Dropped call

Dropped call

When the sender of a cellular call is moving, they often leave one "cell" (geographical area) and enter another. As a caller moves into another cell, another service provider picks up the call and continues it. This is called a handoff, and usually happens so seamlessly that the caller doesn't even know it happened. A "dropped call" is when the service provider in a cell a caller is entering does not pick up the handoff and the call is cut off. (Cingular)

Dropped call is the common term for a wireless mobile phone call that is terminated unexpectedly as a result of technical reasons.