The Vodafone error 38 causing an issue with your cellular connectivity on the go? Here’s a complete guide on why the issue arises in the first place and what you need to do to fix it.

Mobile phones have a come a long way from being the basic communication devices that send out text messages and make phone calls. The modern smartphone is capable of handling your social life online, keeping a tab of your financial information, and giving you a portal into the world of streaming entertainment.

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However, the basic capability of a smartphone is still pretty much in use, which is why any error pertaining to phone calls or messaging can be problematic. The Vodafone error 38 is a common one among the network carrier’s users across Europe and Asia, which is usually denoted by the notification “Error 38: Unable to send SMS”.

Why Does the Vodafone Error 38 Occur?

Since a large number of Vodafone customers have faced a specific issue across different regions, it cannot be associated with a specific place. Based on the community forums, we have concluded that the Vodafone network error 38 can surface due to the following reasons:

  • Poor or lack of Vodafone network carrier coverage in the specific region from where the SMS is being sent.
  • A conflict between the preset network settings and the settings sent by the network carrier has resulted in the issue.
  • There is an issue with the SIM card condition physically.

How to Fix Vodafone Error 38

Solution #1 – Restart your device

It may seem like a basic tech support fix to turn off and on your phone, but it does work more often than not. Simply restarting the phone might be all you need to do to fix the problem for good.

  • Press and hold the Power button on your phone until the boot screen is displayed.
  • Depending on the brand of your mobile device, select the Restart or Reboot button and wait.
  • Once the device reboots, check to see if the SMS service has now been resolved.

Solution #2 – Manually select Vodafone network 

The Settings menu offers you an array of ways to manage the problem of low connectivity, and it could fix the Vodafone error 38 for you. The ability to manually select the network operator can solve the issue almost instantaneously.

  • Head to the Settings app on your device.
  • Navigate to find the SIM & Network or Connections tab in the Settings
  • If you have two SIMs on the phone, select the Vodafone SIM to change the network mode.
  • Look for the Network operators tab from the list and open.
  • Tap the toggle switch next to Choose automatically to turn it off.
  • Wait while the device looks for available networks and tap on Vodafone to select the network carrier.

Solution #3 – Set the SMSC manually

Although this process is usually handled at the network carrier’s end, you might need to set the SMSC (SMS service center number) manually. You will need to contact the Vodafone network operator to fetch the correct SMSC number for your region.

  • Open the Dialer or Phone app on your mobile device.
  • Tap on the dial pad and enter “*#*#4636#*#*” into it.
  • On the next screen, open Phone information and scroll down to find SMSC from the list.
  • Tap on Refresh to view the current number.
  • Enter the SMSC number you have derived from the network operator and press Update to complete the operation.

Solution #4 – Reset Network Settings

If all of the fixes you’ve been trying don’t work, refreshing the network settings is the only way to go. This option allows you to clear out the saved settings for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Mobile Network. In the event where nothing can get rid of the Vodafone error 38, perform a network reset on the phone.

  • Head to the Settings app on the phone.
  • Scroll down to find the Backup & reset
  • Find the Network settings reset tab and open.
  • Press the Reset Settings button and wait while the process completes.

Once the network settings for your device have been reset, reboot your Android to refresh everything and start again.

Solution #5 – Speak to a network specialist 

If the Vodafone error 38 has not been fixed with our suggestions, contacting a phone network specialist can solve the problem instantly.

Final Words

Mobile network issues such as the Vodafone error 38 and Vodafone error 28 are quite common on other network operators as well. Since millions of devices operate on the same network at the same time, issues are expected to arise. We hope that the connectivity problems have been resolved using the steps highlighted above.