What to Do About the "All Circuits Are Busy" Phone Message

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Why you hear this frustrating message & simple ways to fix it

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: January 21, 2025 Fact Checked

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"All Circuits Are Busy" Meaning

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How to Fix "All Circuits Are Busy"

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Does it mean you're blocked?

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Are you trying to call someone but hear "All circuits are busy, please try your call later"? Fortunately, this error is easy to diagnose and solve on any mobile or landline carrier, including Verizon. Read on to learn what "all circuits are busy" really means and simple ways to fix it.

What “All Circuits Are Busy” Means

Too many people are using the network right now, so try again later. This message does not mean you are blocked. Try calling other numbers to determine whether the issue lies with your service provider or the other person's provider. To report the issue, dial *611 (Verizon) or 611 (others).

Section 1 of 3:

"All Circuits Are Busy" Meaning

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Too many people are placing calls for the available phone lines. You'll often hear this message during a service outage, when available phone lines are cut, or when network equipment is damaged. It's also common to hear "all circuits are busy" at busy events, such as large concerts and festivals, or during severe weather incidents and emergencies when many people are trying to make calls at once.^{[1]
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- This is a temporary message. You'll be able to place your call whenever a line frees up.
- This message affects both cell phones and landlines. The error is not specific to Verizon, CenturyLink, or any other network—it's a universal error that you might hear on any phone.
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The issue is with the phone provider. "All circuits are busy" means something different depending on when you hear the message:
- Calling a specific number: The other person's mobile provider has an issue.
- Calling all numbers: Your mobile provider has an issue.

Section 2 of 3:

How to Fix "All Circuits Are Busy"

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Because "all circuits are busy" tends to be a temporary error, you can usually just wait a few minutes (or, in some cases, a few hours) for a line to free up before placing your call successfully.^{[2]
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Contact your provider's support team. If you're hearing "all circuits are busy" when calling all numbers, dial your provider's support code to report the issue. If you're on Verizon or Xfinity mobile, dial *611. On most other mobile providers, including T-Mobile, dial 611. The support team will help you figure out if there's an outage in your area, and they should give you an estimated time until it's fixed.
- Try calling other phone numbers first. If you only hear the "all circuits are busy" message when you call a specific number, the issue is on their side, not yours. In this case, you'll just need to wait until their network problems are resolved.
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Check for outages. If you are unable to place a call due to "all circuits are busy," your service provider might be experiencing an outage. You can go to your provider's outage website, such as Verizon's Check Network Status, or check out their mobile app (if they have one) to see if outages have been reported in your area.
- If you're getting the message when you're trying to call one person, check their carrier's website for outage information so you know when you'll be able to call them again.

Section 3 of 3:

Does "all circuits are busy" mean you've been blocked?

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Even if you only hear "all circuits are busy" when you call a specific person and not all people, you can still rest assured this does not mean they've blocked you. It just means that the person's mobile network is busy right now. Waiting a few moments and trying again is usually all you'll need to do to fix the problem.