220-1101 Mobile Devices Practice Question
A user reports that their iPhone 12 is not receiving incoming phone calls. When someone calls, the call goes directly to voicemail after one ring. The phone shows full signal strength, and Do Not Disturb (DND) is confirmed to be off. The user can make outgoing calls and send/receive text messages. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT to resolve the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between network-level issues (like signal or carrier settings) and device-level call routing features, leading candidates to choose 'Reset network settings' when the real culprit is a simple toggle in the Phone settings.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Check the call forwarding settings under Phone settings
The symptom—calls going directly to voicemail after one ring while the user can make outgoing calls and send texts—strongly suggests that incoming calls are being redirected. Call forwarding settings, specifically unconditional forwarding (CFU) or forwarding on no reply, can cause this behavior even when DND is off and signal is strong. Checking the Phone > Call Forwarding settings is the logical next step because it directly addresses the call routing issue without unnecessary resets or restarts.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Check the call forwarding settings under Phone settings
Why this is correct
Call forwarding is a telephony service that redirects incoming calls to another number, including voicemail, before the iPhone rings. The setting can be accidentally toggled on in the Phone app's Settings, especially after a carrier update or a profile installation. Because the feature is provisioned on the network side, a phone call will never even ring the device—calls appear to be completely lost, which matches the symptom. Checking and disabling the Call Forwarding toggle is the quickest way to confirm or eliminate this root cause.
- ✗
Restart the iPhone
Why it's wrong here
Restarting the iPhone is a generic troubleshooting step that clears temporary process state and may dismiss a misbehaving background app, but it cannot alter a call-forwarding rule stored by the carrier. If incoming calls are being redirected to voicemail due to forwarding, a reboot will not change that condition; the network still sees the forwarded line as active. A restart is only worthwhile if you suspect a local software glitch, but for the described symptom, it is overshadowed by a direct check of Phone settings. Rebooting is non-destructive, so it is not harmful, but it does not provide diagnostic information and may waste time en route to the real fix.
When this WOULD be correct
A user reports that their iPhone cannot make or receive calls, texts, or use data, and the device is unresponsive or has frozen. In that scenario, a restart is the appropriate first step to clear temporary software glitches.
- ✗
Update carrier settings
Why it's wrong here
Carrier settings updates are configuration files that adjust how the iPhone interacts with the cellular network for features like MMS, LTE, and presence; they are not meant to change your personal call-forwarding preferences. Such updates are only pushed occasionally by the carrier and usually appear as a prompt with 'Update Carrier Settings'—they rarely turn off or on call forwarding without explicit user consent. Even if the carrier settings are outdated, the forward rule for your phone number is managed separately through your account or the Phone menu. Checking for an update would not be the first step, and an outdated carrier configuration is not a common cause of a complete lack of incoming rings.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician should update carrier settings when a user reports inability to send/receive texts or make calls after a carrier update, or when new features like Wi-Fi Calling are not working. For example, after a carrier announces a network change, updating carrier settings resolves service disruptions.
- ✗
Reset network settings
Why it's wrong here
Resetting network settings does not touch call forwarding, because call forwarding is a carrier-level feature, not a local network preference. This action erases saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings, and VPN profiles—data that may be cumbersome to restore—while having no effect on how the carrier routes incoming calls. It should be reserved for issues involving connectivity, such as failing to join Wi-Fi or cellular data problems, not for a silent call-failure symptom. Performing the reset first is an unnecessary disruption that could be harmful if you are traveling and need those configurations.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 220-1101 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Check the call forwarding settings under Phone settingsCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Call forwarding is a telephony service that redirects incoming calls to another number, including voicemail, before the iPhone rings. The setting can be accidentally toggled on in the Phone app's Settings, especially after a carrier update or a profile installation. Because the feature is provisioned on the network side, a phone call will never even ring the device—calls appear to be completely lost, which matches the symptom. Checking and disabling the Call Forwarding toggle is the quickest way to confirm or eliminate this root cause.
✗Restart the iPhoneWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Restarting the iPhone is a generic troubleshooting step that is unlikely to resolve call forwarding settings, which are the most probable cause given that calls go directly to voicemail after one ring while signal and DND are normal.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A user reports that their iPhone cannot make or receive calls, texts, or use data, and the device is unresponsive or has frozen. In that scenario, a restart is the appropriate first step to clear temporary software glitches.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often default to restarting as a quick fix for many issues, but here the symptoms point to a specific configuration problem rather than a general system glitch.
✗Update carrier settingsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The user can make outgoing calls and send texts, indicating the carrier connection is active. Updating carrier settings is typically needed when there are network connectivity issues or new carrier features, not specifically for calls going straight to voicemail with full signal.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician should update carrier settings when a user reports inability to send/receive texts or make calls after a carrier update, or when new features like Wi-Fi Calling are not working. For example, after a carrier announces a network change, updating carrier settings resolves service disruptions.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think carrier settings control call routing and that outdated settings could cause calls to go to voicemail, but this is less common than checking call forwarding, which directly controls that behavior.
Analysis generated from the official 220-1101blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Visual reference
About these practice questions
One of 896 original 220-1101 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1101 exam.