Cingular SMS / Text Messaging While Roaming

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Randy I - 27 Mar 2004 03:54 GMT

Hello. I couldn't find any info on this subject so sorry if I'm
rehashing.

I'm a US Cingular GSM customer. If I'm roaming internationally in, say,
the U.K., will I be able to receive text messages from people in the US?
Will I be able to text them back from the U.K.? How would I address
my text messages if I'm composing in another country? Finally, if I can
text back to the U.S. while roaming, can I pretty much do this in any
country that has Cingular GSM roaming agreements?

Thanks, -R.

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Mike Fitzgerald - 27 Mar 2004 14:37 GMT

> Hello. I couldn't find any info on this subject so sorry if I'm
> rehashing.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> text back to the U.S. while roaming, can I pretty much do this in any
> country that has Cingular GSM roaming agreements?

I have not tried it with a Cingular phone, but you should be able to send
and receive SMS as normal, when roaming.

I set all my phone numbers using + (country code) (number). For instance, an
SMS to the UK would be +44 777 555 5555. Although, when you receive an SMS
from Cingular, in the US, it will arrive as 011 777 555 5555... which is not
in the international dialling format. This also means that incoming messages
will not be associated with names in your address book.

Well, at least Cingular seems to have some sort of SMS capability... it
might take a little time for them to do it properly.

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Joseph - 27 Mar 2004 16:05 GMT

>I'm a US Cingular GSM customer. If I'm roaming internationally in, say,
>the U.K., will I be able to receive text messages from people in the US?

Yes.

> Will I be able to text them back from the U.K.?

Yes.

>How would I address
>my text messages if I'm composing in another country?

The same way you should be doing it now. Go into your message/write
messages menu. Compose the message. Send to number in the format
+13115552368 for messages sent to a North American number,
+442098765432 in London, England, +33123456789 in Paris, France, etc.

>Finally, if I can
>text back to the U.S. while roaming, can I pretty much do this in any
>country that has Cingular GSM roaming agreements?

Yes. Do realize though that even with working roaming agreements it's
not a guarantee that intercarrier/intercountry SMS will work. It
often does, but none of the carriers AFAIK guarantee any SMS delivery
beyond their own networks.

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tom glaab - 28 Mar 2004 23:42 GMT

Randy I <rannorishi-nwsgrps04@yahoo.com> wrote

> I'm a US Cingular GSM customer. If I'm roaming internationally in, say,
> the U.K., will I be able to receive text messages from people in the US?

Yep, works great. Since the SMSC (short message service center) number
is programmed into your phone and doesn't change when you roam, you
continue to address your SMS as if you were at home.

Even if you get billed for SMS overseas (I haven't been) it's a lot
cheaper than an actual phone call.

tg.

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Randy I - 29 Mar 2004 06:47 GMT

> Randy I <rannorishi-nwsgrps04@yahoo.com> wrote
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> tg.

Thanks to all the posters who helped with this question! I'm looking
forward to trying it out the next time I'm traveling. -Randy.

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