Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Bonnie
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Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by Bonnie »

Does anyone know if T/Cell has blocked international texting.?
I email my daughter in the Uk daily to let her know all is ok ,if she doesn't hear from me she goes into panic mode.
When we have an electric cut or internet blip & I am unable to email I just send a text saying no leccy or no internet then she doesn't worry.
In recent weeks she is not receiving any of my texts though it says sent in my sent box I've tried with several different phones but the same result.
I've been doing this successfully for years but just recently they are not getting through.
Thanks in advance for any advice

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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by EnjoyingTheSun »

I would suggest using either WhatsApp or viber.
Both free if on the internet and viber out calls (when not on the internet) are very cheap. Calls to a UK landline are 2p a minute and 5p a minute to mobile.

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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by come_on_aylin »

I sent a test text to my son and a message via messenger both asking him to let me know if he got the text. He replied via messenger that he didn't get the text, so I have the same problem. This was from Turkcell to O2. I wonder if it's a problem on Telsim phones - they are linked with Vodafone.

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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by Keithcaley »

Just tried Turkcell to EE & that worked OK

I think that you need to call in to Turkcell and ask them or try sending a text to another UK number as a test - I've PM'd you my UK 'phone number (EE), you can try sending me a text if you like...

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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by sophie »

Keith, wasn't this a problem last year or year before and for some reason or other it only seemed to happen to people in the UK who had iPhones, or iPhones this end, which isn't the case with Bonnie.

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Post by Keithcaley »

sophie wrote:Keith, wasn't this a problem last year or year before and for some reason or other it only seemed to happen to people in the UK who had iPhones, or iPhones this end, which isn't the case with Bonnie.
Je ne sais pas!

Bonnie
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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by Bonnie »

Thanks again Keith ,You always try to offer help to members whatever the problem.
You got my text I got your reply.
I vaguely recall reading something about I phone connection in the distant past, so Sophie could be right & the problem is their end.
Both my daughter & her husband have I phones, though I have not. However it's always worked up until a few weeks ago
I believe their service provider is EE same as yours. As yours is a Samsung and you can receive my texts it must be something to do with the I phone itself.
I've emailed my daughter & she is going to see what she can find out,
Best regards & thanks again for your interest.

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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by erol »

Bonnie wrote:I believe their service provider is EE same as yours. As yours is a Samsung and you can receive my texts it must be something to do with the I phone itself.
It might related to the type of phone (iphone / android etc) but it may not. It could be that Keith is receiving your sms messages ok on his EE phone because he is I assume connected here in Cyprus using roaming ? So it may be that sms from turkcell to an EE phone connected to EE network in the UK are not getting through but sms from Turkcell to an EE phone connected to Turkcell network here in TRNC are getting through ?

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Post by Keithcaley »

erol wrote:...

It might related to the type of phone (iphone / android etc) but it may not. It could be that Keith is receiving your sms messages ok on his EE phone because he is I assume connected here in Cyprus using roaming ? So it may be that sms from turkcell to an EE phone connected to EE network in the UK are not getting through but sms from Turkcell to an EE phone connected to Turkcell network here in TRNC are getting through ?
...Or some other combination of factors that we haven't even thought of!

I am, as Erol surmised, in TRNC - I had thought that Bonnie's text would go all the way to England, and then come all the way back here to my EE 'phone, but who knows?

I think that we're back to Plan B, go and talk to Turkcell, and see if they've any idea!

Actually, I've just realised, Groucho might know! - I'll ask him...

- It's never simple. is it?

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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by rigsby »

Bonnie,Talk to Turkcell we had the same problem when we lived there.Turkcell had turned it off!! the operator said,Honest.

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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by Groucho »

The text messaging service often referred to as SMS is not real-time... that is - unlike a phone call when you are indeed connected in real-time thus making the conversation comprehensible (unless you are talking to a numpty) instead the SMS service uses latency on the networks to deliver messages via messaging centres. so you send a message and it is squirted out into the ether and should end up at the messaging centre serving the prospective recipients home location. This messaging centre will then attempt to deliver the message to the subscriber target and hopefully get an acknowledgement back to say the message has been delivered. If undelivered it will re-try over a number of days to deliver before giving up. That's why if your phone has been off for a while when it's turned back on you may get a squirt of old messages coming through. Often the message receipt is very quick and people get used to that level of service and have used it for systems that they should not - as, for the reasons stated above it is not meant for mission critical applications...

Now - why Turkcell originated messages are not being received in the UK is unlikely to be anything to do with a particular handset. Once the message leaves your phone it's just an electronic package. So it would appear that the agreement between Turkcell and the UK providers has broken down. This may be a technical issue - but is more likely to be one where the either the TRNC or UK mobile companies feel they are not receiving sufficient payment for their service.... This is only my supposition and really you would need to contact Turkcell and ask if they are aware of an issue.

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Re: Texts to Uk on an ordinary bog standard phone

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Post by Bonnie »

Thanks to all of you who have tried to help me resolve my problem.
I really do need to go to the Turkcell shop.
'After all these years I am ashamed to admit that I don't have a clue where the nearest one is in Girne never noticed one ,never before needed to.
I googled it but couldn't make head or tail of the directions.
When I first bought a phone here I bought it from the big Lemar in Karakum. Then you needed your passport ,fill in a form .with your mothers maiden name etc. Over the years I've changed phones and just swapped the sim from one to the other.
Then some time ago we all had to text to a certain no to reregister our phones here. I've never had a problem until now with an occasional text to the uk.
My sim card must be an antique by now but still works locally. I get texts frequently from Turkcell trying to sell me packages and from local traders who have my no. & I am able to send texts locally,just no longer to the UK
Grouchos assumption seems the most likely explanation
Now I need assistance for directions to find the shop in plain terms please. As in go down the high st turn left/right by the something or other & it's opposite the whatever.. If I find the shop may even treat myself to a new phone. Cheers everyone

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Post by Keithcaley »

It's near to the 'Waterfall roundabout" which is at the bottom of the hill going to Lefkoşa.
The Turkcell shop is not on the hill, it's on the main road - if you stood on the roundabout with Elektrokur behind you, the Road to the Colony on your right, & the hill to Lefkoşa on your left, then the Turkcell shop would be about 30 metres on front of you on the left hand side of the road.

Here's a map
Last edited by Keithcaley on Thu 29 Mar 2018 9:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

Bonnie
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Post by Bonnie »

Thanks Keith ,you're a star. Will go on Monday & let you know the outcome

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Post by Bonnie »

I called at the Turckcell shop .Explained my problem, Not helpful at all.
After queueing for 20mins the customer services young lady told me " if it says sent then it's been sent" followed by the Cyprus shrug.

I'm considering updating my phone & changing my provider to Telsim. See if they are more helpful.

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Post by Heaven »

You can telephone Turkcell on 4440533. They will give you information on how to in block your texts. It happened to me once and the info they told me released my texts to UK. Mine is bog standard phone

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Post by Heaven »

Okay, just found their instructions. To unblock texts you do this, hope it still works. #330*0000# press call then ##002# press call and then turn off phone for 5 minutes. Should do the trick. But phone the number I gave you and they will give you any updated instructions

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Post by Bonnie »

Thank you heaven I followed your instructions but unfortunately it hasn't worked .
Today I'll phone the no you gave me to see if they can resolve the problem for me.
I am able to send and receive texts locally. just not to the UK. whatever service provider the recipitants are using
At the weekend I phoned my daughter mobile to mobile , that worked. I now know that that I can make contact in an emergency.
Having an electric cut /internet outage is hardly an emergency .A text like email is less invasive but would put her mind at rest if she didn't hear from me with my usual daily report.
I'm puzzled as to why it has suddenly become impossible to do this after many years.

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Post by Bonnie »

Phoned the T/cell no you gave me. Explained the problem, asked for my date of birth, I told him but he said not according to their records. I may be a bit cranky but think I still know my birth date.
Said he'd get someone to phone me back. Explained the problem all over again This chappie asked me for my daughters phone no, then told me to send her a text message. I did as I was told but still no joy.
I give up ,done with T/cell Will go to the Telsim shop buy a new phone and register with them but not before they prove to me that I can send the occasional short text to the UK.
Thanks for your interest Heaven it is appreciated.

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Post by Keithcaley »

If you just want to let your daughter know that 'all is well, but the internet is down', you could pre-arrange a coded message, such as 2 short calls in succession, where you promptly end the call before it's answered, even if she is away from the 'phone, she would see the missed calls and see from the call log that they were from you and sent in quick succession. It's a common method of sending simple messages in 3rd World Countries

Some people have developed quite sophisticated 'signalling systems' that cost nothing using this method...

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Post by Bonnie »

Thanks Keith,
That's a good idea, I'll suggest it to her & work out a code between us.
Meantime I still think I'll consider Telsim for the future
Feel pretty hacked off with T/cell customer service An explanation of some kind would have been nice even if they couldn't solve the problem

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Post by Bonnie »

All sorted New provider Telsim !! Test texts to & from UK working fine

Eat your heart out Turkcell. Now I'll not have to put up with your annoying texts every 10 mins telling me to text this code or that code to enable me to make calls to Turkey .Why would I want to call Turkey? I don't know anyone in Turkey !
All I wanted was to send an occasional short text to the UK

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