Dropped Calls

Dropped call is the common term for a wireless mobile phone call that is terminated unexpectedly as a result of technical reasons.

The most common reason for a dropped call is when the mobile phone moves out of range of a wireless network. An active call cannot be maintained across a different company's network (as calls cannot be re-routed over the traditional phone network while in progress), resulting in the termination of the call once a signal cannot be maintained between the phone and the original network. Another common reason is when a phone is taken into an area where wireless communication is unavailable, interrupted, interfered with or jammed. From the network's perspective, this is the same as the mobile moving out of the coverage area.

Occasionally calls are dropped upon handoff between cells within the same provider's network. This may be due to an imbalance of traffic between the two cell towers' zones. If the new tower is at capacity, it cannot accept the additional traffic of the new call. If the phone cannot find an alternative cell to move to that can take over the call, the call is lost.

Calls can also be dropped if a mobile phone at the other end of the call loses battery power and stops transmitting abruptly. Sun spots and solar flares are also blamed for causing interference leading to dropped calls.

Experiencing too many dropped calls is the one common customer complaint received by wireless providers. They have attempted to address the complaint in various ways, including expansion of their home network coverage, increased cell capacity, and offering refunds for individual dropped calls.