Sometimes calls on Beside may fail, drop unexpectedly, or have no audio. This can happen for a few different reasons - most of them are easy to fix on your end. The steps below apply to calls made on the Beside mobile app and on the web app at app.beside.com. Items specific to one surface are flagged inline.
📌 This article covers outgoing calls and in-call issues. If your phone isn't ringing for incoming calls, see instead: 📖 Fix calls not ringing
Weak or unstable internet connection
Beside uses your internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data on mobile, Wi-Fi or Ethernet on the web app). If the signal is weak or unstable, your call may fail, drop, or lose audio.
How to fix
Move to a place with stronger signal
Mobile: switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data
Web app: switch to a wired Ethernet connection if possible, or move closer to your router
Restart your router
Close apps or browser tabs using heavy bandwidth
💡 Switch networks during a call without hanging up (mobile only): tap the network icon in the top-right corner of the screen → choose Call with cellular network → if needed, tap Hang up and call with cellular.
Browser-specific checks (web app)
If calls fail or have no audio specifically on app.beside.com, check the following:
Microphone permission - the browser must allow Beside to access your microphone. Check the site permissions icon in the address bar and make sure Microphone is allowed.
Refresh the tab - a hard refresh (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+R) reloads the latest version of the web app and can clear temporary connection issues.
Try a different browser - Beside on the web works in modern Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Arc, Brave) and Safari. If calls fail in one browser, try another to isolate the issue.
Check for other apps using the microphone - close video conferencing apps, voice recorders, or other browser tabs that may be holding the mic.
Call forwarding conflict
If you're forwarding your personal phone number to Beside, an incorrect carrier forwarding setup can cause calls to fail, drop, or have no audio. Call forwarding is configured from the Beside mobile app.
How to fix
Turn call forwarding OFF on your carrier line
Turn it ON again using the in-app setup steps
Make sure the right line is being forwarded to your Beside number
International calls
Beside currently supports outgoing calls only to US and Canadian numbers, from both mobile and the web app. Calls to numbers outside these regions will fail.
You can still receive international calls to your Beside number. For outgoing international calls, use your personal carrier's plan.
T-Mobile to T-Mobile Caller ID conflict
Calls may fail when all of these conditions are true:
You are forwarding a T-Mobile number to Beside
Caller ID is enabled in your Beside settings
You are calling another T-Mobile number
How to fix
Disable Caller ID in Beside settings before making the call. Caller ID is configured from the Beside mobile app.
Testing calls from your own forwarded number
If you're forwarding your personal number to Beside and call your Beside number from that same number, the call may fail. Beside detects this as a self-call and automatically ends it. This is expected behavior and does not indicate a configuration issue.
How to test correctly
Call your Beside number from a different phone number
Or use "Test Receptionist" in the Beside mobile app to hear what real callers experience
💡 Good to know: If calls from other numbers reach your AI Receptionist, everything is working as intended.
FAQ
My call connects but there's no audio on one or both sides. What should I do?
My call connects but there's no audio on one or both sides. What should I do?
On mobile, this is usually caused by a weak internet connection. Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or move to a location with better signal. You can also tap the network icon during a call to switch to cellular network without hanging up.
On the web app, check that the browser has microphone permission for app.beside.com, refresh the tab, and close other apps or tabs that may be holding the microphone.
My calls keep dropping after a few seconds. Why?
My calls keep dropping after a few seconds. Why?
Short calls that drop quickly are often related to call forwarding conflicts. Try turning call forwarding OFF on your carrier, then setting it up again using the in-app steps.
Can I make calls to numbers outside the US and Canada?
Can I make calls to numbers outside the US and Canada?
Not yet. Beside currently supports outgoing calls to US and Canadian numbers only, from both mobile and the web app. You can still receive international calls on your Beside number. For outgoing international calls, use your personal carrier's plan.
I'm on T-Mobile and some of my calls fail. What's going on?
I'm on T-Mobile and some of my calls fail. What's going on?
If you're forwarding a T-Mobile number to Beside and calling another T-Mobile number with Caller ID enabled, the call may fail. Disable Caller ID in your Beside settings before making the call.
Calls work on mobile but fail on the web app. What's different?
Calls work on mobile but fail on the web app. What's different?
The most common web-specific issues are microphone permission not being granted to app.beside.com, another app or tab holding the microphone, or a browser extension blocking WebRTC. Try the browser-specific checks above, and test in a different browser to isolate the issue.
How can I test if my Beside line is working correctly?
How can I test if my Beside line is working correctly?
Call your Beside number from a different phone number - not the one you're forwarding. You can also use the "Test Receptionist" feature in the Beside mobile app. If calls from other numbers reach your AI Receptionist, your setup is working.