Skype Dial Pad – All calls to China (+86) fail, but calls to other countries work

Qiqi Zhang 0 Reputation points
2026-10-26T08:10:13.3033333+00:00

Hi,

I am an existing paid Skype user using Skype Dial Pad in Microsoft Teams Free.

All outgoing calls to mainland China (+86) fail immediately with the error "The connection is too weak."

I have confirmed that:

Calls to other countries work normally.

Multiple Chinese mobile and landline numbers fail.

Both Teams Free and the web Skype Dial Pad fail.

The problem is not limited to one telephone number.

The legacy Skype support page redirects to the retirement FAQ.

Microsoft Contact Support offers only Community Support for my account.

Could a Microsoft moderator confirm whether there is a current restriction or outage affecting Skype PSTN calls to China (+86), and advise how this can be escalated to the telephony team?

BR,

Qiqi

Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Teams Free | Calls
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  1. Ruwim.B 7,325 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-10-26T11:34:46.6166667+00:00

    This may or may not be the reason for failed calls to Chinese phone numbers but just note that all Skype Dial Pad calls are now anonymous.

    Microsoft has recently disabled any Caller ID on Skype making all calls anonymous/private. If Chinese destinations do not accept such calls, then this might result in a failed call.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-26T10:07:06.38+00:00

    No public Microsoft notice confirms a current blanket restriction or live outage for Skype Dial Pad calls to mainland China, so this destination-wide failure should be reported through Teams Free with diagnostics for Microsoft to investigate rather than treated as a local connectivity problem.

    Calls to other countries succeeding through both Teams Free and the web Dial Pad make further client or browser troubleshooting unlikely to help. Microsoft notes that Skype does not support every number range in every country and that country-specific ranges can be unreachable; persistent failures should be reported with the destination and Skype account information. ^1^

    Report the failure with diagnostics

    In the Teams Free desktop application:

    1. Select Settings and more (…) > Feedback > Report a problem.
    2. Describe the issue as Skype Dial Pad / paid calling, not as an ordinary Teams-to-Teams call.
    3. Enable Include troubleshooting info if that option appears. Teams Free can attach diagnostic logs that help Microsoft investigate application and calling failures. ^2^
    4. Include:
      • The calling country and network from which the calls were placed.
      • At least three failed call timestamps, including time zone.
      • Whether each destination was a Chinese mobile or landline.
      • The complete displayed error: “The connection is too weak.”
      • That non-+86 international calls succeed.
      • That the same failure occurs in Teams Free and the Skype web Dial Pad.
      • Whether any Skype Credit was deducted.
      • Screenshots, with telephone numbers and account details redacted.
    5. Allow Microsoft to contact you if the feedback form offers that option.

    Suggested report text:

    Existing paid Skype Dial Pad user. All outbound PSTN calls to mainland China (+86), across multiple mobile and landline numbers, fail immediately with “The connection is too weak.” Calls to other countries succeed. The issue occurs in both Teams Free and the Skype web Dial Pad. Please investigate destination routing or number-range restrictions for +86. Failed call timestamps and time zone are attached.

    This sends product feedback and diagnostic data to Microsoft, but the public documentation does not state that it creates a support case or guarantees escalation to a PSTN routing team.

    Support and moderator limitations

    The public Skype support page still offers an “I’m having trouble making a call” route, although the available endpoint may be Community Support depending on the account. ^3^ If no agent or case-creation option is offered, there is no documented consumer self-service path that directly opens a ticket with the telephony team.

    A Microsoft Q&A moderator cannot inspect account provisioning, carrier routing, or live PSTN backend status. Post the redacted timestamps and the date the Teams feedback was submitted in the Q&A thread, but do not assume that a moderator can locate or escalate that submission.

    What the China service change does—and does not—establish

    Microsoft has announced restrictions on using Teams for personal use from within China, while explicitly listing Skype Dial Pad as a separately available service for eligible paid users. That announcement does not state that outbound calls from another country to +86 are prohibited. ^4^

    Skype itself was retired on May 5, 2025, but Microsoft continues to make the Skype Dial Pad available through Teams Free and the web portal for users with active Skype Credit or another qualifying paid entitlement. ^5^ Therefore, retirement alone does not explain why only +86 destinations fail.

    The evidence supports treating this as a possible destination-routing or number-range restriction, but only Microsoft’s service operators can confirm the current backend state.

    References

    1. Why am I having trouble calling a mobile or landline in Skype? | Microsoft Support
    2. Diagnostic data in Microsoft Teams for personal use | Microsoft Support
    3. Contact Skype support | Microsoft Support
    4. Microsoft Teams for personal use availability changes in China
    5. How do I make a call in the Skype Dial Pad?
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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