Every subscriber using the services of cellular operators can detect such a nuisance as number blocking. For what reasons can blocking occur? How can I restore my number? How to make communication services available again? We will help you figure out how to unblock a number in this article. The recommendations below can be applied to a SIM card of any telecom operator operating in our country.
Reasons for blocking
Before moving on to the topic of the article and answering the question of how to unblock a phone number, you should explain the reasons that could become a catalyst for setting a communication restriction:
- Incorrect entry of SIM card codes (pin, pack) can lead to temporary blocking. Moreover, if you make a mistake ten times when entering the pack code, you can say goodbye to your existing SIM card - it will be blocked forever.
- Lack of funds on your balance may also cause suspension of communication services.
- Inactivity by the subscriber during the period specified in the bilateral agreement will result in the number being lost and the SIM card can simply be thrown away.
- The presence of a subscriber on your black list will make it impossible for you to receive calls. We will also tell you below how to unblock a number.
- Voluntary installation of communication restrictions. Some mobile operators offer their customers a service that allows them to suspend a number for a specific period. This may be relevant, for example, for people going on vacation. Such blocking allows you to suspend subscription debiting. charges according to the basic tariff plan and for services and options activated on the number.
Unlocking a SIM card from different operators
Telephone companies have different methods to return the SIM card to activity. Therefore, it is worth checking the unlocking methods with a specific operator in advance.
MTS
The company's clients need to call the hotline 8-800-250-0890 from any number or call 089 from an MTS card. Another way is to activate a SIM card using your personal account or contact the office.
Beeline
If the card is registered to an individual, you can try to unblock it by using the request *213# and paying off the debt, if any. A personal account is very convenient in this matter.
To use it you need:
- Login.
- Open your personal account.
- Select your number.
- If your SIM card is blocked, view recommendations for restoring it.
- Pay if you have a debt.
More complex methods are to contact the communication company office or hotline (0 800 700 0611). By providing your passport or dictating its details, you can submit a request for card reactivation.
Megaphone
If the operator's card is invalid for less than a year, you can try to restore it. To do this, pay off your debts, if any. Then:
- Visit your personal account in the application or on the website.
- Use the Service Guide, which will instruct you on unlocking methods.
Another recovery option is to call the hotline (0500). The specialist will give instructions on how to reactivate the card. And, of course, there is always a trip to the telecommunications company office.
Yota
The Yota operator is strict about customer safety, so you can only unblock a number by visiting its office in person.
You need to have with you:
- a copy of the agreement received when issuing the card;
- identification document;
- blocked SIM card.
By calling 7 you can find out the reason for blocking the number.
Tele 2
If you have a debt on a tariff package, call 611, indicating a blocked number. After that, top up your account by paying off the debt. Using the same number, you can restore the card’s activity remotely. If the card was blocked at your request:
- Visit your personal account.
- Select "Tariffs and Services".
- Click "Voluntary blocking".
- Select "Unblock".
Come to the company office with your passport and documents issued during registration, and a blocked SIM card. For 50 rubles you will have the opportunity to purchase a SIM card with the same number and tariff package.
Tinkoff Mobile
In the operator's application, you can contact the support service for advice on reactivating the card. You can also restore your card by calling the hotline 0 800 555 4929. If you are outside the country, this can be done by phone.
We think you already understand that card blocking is a problem that almost always has a solution. But it’s better not to take risks, so always save the documents received when registering a SIM card and regularly check the status of your account.
Procedure when a blockage is detected
If you find that you cannot perform operations with the SIM card installed in your mobile device (as well as a modem or tablet PC), you should first find out:
- Is the SIM card detected in the device?
- How long have you used the number (by use we mean the presence of charges, that is, the use of paid services).
- What is the state of balance?
- If the problem is due to the fact that it is not possible to receive a call from a specific number, you should make sure that the number (which cannot be reached) is not activated. This option is provided by all telecom operators. If such a service is activated on a number, then how to unblock the phone number? You just need to “extract” it from the blocked list.
Nuances and tips
There are subtleties of using a SIM card that will help you avoid blocking it and allow you to better navigate the reactivation procedure:
- In many cases, the service of unlocking a SIM card will be paid.
- After purchasing a SIM card, try to carefully study all the documentation, in particular, read the clause about the validity period of the card if it is not used.
- Keep all the papers that you are given with your SIM card so that you can always enter the PUK code if necessary.
- If the owner of the room forgot his passport at home or for some reason does not have it, the operator’s service center employees will accept other documents: driver’s license, military ID, international passport. The main condition is the presence of a photograph that identifies the applicant and his personal data (full name).
How to unblock a number if the number has not been used for a long time?
If you know that the number has not been used for a long time, that is, no calls have been made from it, no messages have been sent, etc., then most likely the number is lost to you. In accordance with the agreement that the subscriber signs when purchasing a number in a communication salon, in the absence of paid services for a certain period, a block occurs. The established period differs for each operator - for example, in Megafon it is three months, in Beeline it is six months. How to unblock a number in this case? In this case, it will most likely not be possible to restore the ability to use the number. There is a chance for those numbers that have only recently been blocked and have not yet gone on sale. In any case, you can find out whether there is a recovery method through the employees of the salon or the provider’s contact center.
Unlocking in third-party software and with the help of an operator
If a certain number was included in blocked numbers using special applications, to delete it you need to open the emergency, find the required phone there and click the “Delete” button in the parameters.
When the blocking was carried out using a mobile operator, to resume communication with him you will need to call the operator again or enter a special command. For example, in the case of the Megafon operator, the combination *130*6# is used to completely clear the black list; to delete a specific number, *130*079XXXXXXXXXX#, where XXXXXXXXX is the phone number. In the case of Beeline - *110*775#, for Tele2 - *220*0#.
How to unblock a blocked number if the PIN or pack codes are entered incorrectly?
In the situation with the PIN code, everything is quite prosaic: if you enter the combination of numbers that can be found on the insert in the SIM card envelope three times incorrectly, you need to enter the pack. After this service, the number will be restored. You only need to enter the pack code if you know it for sure, since if you enter it wrong ten times, you can block the SIM card once and for all. If you have just such a situation, then there is no other way but to go to the operator’s office. Here they will replace your SIM card, keeping the same number.
How to remove (unblock) a contact from the blacklist?
Sometimes it happens that a user accidentally blocked the wrong contact. How to fix this situation? It all depends on what blocking method you used. If you used the built-in Android lock, one method will be used; if you used a third-party application, then another. We will look at ways to unblock a contact using the built-in contact blocker. At a minimum, because we don’t know what application you might have used to block your contacts.
Methods for removing a number from the blocked list (if activated)
How to unblock a phone number from a blacklist? This issue is especially relevant for those mobile network clients who periodically set bans on calls and receiving messages from specific people. Below is a list of requests for various operators in our country to remove a number from the blacklist. Please note that the syntax may change in some regions, which means that if the entered request does not work, you should check with the office or contact center staff how this operation can be performed:
- How to unblock an MTS number? *442*24*<number of a person from the black list, the ban on calls from whom should be lifted>#.
- For Beeline clients, the request looks different: *110*772*<number>#.
- If you have a SIM card from the Tele 2 operator, then you need to enter the command *220*0*<number># from the device.
- For owners of a Megafon number, the following combination will be useful: *130*7<subscriber phone number>#.
View blocked callers on iPhone and Android
Information about blocked subscribers is located in a special section. Its location varies depending on what firmware version is installed on the device.
To find this section on an iPhone, you need to:
- Go to “Menu” and open the “Phone” section.
- Subscribers who were included in the emergency situation are in “Blocked Contacts”.
To view blacklisted contacts on devices running Android OS, you must follow these steps:
- In the “Phone” section, tap on the icon with the image of three vertical dots.
- Go to the Settings menu and select Call Blocking.
A complete list of all blocked subscribers will be displayed. Here you can add any contact to the emergency list by clicking on the add number button.
Why can an operator block a subscriber?
As can be seen from the previous block of the article, often the cellular provider itself closes access to the number. Among other things, the cellular provider has the right not to notify the client about turning off the SIM card.
Here are the main reasons why a subscriber may receive the “Temporarily Blocked” status:
- Minus balance. Problems with incoming calls may begin for a client when he reaches the maximum minus on his account. Each mobile operator has its own limit. However, this problem is easily solved. Transfer the required amount to your mobile account and communicate again for your pleasure.
- An unpaid debt can also cause the phrase “The number you dialed is temporarily blocked” to appear. This can happen if a network client used any service on credit, but did not deposit the required amount at the appointed time. Here, the provider has the right to make the subscriber’s number unavailable, both for a certain period of time (until the debt is repaid) and forever (if the incident has already taken place).
- Stay in international and intercity roaming. If the subscriber is roaming and his tariff plan includes incoming paid calls, it may be temporarily disabled if there are not enough funds in the account to pay for calls.
- Fraud. If a user has been detected in account fraud, or has received complaints from other clients, his number will be blocked by the operator until the circumstances are clarified.
Instructions for Beeline subscribers
This operator offers to block up to 40 unwanted contacts, but for each phone number you are asked to pay 3 rubles. In addition to one-time charges, Beeline charges a subscription fee of 1 ruble per day.
To remove a specific number from the black list, you need to use the command *110*772*telephone number via +7#.
After processing the request, the subscriber receives an SMS notification that the owner of this number can again call and send messages. It should be clarified that numbers from the blacklist are removed free of charge. To refuse further use of the service, you need to send the command *110*770# from your mobile phone.
Haven't used it for a long time
All of the previously listed methods are relevant for blocking that occurred as a result of using. Sometimes the operator itself does not allow you to use a particular number. For example, when the phone is idle for a long time. That is, when the number is not used for some time.
From the moment of blocking, the subscriber will have 6 months to return the number to himself. It is best to write an application in the established form and contact the MTS office with it. If more time has passed, you will not be able to restore the SIM card. These rules apply to all mobile operators. In other words, if the number has not been used for about six months, it is removed from the active ones. Therefore, you should not forget about working with certain SIM cards at least once every six months.
Social media
The “Black List” function can be found not only in phones, but also in all popular social networks.
By blocking other users, you limit the number of people who can send you text messages, call you, or post information on your wall.
VK
Adding a user to an emergency on VKontakte is very simple. Just go to his page and select “Block” under the photo.
To unblock, you can go to his page again at any time and click on “Unblock”.
There is another way to interact with emergencies on the VKontakte website. Go to settings. Click on the “Black List” item on the right side of the window.
Next, find the person you need and next to his name, click on “Remove from list.”
The social network Facebook also allows you to manage your own blacklist.
The only peculiarity is that a blocked person will no longer be able to view your page or even go to its address.
Also, your profile will not be available in his search or timeline.
To unblock another account, go to your page settings:
On the left side of the window, click on the “Block” item. Then, next to the username, click on “Unblock”:
Users of the social network Twitter can remove any user from the emergency situation. By going to its page and pressing the “Do not ignore” button in the action menu.
Classmates
Follow the instructions to remove a user from your emergency situation on the Odnoklassniki social network:
- Open your profile;
- Scroll down the page and click on “Other sections”;
- Among all the items, select “Black List”;
- Hover your cursor over the photo of the blocked person and click on the “Unblock” field that appears.
You can manage blacklists on Instagram only from the mobile application window. This option is not available on the web version of the site. Follow the instructions to remove a person from an emergency:
- Open the application and go to the account settings window (gear key in the first upper corner);
- Click on the “Options” >;
- In the new window, select "Blocked Users" >;
- Click on the desired user and select the appropriate key to resume access to your account.
Viber
In order to remove a contact from the emergency list in the Viber messenger, open the settings and click on the “More” item.
Select the section “Privacy”—“List of blocked numbers.” Select the user you want to remove from the list and click on the “Remove from…” button.
Telegram
To remove a contact from an emergency situation in Viber:
- Open a conversation with the user;
- Click on his name at the top of the window;
- In the pop-up list of actions, click on “Unblock User”.
How to block calls on Android
If you are constantly being redirected to voicemail or hear short beeps, you are most likely blacklisted
The first method is not to block the number directly, but to allow only voice calls from it. Accordingly, when the subscriber dials your number, it will be forwarded to voicemail, which you can then listen to. True, not everyone likes this option, because, although it allows you to burn bridges, it still leaves a kind of ferry for communication. In the end, you will still receive voice messages, which means you will be able to listen to them.
Huawei refuses to mention Android in its smartphones
The second way is to add the number to the blacklist. Many applications, including standard ones, allow you to do this. But, no matter which one you choose, the outcome will be the same: the person calling you will endlessly hear intermittent beeps, as if you yourself are trying to call him at the same moment. If your default app doesn't have a call blocking feature, download Phone from Google. There is also the ability to block incoming calls, as well as configure the detection of spam calls, which is also very useful.
Balance
The last and most common option is blocking due to a negative balance. It is in such cases that the problem is easiest to solve. How exactly? You just need to top up your SIM card balance. To what extent? Either to a zero balance or to a positive one. Even 1 kopeck “in the black” will be enough.
Replenishment of the account is carried out by any available and known method. For example, via the Internet or payment terminals. As soon as the funds arrive at the specified blocked number, it will be unblocked.
Many people recommend calling an operator when blocked. It is from him that you can clarify the reason why the SIM card service has been suspended.
