When calling some numbers, you may experience silence instead of the usual ringback tone. This silence continues until the voicemail greeting begins. Although this can feel unusual, it is expected behavior for certain carriers based on how their networks route calls.

Why this happens

Some service providers, such as T-Mobile, use a routing configuration that affects when or whether the ringback tone is played.

How calls are handled on T-Mobile’s network

  • When a call is placed to a T-Mobile device, their network first attempts to locate the device before sending back a ringback tone.
  • If the device cannot be located due to issues such as limited coverage or equipment problems, the call is sent directly to voicemail without ever returning a ringback tone.
  • According to T-Mobile, this behavior is working as designed for calls to their network.

Impact on your call

Although the silence can be confusing, especially when you are handling many calls in a row, it does not affect the call itself. The voicemail greeting will still play, and you can leave a voicemail without any issues.

Note: Silence in place of a ringback tone does not indicate a call failure. It is a normal result of how some carriers route calls when a device cannot be reached.