long delay before phone rings

Hello @mordyc,

We'd be more than happy to take a closer look into why there is a delay when others call your cell phone. We recommend troubleshooting to resolve this issue. You can learn how to identify and resolve issues with making and receiving calls with AT&T PREPAID. Let us know if this helps!

Sean, AT&T Community Specialist

Thanks but the link didn't help at all. The problem still exists, even after more attempts with customer service, and is making the phones unreliable.

After much research it has become clear that AT&T doesn't tell you about a fundamental difference between their prepaid & postpaid accounts. Call priority on the network is given to postpaid lines before prepaid lines. This often results in a very significant lag between dialing & the call being connected. Call an AT&T postpaid # and you'll hear ringing immediately. Call an AT&T prepaid # and be prepared to wait through a long silence until the call is connected. 

These marketing practices are deliberately misleading you into thinking that the network quality of prepaid & postpaid are identical-after all, they are both using the same network. Extremely disappointed. 

Hi @mordyc, 

Thank you for letting us know that the link didn't work for you. We'd like to gather some more information in regards to this issue you're experiencing. What types of devices do you own? Also, does this problem occur with other phones, aside from Landline? Please provide this information for us, so we can get to the bottom of this. We look forward to hearing back from you! 

Collin, AT&T Community Specialist

Hi, thanks. We own a combination of smartphones and feature phones from LG, Pantech and Samsung. All are properly configured & all are experiencing the same problem. The delay occurs when anyone places a call TO our cell phones from any other carrier, besides AT&T cell to cell calls. I appreciate your effort & I am anticipating a timely resolution. 

Hey there @mordyc,

Are you able to make the call to those lines in question? If you're able to make the calls without any issue, then it is possible that the service strength at those points of delay may be weakened. The weak signal could be a contributing factor to the delay.

To counteract this, you could utilize Wi-Fi Calling to ensure you receive calls in areas of weak cellular signal.

For more information, feel free to visit our Wi-Fi Calling Overview.

Thank you!

Trace, AT&T Community Specialist

The bars on the phones indicate full signal strength when the symptom occurs. I tested it by calling an AT&T postpaid cell phone at the same time and the same place and it rang immediately. Can it be arranged that call priority is given to my prepaid lines just like postpaid accounts so that the caller hears ringing immediately? Otherwise this issue will not be adequately resolved.

Hi @mordyc,

We understand that you are referring to the differences between postpaid and prepaid services, and how they perform. We appreciate the feedback you've given us so far in this thread. If you have any other questions or comments, don't hesitate to let us know here.

Collin, AT&T Community Specialist

I appreciate that you understand that I am referring to the deficiency that exists with the prepaid service. The purpose of this forum is not just to chat. It is to rectify problems. Now that you are aware & understand the problem we are experiencing, will you fix it or will we just keep the chat going?

Have a great weekend!  ha ha ha ha!

I had a tracfone.  I understand tracfone operates on AT&T network.  Last week, I decided to go straight to AT&T for a new phone service because:

1.  Internet talk is that they have the best 3G, and I wanted to get a new Nokia 3310, which is supposed to work on 3G with AT&T, Mint and whoever else.

2.  I had a company-issue cell phone 10 years ago that operated with AT&T, and service was great, as far as I can remember.

3.  I needed a good phone, for business purposes.  I had been using my tracfone at home and Hangouts (wifi) at work, because the place where I work is famous for bad coverage but has free wifi.  But when I realized such fame might be because of carriers other than AT&T, I should be good with AT&T.

But at home, my tracfone calls never dropped.  But with the new phone, they do, at home, and I often have no signal, and when there is a signal, it is usually one bar with an H.  I haven't tried it at work yet, I will today, but at home, the AT&T phone performs far worse than the tracfone.  Meanwhile, my  wife was on Boost and my son on Mint, and they never had problems.

When we set up 4 lines at the AT&T store, and got new phones for everyone, and dropped the Boost plan, we  were quoted an approximate monthly charge after certain credits and discounts.  The associate had trouble setting it up and we ended up with 5 lines and we missed some discounts because they were applied to the line we were not going to keep.  Or something confusing like that.  We were in the store for 4 hours till 1/2 hour past closing time, while he tried to fix the problem.  Long story short, AT&T as a whole has told us too bad, you're just going to have to pay an extra 12%-38% more than we quoted and hooked you with, because we do not have the will as a corporation, the means or the authority as local or service center representatives, to bypass our software to fix this problem.

Real impressive so far, right?

Now for the cherry on top:  I have the same problem (but instead of a pre-paid account, I have automatic monthly payment set up) described that originated this thread.  It takes a good long time after I dial before the phone begins to ring, when I call.  A completely unacceptably long time.  Like being on hold.

WOW!