be asking your device – why
does my phone say SOS? Don’t be too quick to think something is seriously wrong
with your body because of this message, instead let’s take time to explain what
he or she really means and what you can do about such a message.
What Does "SOS" Mean on My Phone?
To
start with, let us unravel the meaning of the popular abbreviation SOS which
literally features in the following phrases: The abbreviation SOS is not new;
it is has been used as a distress call from ship, where it stands for ‘Save Our
Souls’. But when it pops up on the screen of a smartphone or any other portable
device, it does not look as menacing as the words might imply. The message
‘SOS’ usually appears when there is a problem with the network of the phone.
This implies to the point that with this phone, you can ’t make any other calls
apart from emergency calls since it is not linked to your usual mobile
telephone service provider network.
That is why, if your phone is displaying
messages such as ‘SOS’ or ‘SOS Only,’ it is essentially telling you, ‘Look, I
can no longer connect to the network, but I can still help you call for an
emergency call if needed. ’ Though it is pleasing to note that, at least,
emergency calls are still possible, it is imperative to try and determine why
your phone is showing such a message in the first place.
Common Reasons Why Your Phone Displays "SOS"
There
are several reasons why your phone might be showing "SOS:
A. Network Connection Issues
A
major cause of the “SOS” status is either weak or nonexistent signals. Your
phone displays "SOS" when it can't find a signal from your mobile
carrier, which can happen in several situations.
Remote Locations: If you are in an area with poor or
no network signals from the cell towers your phone may drop your carrier’s
signal. In such situations it reverts to ‘SOS’ mode when it can establish a
call to an emergency service through any available network.
Inside Buildings: Thick walled or buildings with
basements can also disrupt connection to a telecommunications network hence the
‘SOS’ message.
B. Carrier Settings and SIM Card
Problems
Part
of the time, the problem might not be with this network or that network but
your phone settings, or the SIM card you’re using. Weak SIM card connection or
even a SIM card that is not inserted properly, wrong carrier settings, or even
a weak connection from the device as a reason for the phone showing “SOS”.
SIM Card Issues: If your SIM card is insert
incorrectly or damaged then your phone cannot register on your carrier’s
network which causes the “SOS” message to appear. At times it can be fixed by
just taking out and putting the SIM card back into the device.
Carrier Settings: Another cause is when the carrier
settings are the wrong or old ones. These settings define how your phone
connects to the network and in case they are not correct the message ‘SOS’ may
appear.
C. Emergency SOS Feature Activation
Most
of the current models of mobile phones have the emergency SOS option. This
function is intended to allow you to easily reach out for emergency services
when you are in a state of danger. However, if this feature is activated by
mistake then your phone may go into special mode where it only displays “SOS”
or “SOS Only”.
Accidental Activation: Some of the phones enable the
emergency SOS feature by using just the power button or by pressing a
combination of buttons several times. This may not be intentional and as such
may display ‘SOS’ on your phone until you turn off this mode.
How to Fix the "SOS" Message on Your Phone?
As
much as it can stir health, we have isolated the causes of the “SOS” message
and now it is time to curb them and do the following?
A. Restart Your Phone
All
too often, your phone simply needs its connection to the network to be
re-established which can easily be done by a reboot of the phone. Turning off
your phone and then turning it on can help in fixing minor hitches and make
your telephone reconnect to your carrier.
How to Restart: Just long press the power button
until the appearance of the dialogue of restarts or turn off the laptop. After
that, turn off your phone, wait for some time and then switch it ‘ON’.
B. Check for Software Updates
This,
sometimes, might lead to problems in the connection of your phone to a network
that will lead to the appearance of the “SOS” message for phones that may have
old versions of their software installed. These problems, however, can be
avoided by having the latest software in your phone.
Updating Your Phone: Under settings on your phone, look
at the software update part and see if there is any update you can use. If so,
do download and install all of them into your computer so you can have direct
access to them when the time requires it.
C. Reset Network Settings
If,
after trying to reboot your phone or updating the software, you continue to see
this problem, you will probably have to clear your networks. This will erase
all Wi-Fi, mobile data and Bluetooth configurations and set them to the
defaults – this can be useful for clearing persistent “SOS” messages.
Steps
to Reset: To do it go to Settings > General Management (or something
similar) > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Remember, making this change
will wipe all your saved Wi-Fi passwords, so have those in front of you.
D. Contact Your Mobile Carrier
If
the above solutions do not help solve the problem, then it is necessary to turn
again to the mobile operator. There might be some problem with your account or
maybe they have some problem on their end due to which they are showing “SOS”.
It is always advisable to consult your carrier regarding the problem or be
provided with a new SIM card if necessary.
Distinguishing Between a Simple Signal Issue and a Real Emergency
Although,
the “SOS” status is often simply a consequence of a network communication
breakdown, there are cases when it is a sign of a more severe problem. If your
phone is usually in a country where the signals normally work well and the
phone stays on ‘SOS’ for a longer time, these are some of the indicators that
something is wrong both from the network and the device’s side.
Safety Tip: It is also important to know when
and how to activate your phones emergency SOS instance/setting. This feature is
to call for help immediately in case you are in a life-threatening situation
and therefore it is of importance to learn how it operates depending on the
phone’s model.
Conclusion
It
is somewhat shocking to frequently find the acronym “SOS” on one’s phone display;
however, in most cases, it poses no risk. Knowing what this message signifies
and the process of fixing it suggested above, you can restore normalcy within a
short time.
Do not forget that your phone just wants to protect you and make sure you are always able to dial the emergency number regardless of a network issue. Therefore, remain calm, analyze the problem and if you can’t solve it, call your mobile service provider for further assistance.
