Frequently Asked Questions

Answers

What number do I call to reach Cityfone Customer Care?

A. You can speak to a Cityfone Customer Care Representative by calling 1.888.322.2160. You can also dial 611 on your Cityfone cell phone.

Troubleshooting Guide

Trouble Shooting Tips

Having problems with your wireless phone? Voicemail not working? Need assistance, repairs or a new phone?

Phones can stop working properly at any given time without warning. Quite often, it is a manufacturer’s defect and is covered under warranty, however, in some cases the damage may be caused by misuse or neglect.

We can help! For your convenience, here are some tips to help troubleshoot some of the common problems users may experience. If you are continuing to have difficulties, please feel free to contact our customer care centre by dialing 611 on your wireless phone (it’s a free call) or toll free at 1-888-322-2160 .

Problem

Questions to Ask

User Troubleshooting

Phone not powering up

Is the battery inserted properly?

Check to see if the phone is charging. If battery is too cold or faulty the phone may not be able to charge.

Can’t make a call

Is SIM inserted properly?

Is there coverage in the area?

Is the key pad working?

Follow these steps to correctly insert your SIM card. Proceed in this order so that there is no damage to the SIM card:

1. Fully charge the phone’s battery.
2. Before inserting the SIM card, turn the phone off
3. Detach and insert the SIM card into the phone.
4. Turn on the phone

Some phones can be restricted by the user from making outgoing calls. Restoring default factory settings may solve this problem.

Can make a call, but can’t receive calls

Is call forwarding activated?

Check the call forwarding status.  Your number may be forwarded to another number. 

Not Ringing

Is the ringer volume down?

Is the silent profile activated?

Is it set to vibrate only?

Make sure the ringer volume is up and that the phone is not set to vibrate.

Can’t hear the person on the other end

 

Speaker may be faulty. Replacement or repair may be offered if under warranty. Please contact us.

Can’t be heard by other people

 

Microphone may be faulty. Replacement or repair may be offered if under warranty. Please contact us.

Poor reception, dropping calls or noisy

Is there coverage in the area?

You may be in an area with limited or no coverage.

Phone may be damaged.

Echo

Is the volume up to high?

May be solved by turning earpiece volume down. 

Phone says “Unregistered SIM”

Is the SIM card inserted properly?

Is the SIM card activated?

Remove the SIM card and insert it again.  If this doesn’t fix the problem, it is possible that your SIM is not activated.  Please contact us.

Phone says “Insert SIM”

Is the SIM card properly inserted?

Remove the SIM card and insert it again (see instructions above).

Call Forwarding does not work

Do you have Voicemail?

Sometimes setting up Call Forwarding from the phone menu does not work. Try the following:

To activate: * 0 0 4 * (receiving phone number) # SEND

To deactivate: # # 0 0 4 # SEND

Voice Mail does not work

Did you request for the option to be added?

Voicemail is an optional feature and must be requested. Contact us to have this feature added.

Check to see if the voicemail box number is programmed into the phone.

Voice Mail password is invalid

Did you try 12345?

Check your message inbox, The network often text messages with a different password then the 12345. If not, contact your service provider to have your voicemail reset.

Caller ID does not work

Did you request for the option to be added?

Caller ID is an optional feature and must be requested. Contact us to have this feature added.

Can’t send a text message

Did you request for the option to be added?

Are you including the 1 and the area code when texting?

Are the  + sign as well as the country code included when texting internationally?

You may have to program the message outbox number in the cell phone.

Contact us to have it reset.

Message: “customer unavailable”

Is the cell phone on?

Is there coverage in the area?

Contact us.

Phone says “emergency only”

Is there coverage in the area?

This message indicates that you are outside of the coverage area.

Phone says “PIN lock”

Does the phone ask for the PUK code?

PIN code is linked to the SIM card.  If activated, this four-digit code gives you access to the SIM card and without it your SIM card cannot be used and you won't be able to access the network.  This “pin lock” message indicates that you have entered the wrong security code three times in a row.  Phone should then ask for the PUK code.  Enter this code to unlock the SIM card.  10 consecutive wrong attempts will permanently block the SIM.

Warranty & Service Repair

Liquid or water damage is the most common repair issue that is not covered by warranty.  It is possible for the phone to be damaged without it being immersed into water.  Moisture or exposure to humidity, steam or even rain could damage the phone.  This could lead to corrosion and cause the phone to malfunction and leave it in a non-repairable state.

Here are some common causes for liquid damage:

  • Dropped in water or a puddle
  • Spillage of any kind of liquid
  • Rain, fog or mist
  • Steam (eg. Leaving the phone on kitchen counter while cooking)
  • Condensation (eg. Leaving the phone in a vehicle overnight)
  • Body perspiration

If you think your phone needs to be replaced, check the chart below to see if it is covered under warranty.  Contact us at 1.888.322.2160 and one of our customer care representative will be glad to assist you.

New Phones

Time Frame

Condition

Solution

Procedure

Less than 30 days

No physical/liquid damage

Replace with a new handset

Contact us and request a return authorization number (RA#).  A new handset will be shipped to you with a return pack.  Defective phone must be postmarked within 14 days of receipt of the replacement phone.  If assessed as liquid or physical damaged, a restocking fee will be applied.

Greater than 30 days

No physical/liquid damage

Replace with a refurbished phone

Contact us and obtain a return authorization number (RA#).  A replacement handset will be shipped to you with a return pack.  Defective phone must be postmarked within 14 days of receipt of the replacement phone. If assessed as liquid or physical damaged, a restocking fee will be applied.

Refurbished Phones

Time Frame

Condition

Solution

Procedure

Less than 90 days

No physical/liquid damage

Replace phone with another refurbished phone

Contact us and obtain a return authorization number (RMA).  A replacement handset will be shipped to you with a return pack.  Defective phone must be postmarked within 14 days of receipt of the replacement phone. If assessed as liquid or physical damaged, a restocking fee will be applied.

Out of Warranty

Time Frame

Condition

Solution

Procedure

Greater than 1 year

Phone not working properly

1. Try to repair for a cost, depending on the damage

2. Buy a replacement phone

Ship the phone to us for repair (customer responsible for shipping fees)

To buy a replacement phone, please contact us.

Greater than 30 days but less than 1 year

Physical or liquid damage

1. Replace phone for a cost

2. Buy a replacement

Ship the phone to us for repair (customer responsible for shipping fees)

To buy a replacement phone, contact us

How long does it take for my order to be shipped to me?

A. Allow 3-5 business days for delivery from the time of order.

What is a sim card?

A. A sim card, also referred to as a smart card, is necessary for the operation of GSM phones. It stores your service information and can be used to store your phone book entries. The sim card comes pre-inserted and pre-activated with your new Cityfone wireless phone.

Do I receive warranty with my new cell phone?

A. Cityfone phones come with a 12-month manufacturer's warranty. All accessories and batteries come with a 90-day warranty. Any malfunction due to misuse, physical or liquid damage is not covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Lost or stolen phones are the responsibility of the owner and are not covered under warranty. Please call Customer Care for warranty assistance.

How does the 30 day / 30 minute Money Back Guarantee work?

A. Cityfone provides you with 30 days to try your new phone. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you can return the phone within the 30-day period and within 30 minutes of usage for a full hardware refund. You must obtain a Return Authorization Number (RA#) before returning the phone. An RA# can be obtained by contacting customer service. All items, including the phone and accessories must be returned in original condition. You will be responsible for service fees, any long distance or roaming charges and 411 directory assistance calls.

What charges will appear on my first invoice?

A. Your first invoice will be slightly different as it includes the advance billing for the current month and a prorated charge for the month in which the service was activated. This charge is equal to the monthly plan amount prorated by the number of days from activation until month end. Don't worry --- your future invoices will only include one month's worth of charges.

What charges will appear on my last invoice?

A. Your last invoice will not contain any charges for monthly services, just unbilled additional usage, long distance, roaming, sms and other similar usage charges. These charges can sometimes take up to two months from the date of cancellation to appear on your wireless invoice.

Does the battery need to be fully drained before I charge it?

A. Your phone's battery should be properly conditioned to reach its peak performance. The battery should be drained fully and charged at least 14 hours for the first 3 to 4 times. For the best reference, please consult the manual that comes with your phone.

Why don't all numbers display on my call display?

A. If your call display does not work, please check the following:

  • Have you subscribed to Call Display?
  • Some numbers are blocked and will not be displayed on a phone.

These are numbers such as 1-800 numbers, private numbers, numbers blocked by the calling party, calls originating from a business switchboard or a pay phone, accidental roaming, roaming outside of Canada, internationally originated calls and calls forwarded to your phone from another phone.

What should I do if I lost my phone or if it is stolen?

A. Call Customer Care immediately and report your phone missing. Customers calling after business hours are advised to leave a voice message with their account and cell phone number. Cityfone Wireless will suspend the phone and block it from any further use. Once you've called Customer Care, a representative will provide you with options to obtain another phone if necessary.

Can I change my plan or wireless extras services options?

A. Certainly. If you are interested in changing plans or your wireless extras service options, be sure to contact us 7 days prior to month end to have a plan change made effective for the first of the following month.

Can I keep my current phone number and switch to Cityfone?

A. Look for Local Number Portability in March 2007! Click here for details.

What is roaming and what are the charges?

A. Roaming is when you are using the services of another carrier's network outside of Canada. Roaming usage is charged on a per minute basis and all charges are expressed in Canadian funds.
Calls made locally within the USA are charged at 95 cents per minute.
Calls made within the USA back to Canada will be charged 75 cents per minute in addition to the 95 cents roaming charge.
Calls received from Canada while you are in the USA are charged at 25 cents per minute in addition to the 95 cents roaming charge.
Calls made or received while in other countries varies greatly in cost. Please contact a Customer Care representative for more information.

I ordered voice mail. How do I activate it?

A. STEP 1: Dial your wireless phone number from a landline phone STEP 2: Press # to interrupt the greeting.STEP 3: Enter your temporary numeric password (12345)STEP 4: Follow the instructions given by the voicemail system to set up a new password and personal greeting.

How do I change the ringer volume?

A. On most wireless phones, the volume can be set by either the navigation key or dedicated volume control key. Volume settings can also be changed directly from the PHONE SETTINGS option from the Main Menu of your phone.

How is wireless 911 different from landline 911?

A. Read about Cityfone's 911 service on our information page.

How do I get a job at Cityfone?

A. We're always looking for talented people who are as enthusiastic about the wireless industry as we are. Click here for our contact information.

Call 1.888.322.2160