Unwanted Call Forwarding

[ExAviator]

My eighteen month old S4 (unrooted with current software) on the UK o2 network has suddenly commenced not accepting incoming calls: there are no problems with incoming texts or outgoing calls. When somebody phones me they hear a line busy signal. My phone very briefly shows 'Call Forwarded'. In the log the call is listed as 'Missed'.
I have checked and reset CallSettings/AdditionalSettings/CallForwarding and all four options for Voice (and Video) are Disabled.
I have TuGo installed on this and three other devices. This also shows the calls as 'Missed'. I have tried with TuGo selected on and off on all these devices. I have even removed the battery for 15 minutes, more in hope than expectation.
Any suggestions much appreciated.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

I don't know if all these codes work in the UK, but see if you can get it sorted out with the info from this page (scroll down to the Call Forwarding table): GSM Feature Codes

 

[ExAviator]

Thanks Mr Lucky. Tried the Codes you suggested. Looked very promising in that after selecting #21# or ##21# a dialogue box indicated that Call Forwarding was being Disabled. Sadly the situation remains that all incoming calls are Forwarded somewhere unknown and hence callers cannot contact me on my mobile (although they can text me!).

So I have a mobile that cannot receive calls - any other suggestions welcomed.

 

[allanlaw]

I'm not familiar with the features your carrier provides, but it is possible that there is a feature they provide to activate call forwarding from your online account

 

[ExAviator]

Thanks Allanlaw. Discovered o2 use ##02# for Call Forwarding ( and #02# for state). It is continues to display that Call fForwarding is Disabled - but still forwards calls.
Tried Enabling call forwarding to my landline and this functioned perfectly! Disabled this selection to return to Call Forwarding is Disabled and back to the same problem. Oh dear.

 

[allanlaw]

My suggestion was directed to trying the carrier's website where (maybe) you have an online account, and seeing if you could disable call forwarding from there - on the theory that maybe the phone is confused, but perhaps the carrier's servers are not. I know I can disable call forwarding using my online account with US carrier Verizon, I just don't know what you might be able to do with O2 (or even if you have a way to view and manipulate your account settings online, i.e., from your computer).

Alternatively, what happens if you play along and set your phone to forward calls back to itself?

 

[ExAviator]

Thanks again Allanlaw. I have tried redirecting it back to itself but it rejected that option. I don't think my online account has that function but I'll check again. I did approach o2, my provider and they could only suggest the Sim itself may have developed a fault. Tomorrow I'll take this mobile into the local O2 shop to have the Sim tested (unfortunately both our other mobiles take a different sized Sim so I can't check it that way).

 

[allanlaw]

Taking it in sounds like the best move. Please report back here.

 

[ExAviator]

My problem is solved. It defeated the technical experts at O2 but the solution was so simple and somewhat embarrassing. The young guy in the phone shop went straight to the cause. Somehow or other 'blocking ' had been selected ON and all the boxes ticked including All phone calls. Hence any incoming call was Fowarded albeit to 'nowhere'. I have never opened Blocking and never ticked all the Boxes within it (I am the sole user of the phone). Presumably this occurred when the phone software was upgraded sometime in the last month or so. I feel a rather foolish but the repeated reporting of Call Forwarded narrowed my focus in seeking the answer to this issue.

 

[allanlaw]

You, sir, have nothing to feel foolish about - if the phone tells you it is forwarding calls, it is not your responsibility to determine that the message is hogwash! However, this is a good example of why it is a good idea to just check random menus and submenus under Settings if there is a persistent problem that makes no sense. Cheers.