Help! I Accidentally Damaged My Mom’s Phone—Please Assist Before She Finds Out

Title: How to Troubleshoot Network Settings on Your Phone After an Accidental Change

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where a simple mistake with a family member’s phone feels like it could lead to severe consequences? Recently, I had a little mishap while using my mother’s smartphone that changed the network settings, and I’m here to share my experience and offer some tips for others who may encounter a similar dilemma.

While experimenting with my mum’s phone, I inadvertently altered the network configuration from the default setting of 2G/3G/4G (LTE/GSM/CDMA auto with PRL) to 4G (LTE only) by entering ##4636## in the dialer. What I didn’t realize was that doing this would disable calling functionalities, which led to quite a bit of panic on my part. After registering the issue, I quickly reverted the settings back to 4G/3G (LTE/GSM with PRL). However, every time the phone restarted or hung—indicated by a relentless black screen at maximum brightness—it reverted back to the 4G (LTE only) setting, disabling calls once again.

This experience made me inquire: Is there a way to resolve this issue permanently? And, moreover, how can one keep the phone on a 4G setting while still enabling calling functionalities?

I reached out to the knowledgeable community on Reddit for assistance, and I’m pleased to report that many of their suggestions proved to be quite effective. They provided insightful instructions that ultimately resolved the issue.

Key Takeaways for Fixing Network Settings:

Reverting the Settings: Always ensure you revert any temporary setting changes to the original state. If possible, take note of the default network setting before making adjustments.
Manual Reset: If a network changes persist after a reboot, consider performing a manual network reset through the phone’s settings, which can often restore the original configurations.
Device-Specific Solutions: Depending on the brand and model of the phone, specific steps may vary. Researching the user manual or visiting the manufacturer’s support page can offer tailored troubleshooting steps.
Community Assistance: Don’t hesitate to seek help from tech forums or community groups. Many users have experienced similar issues and can offer real-life solutions quickly.
Learning Experience: This incident taught me to approach my mother’s phone—and any tech setups—with caution and respect