4 Ways To Fix AT&T Not Registered On Network

As far as cell service providers go in the US, there are few that we would consider to be as reliable as communications giant, AT&T. In general, you just make sure that you have paid up and then everything else seems to work without fail.

Their nationwide coverage is pretty extensive too, with black spots hard to find. And all of that you get for a reasonable price. 

That being said, there is not a network out there that won’t encounter an issue here and there. As of late, we have noticed that quite a few AT&T customers have been posting on public forums that there is an issue preventing them from making calls. 

This issue will also give you a notification that says, “not registered on network”. Luckily, this is a problem that can normally be fixed by the user themselves. So, to help you do precisely that, we have put together the following steps to help you out. 

How To Fix The AT&T Not Registered On Network Problem 

Before we kick things off here, we should note that none of these fixes will require you to have any real level of tech skill. So if you were worrying about possible messing things up worse than they already are, don’t. We won’t be asking you to take anything apart or to do anything that could damage your equipment. 

1. Check that you have Coverage

As we always do with these guides, we will kick off with the most simple of solutions first. But do bear in mind that this wouldn’t be here if it didn’t prove to be the case on occasion. Quite often, the notification that states, “not registered on network”, will just mean that you have strayed somewhere where the networks towers can’t quite reach you. 

Though AT&T has excellent coverage throughout the US, it is still possible to experience this problem in particularly remote areas or in places such as valleys. 

Of course, there is no real way to make sure that you get coverage in the exact spot you are now. However, it is possible to just move around for a bit until you manage to catch some signal.

An easy way to do this is to either aim for a road or to find higher ground. Again, it isn’t a permanent solution, but it will get you out of a tight spot every now and then. 

2. Try Reinstalling the SIM Card

Next on the checklist is to diagnose issues with the SIM car in your phone as these can quite often cause the “not registered on network” notification to appear. Though the SIM will generally fit into your phone quite neatly, it is still possible for the placement to be a little off. 

So, all we will need to do here is take out the SIM and then pout it back in again. This isn’t generally all that difficult but can require a pin to open the SIM slot on some phones. Then, just open the slot, take the SIM out, and turn off the phone. 

Once you have done that, all that remains is to carefully put the SIM back in its place, making sure that it isn’t damaged in the process. After that is done, you can then safely turn the phone back on and allow it to boot up again. There should now be a far better chance that the problem will have been resolved.

Should you have noticed that your SIM wasn’t in good shape when you took it out of the phone, the good news is that it is easy to get a replacement. Simply call into an AT&T outlet near you and they will sort it out for you.

3. Give it Time

Allow us to explain this tip a little before it gets ruled out for sounding a bit ridiculous. Not a lot of people will know this, but if the SIM has been purchased just recently, it may not have been activated just yet. In general, this can take anywhere from 12-24 hours to be completed, occasionally running over that by a few hours. 

So, if it hasn’t been all that long since you got yours, the thing to do will be to simply wait it out for a little while longer. Once that time has passed, remember to restart the phone and then it should begin working. 

It is worth noting that the timeframe we have provided above should only be taken as a loose estimate. The fact of it is that the activation process will take a different amount of time depending on where you are based and even on what plan you subscribed to.

So, before getting in touch with customer support, make sure that you have waited for a reasonable amount of time.

4. Contact Support

Unfortunately, we have reached the point now where there is nothing that can be done on your end that will do anything to resolve the issue. However, there is no need to panic just yet. There may have just been a minor issue with the verification of your account. 

So, though we do realise that you are currently without a working phone, we would still suggest that you find an alternative means of ringing customer support and handing the problem over to them.

While you are talking to them, we would suggest that you let them know everything you have tried so far in order to try fix the “not registered on network” issue. That way, they will be able to get to the root of the problem much quicker, thus saving both of you some time.