international sms w/ t-mobile?

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alice - 20 Dec 2003 05:34 GMT

hi, is it possible to sms internationally with t-mobile? if so is it
charged the same as a domestic sms? thanks!

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Donald Newcomb - 20 Dec 2003 11:37 GMT

> hi, is it possible to sms internationally with t-mobile? if so is it
> charged the same as a domestic sms? thanks!

1. Yes but it is not really supported. If it works, great, if not, that's
too bad. In particular, many overseas carriers have trouble sending to
T-Mobile (US) numbers.
2. Charges depend on your plan. For me, the charges are the same as domesitc
SMS.
--

Donald Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net
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SSQ - 21 Dec 2003 22:16 GMT

I have used SMS for both the UK and India. It has worked perfectly,
from both ends. Charges are the same for domestic SMS.

Sahar

> > hi, is it possible to sms internationally with t-mobile? if so is it
> > charged the same as a domestic sms? thanks!
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> 2. Charges depend on your plan. For me, the charges are the same as domesitc
> SMS.

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Donald Newcomb - 22 Dec 2003 06:27 GMT

> I have used SMS for both the UK and India. It has worked perfectly,
> from both ends. Charges are the same for domestic SMS.

That's fine, but have you ever called CS to complain that you can't
send/receive SMS with a foreign carrier?

--

Donald Newcomb
DRNewcomb@attglobal.net

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Joseph - 22 Dec 2003 23:38 GMT

>> I have used SMS for both the UK and India. It has worked perfectly,
>> from both ends. Charges are the same for domestic SMS.
>
>That's fine, but have you ever called CS to complain that you can't
>send/receive SMS with a foreign carrier?

AFAIK T-Mobile doesn't guarantee off system delivery of SMS. If it
works so much better the bonus, but I doubt whether they'd even open a
trouble ticket on the matter.

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Effie - 22 Dec 2003 21:26 GMT

Hello
I am hoping you can assist me as I am having a hard time coming across
information relavent to my problem and your posting seem to relate to
a problem I have.
I recently switched to T-Mobile and as of last week stopped receiving
SMSs from outside the US. I tried numerous times w/2 different
countries and no matter how much I tried I can send messages out (and
they are received) but cannot receive anything other then US SMSs.
I am trying to take it w/T-mobile but seem to be going nowhere - do
you have more information regarding your statement that many overseas
carriers have trouble sending to T-mobile numbers?

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Donald Newcomb - 23 Dec 2003 23:28 GMT

> I recently switched to T-Mobile and as of last week stopped receiving
> SMSs from outside the US. I tried numerous times w/2 different
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> you have more information regarding your statement that many overseas
> carriers have trouble sending to T-mobile numbers?

When you say your "switched to T-Mobile" does that mean you "ported" another
carrier's number to T-Mobile or you got a new T-Mobile number? The problem
with receiving SMS from overseas carriers come from the way the US assigns
wireless numbers. Other counties have a few area+codes that cover all
wireless phones. The US & Canada have thousands of six-digit area-code plus
central-office combinations. Each of these has to be mantained in the
foreign carrier's database to be able to route the SMS to back to T-Mobile.
Keeping the data base up to date is a daunting task. I'm surprised it can
work at all.
--

Donald Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net
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Effie - 24 Dec 2003 16:13 GMT

> When you say your "switched to T-Mobile" does that mean you "ported" another
> carrier's number to T-Mobile or you got a new T-Mobile number?

I ported my Sprint number over to T-Mobile about a month ago. At first
I had no problems sending and receiving messages from europe but
starting Dec. 15th I just stopped receiving any SMSs. I tried w/two
coutries and 3 different people. They all received (and still do) all
my messages and send a reply back which I don't receive. I must have
tried 20 times if not more. Again, such is not the case w/US messages
- those I get w/o any problems

I was hoping that there was a trace tool that would allow me to trace
my number or message from euorope or outside the US back to my number.
Kinda like traceroute (if you know Unix). I am trying to get as much
info as I can so that when T-mobile calls me to troubleshoot the issue
they won't just tell me that this service is not guaranteed to be
reliable and leave me sms deprived.
Thank you for your help and happy holidays
Effie

The problem

> with receiving SMS from overseas carriers come from the way the US assigns
> wireless numbers. Other counties have a few area+codes that cover all
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Keeping the data base up to date is a daunting task. I'm surprised it can
> work at all.

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Charles Hawtrey - 25 Dec 2003 05:50 GMT

"Donald Newcomb" <DRNewcomb@attglobal.NOT.net> staggered to the
nearest keyboard and wrote:

>The US & Canada have thousands of six-digit area-code plus
>central-office combinations. Each of these has to be mantained in the
>foreign carrier's database to be able to route the SMS to back to T-Mobile.
>Keeping the data base up to date is a daunting task. I'm surprised it can
>work at all.

I've often wondered if SMS sent to a phone's email alias (e.g.
12015551212@tmomail.net) might be more reliable, since it doesn't get
converted to SMS until it reaches T-Mo. This would seem to avoid many
of the routing problems that Donald mentions.

--
hambu n hambu hodo

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Joseph - 25 Dec 2003 19:23 GMT

>I've often wondered if SMS sent to a phone's email alias (e.g.
>12015551212@tmomail.net) might be more reliable, since it doesn't get
>converted to SMS until it reaches T-Mo. This would seem to avoid many
>of the routing problems that Donald mentions.

Except that many mobile systems except for North America do not have
email addresses for phones. The only way that it would work is if you
use a service such as Connectotel's <http://www.connectotel.com>
M-Mail which allows any GSM subscriber to send email through their
handset. It would not solve the problem of sending mail from North
America though as most GSM phones outside of North America do not have
email addresses.

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