# Why Your Call Won't Connect

> The common reasons a CallTuv call fails to start or drops immediately - balance, number format, connection problems - and how to fix each one.

**TL;DR:** Check the usual four: enough credit (the 3-minute minimum), the number in the right format, a team selected, and a stable connection without VPN. A no-answer or busy result means the call did go out.

A call that won't start (or drops within seconds) is frustrating - the good news is it almost always has one of a few simple causes. Find the message you're seeing below and we'll get you calling again.

## "Insufficient balance" or a top-up prompt

Starting a call needs credit for at least 3 minutes at the destination rate - see [Minimum Balance to Start a Call](/help/6829471-minimum-balance-to-start-a-call). Owners can [top up](/help/8412937-how-to-top-up-your-balance); members should ask their team owner. If the call connected but ended on its own, the balance likely ran out mid-call - [auto top-up](/help/4573082-auto-top-up-never-run-out-of-credit) prevents that.

## "Invalid phone number" and format errors

The number doesn't match the selected country's format - usually a wrong country selection or a mistyped digit. See [Entering Phone Numbers and Choosing Countries](/help/3517926-entering-phone-numbers-and-choosing-countries) for exactly how CallTuv validates numbers, or run the number through the free [phone number validator](https://calltuv.com/tools/phone-number-validator).

## "Select a team before placing a call"

Your session has no active team - pick one in the team switcher and dial again. See [Creating and Switching Teams](/help/1573940-creating-and-switching-teams).

## Connection and network errors

Messages like "Connection Error," "Connection timed out," or "Unable to retrieve Voice token" point to your internet connection or a blocked network:

1. Check your connection is actually online, then refresh the page (web) or reopen the app (mobile) and try again.
2. Disable a VPN if one is active.
3. Corporate or public networks sometimes block internet calling - try a different network or a mobile hotspot to confirm.

## Microphone blocked (web)

If the browser can't access a microphone, the call can't start - errors like "This browser does not support microphone access" or a permission prompt you dismissed. Fix permissions per [Fixing Microphone and Audio Issues](/help/2946815-fixing-microphone-and-audio-issues).

## The number rings but no one answers / it's busy

A "no answer" or "busy" result means the call **did go out** - it just wasn't picked up on the other end. That's the destination side, not CallTuv, and unanswered calls that never connect aren't charged.

## None of these match?

[Contact us](https://calltuv.com/contact) with the **exact number you dialed and roughly when** you tried, plus whether you're on web or mobile - with those details we can trace that specific call and see exactly where it failed.