There is a plethora of mobile phone problems that we grapple with everyday. Murphy's Law ensures that mobile phone problems will hit you:

• At the worst possible time, i.e. during an emergency;
• In the middle of an important conversation, i.e. a phone interview for a new job;
• When you really need to contact someone immediately, i.e. you want a friend to save you from a bad date, or you want your parents to pick you up.

So, when you are hit by mobile misfortune and you are cursing at your poor little phone, we’re here to give you a helping hand. Here is a list of 10 common mobile problems and some solutions to get you on the right track.

1. Phone won't turn on:

This can be caused by many factors from internal corrosion to something as simple as a dead battery. These are some recommended steps to follow to ensure things are in working order at a basic level:

• Check that the battery is charged.
• Make sure the battery, the SIM card and the phone casing are all fitted correctly.

If the phone still doesn't turn on:

• Remove the back casing and then take the battery and SIM card out carefully. Gently blow into all the nooks and crannies to ensure there’s no dust or dirt anywhere on or in the handset.
• Alternatively, use a dry cloth to gently brush any dust away.

If the phone is still dead:

• Call tech support.
• Call your provider to check out insurance details.
• Take it to the appropriate repair centre, i.e. the Nokia Repair Centre.

2. Dropping mobile phones:

This is a classic and it happens in the blink of an eye. One second you are happily chatting and laughing with your friends whilst texting your sweetheart, and the next second the phone slips, crashes and smashes into a million plastic pieces at your feet! There are a few things you can do before you call for help:

• Gather as much of the carnage you can see and piece the phone back together.
• Before you put the SIM card and battery back in, blow gently into the handset to get rid of any dirt.
• Turn the phone on – if nothing happens, follow the solutions to problem #1.

Don't forget that many people make the silly mistake of calling or texting whilst near a swimming pool, a beach, in the bathroom, or worst still on the toilet. The number one rule is: mobile phones and water DO NOT MIX. All these scenarios spell disaster!

• Consult our expert article, ‘Your phone got wet! Tips to try and save a soaked mobile’

3. Your phone battery dies:

A battery can die for many reasons, the most obvious being it is flat, but there can also be technical problems. Before you start wondering if your battery has deserted you, try the following:

• First things first: plug the charger in and charge your mobile phone.?
• Make sure the power is switched on at the power-point and the charger is plugged in properly, this goes for car chargers too.
• Borrow a friend’s charger, BUT it must be a compatible one for your specific brand and model. For example, not all Nokia phones use the same charger; the newer phones have a smaller plug, which generally isn’t compatible with the old ‘brick’ models.
• If all else fails, you may have to replace your battery.

4. The phone isn’t charging:

Follow the instructions in step Problem #3, especially:

• Make sure the power is switched on at the power-point and the charger is plugged in properly, this goes for car chargers too.
• Borrow a friend’s charger, BUT it must be a compatible one for your specific brand and model. For example, not all Nokia phones use the same charger; the newer phones have a smaller plug, which generally isn’t compatible with the old ‘brick’ models.
• If all else fails, you may have to replace your battery.

However, the problem may not be with your battery, but a serious technical problem, or possibly something simple. In this case:

• Remove the back casing and then take the battery and SIM card out carefully. Gently blow into all the nooks and crannies to make sure there is no dust or dirt anywhere on or in the handset.
• Alternatively, use a dry cloth to gently brush any dust away.

If the phone is still dead:

• Call tech support.
• Call your provider to check out insurance details.
• Take it to the appropriate repair centre, i.e. the Nokia Repair Centre.

5. Poor reception:

Grrrrr! This always happens in the middle of an important phone call and it does so for many different reasons. Coverage is dependent on your mobile phone service provider and your location. Most service providers claim to reach 100% of the Australian population, but they don't seem to mention how much of the Australian landmass they cover. This is a completely different story. For people who travel to outback Australia and suddenly find their phones dropping out, or are charged extra fees for roaming, it is because their provider just can't service them. There are a couple of things to check in this instance:

• Before you purchase a mobile plan, if coverage is an important decision factor then check the mobile phone provider's website for coverage details and read our article, ‘Mobile phone coverage in Australia.’ You will find providers such as Optus are constantly improving their networks and services, but Telstra traditionally has the best landmass coverage out of all mobile phone providers.

If you are already in a contract and can't choose a different provider, do the following:

• Check to see the networks you are likely to roam onto, so you have an idea of what is happening and which network you are using. If you are in a really remote location then you will most likely roam onto the Telstra network.
• Check your mobile phone providers roaming rates within your particular mobile plan so you have an idea of any extra hidden costs.
• It might also be a good idea to monitor your phone usage to minimise costs, and so there are no nasty surprises on your next mobile phone bill.

6. Phone cuts out:

This is really annoying, but also very common. There are a few reasons a phone could cut out, so think about the following:

• You may have ran out of credit and might need to top up – if you only topped up yesterday there might be some serious hidden charges you didn't know about, so contact your service provider and read our article, ‘Buying a phone: 10 things to check’. You can also have a look at the ‘Compare Mobile Plan Buying Guide’.
• You may have roamed onto a network that is not compatible or does not support your particular provider's network. For example, there are stories on the Whirlpool Forum of 3 Mobile customers' mobile phones cutting out due to roaming onto the Orange Network in Poland. One customer was told they were never guaranteed access to international networks as it depended on the individual operators and agreements between them.
• Your battery may be dead, so charge it up!
• There could be a more serious problem with the phone, if so, follow the solutions to problem # 1.

7. Network is busy:

This always happens when you need to make that urgent phone call to your best friend, or when you need your parents to pick you up from a boring party. Don't panic, your phone has done nothing wrong. It can simply mean the network is chock-a-block with mobile phone calls and does not have room for yours. This is due to limited space at the mobile phone base station that transmits your call, or because it is a peak calling time of the day. So:

• Just keep trying.
• Switch the phone off and on again to try and capture another base station’s signal.
• Similarly, move around to capture a different network signal.
• You might just have to wait.

8. Card and code errors:

There are many different mobile phone error messages that can pop up when you least expect it. According to the Voice Plus website, these messages below are the most common, and here are a few things you can do to fix the problem:

PUK Code/Card Block: this is basically just a security code for unblocking your SIM card. For help just ring your service provider's technical support.

Security Code: Enter your phone security code and press either *, OK, or #.

SIM Card Error: This is a tricky one; it could mean the SIM is not in the right place, or there could be a technical problem with it.

• Check the battery, the SIM card and the phone casing are all fitted correctly.
• Remove the back casing, then take the battery and SIM out carefully. Gently blow into all the nooks and crannies to make sure there is no dust or dirt anywhere on or in the handset.
• Alternatively, use a dry cloth to gently brush any dust away.
• There is a slim chance this could be a faulty SIM or a faulty phone, so try the SIM in a friend's mobile phone to determine the problem.
Call Service: This is a problem with the phone or the software installed in the mobile phone, so call your provider.

9. Rude customer service:

It can be such a turn-off when considering service providers if a friend tells you they have had a nightmare experience with a provider's technical support or customer service personnel. Take the following precautions:

• Ask as many friends and family as possible about their experiences with your prospective mobile phone provider's customer service.
• Make a ‘quality control’ customer service phone call pretending to be a new customer with a random problem. Ask lots of tricky questions and see how they react.

Alternatively, you may already be stuck! Your current mobile phone provider could have rude customer service, but you can still do a few things:

• Politely ask the customer support person if they can speak to you in a nicer tone.
• Ask to speak to their supervisor.
• Make an official complaint.
• Vote with your feet and change mobile phone providers

10. Locked Mobile Phones

This is a really important factor to consider when deciding to buy a mobile phone outright, or whether to get a ‘free’ mobile phone on a prepaid mobile phone plan. It is also relevant for people if they are nearing the end or are between contracts and want to change mobile service providers, but keep their same handset. There are mixed stories and opinions floating around net forums, so here are a few simple rules to follow to determine if your handset is locked and what you can do if it is:

• Ring your provider and ask tech or customer support if the phone is locked to the network.
• If they say yes, ask if you can unlock it and if there is an unlocking fee.
• If you have a locked mobile phone you can always check forums for unlocking codes and handy advice.
• If you are unsure if your phone is unlocked, put another provider's SIM card in your phone and see if it works. According to the Unlock Me website, if the phone is locked it will display the following messages depending on the model:

If your phone is locked you will often see an error message of some kind. These messages vary depending on your handset’s manufacturer:

Nokia = "Enter restriction code" or "SIM card rejected"
Motorola = "Enter special code"
Ericsson = "Enter Correct SIM"
Sony Ericsson = "Incorrect SIM"
Samsung = "Invalid Network SIM...Enter Code"
Panasonic = "Invalid SIM"
Siemens = "Phone disabled! NETWORK LOCK"
Sharp = "Invalid Network SIM"

This should help you to understand and solve your mobile phone woes. If all else fails, there is always a good old trusty public telephone box somewhere nearby!