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Sunday, August 23, 2009

Trouble calling mobile lines from the US

When I was in Virginia, I tried many times to call friends in Kuwait on their mobile phones (Zain, Wataniya, and Viva) and I had a lot of problems. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this lately?

My mom says that every time she calls my mobile phone number, she is randomly connected to other cell phone numbers (sometimes some guy saying, "aaaaalooooo"). This also happened to me when I tried from Virginia.

When I tried to call Kuwait from my Kuwait mobile line while in the US, I almost never got through either. And - with the roaming, it picked up several different networks like AT&T, and T Mobile.

This is really upsetting to me because I'm using my mobile number as my primary phone at home (don't have a land line yet). What if there is an emergency?
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12 comments:

  1. UnknownAugust 23, 2009 at 3:10 PM

    This always happens whn calls are made from India... They get the line only after dialing 2/3 times.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rod SimmonsAugust 23, 2009 at 4:24 PM

    For several weeks and from the US and Taiwan, I've had trouble reaching Kuwaiti mobile phones. I'll have to dial multiple times, just to get it to ring, and then the connection, if any, is often very poor.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousAugust 23, 2009 at 5:04 PM

    My hubby has a hard time calling me from his zain line in Kuwait as well. SMS's don't work like they used to, and neither does msn messenger. Feels like Kuwait is taking a few steps back instead of forward...

    ReplyDelete
  4. 40pipsAugust 23, 2009 at 9:49 PM

    Yup it happens to me all the time. I call a number and look at my phone do double check and it's dialed correctly and still I get connected to random people.

    ReplyDelete
  5. DAugust 24, 2009 at 7:48 AM

    Hi DG!

    While in the states I experienced similar problems (back in June), but not to the extent you're describing. But yes, very poor connections, sometimes no connection at all, or verrrrry slow to connect.

    Here in Kuwait I use a VoIP for incoming and outgoing calls to the states. My family dials a local US number for free, and I answer here in Kuwait. When I'm not home I forward the calls into the Kuwait cell phone (at no charge), and get my incoming stateside calls without any problem. Other than trying to explain to my mother I'm flying down the road at 160 and really need to call her when I get home.

    From what many people tell me, the VoIP program I use has been blocked from being downloaded while here in Kuwait -- so if you don't have it already, you might not be able to get it. But it's very inexpensive (about $12 a month for unlimied calls to anywhere in the world).

    Good luck and let me know if I can help in any way!

    D

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousAugust 24, 2009 at 9:43 AM

    I've been here seven years and have had the problem for seven years. It's a matter of open spac as the MOC only has limited capability.

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  7. Desert GirlAugust 24, 2009 at 10:37 AM

    Would it be any better to buy a satellite phone like http://www.ts2.pl/en/Thuraya-SG-2520?

    Would my family be able to get in touch with me more easily?

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousAugust 24, 2009 at 12:19 PM

    I buy pre-paid cards on http://www.ppoutlet.com They charge a membership charge now, $5 for life, but they didn't when I started. You can talk for about 2 hours for $5 from Missouri to a Kuwait cell, longer if you're calling a house phone. The connections are spotty and take forever to switch over, but if you do connect, they work pretty well and are dirt cheap for all the times it doesn't work...watch the fees, though, they've started adding 10% taxes and connection fees to many of them. Usually the promo cards are a good bet. Sometimes, you get one that just sucks, so don't buy more than $10 of any one card...

    soupprincess

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousAugust 25, 2009 at 9:21 PM

    The company I work for is based out of Yorktown, Virginia. They have trouble calling my Kuwait cell phone at least 2 or 3 times a week. Somtimes they too get someone else's phone.

    I enjoy your blog... I read it often.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousAugust 30, 2009 at 8:59 PM

    I am having a horrible time recently reaching SO's mobile as well. Calls just disconnect immediately, or sometime say "call was rejected" although I don't know if that's true. Glad, I guess, to hear that I am not the only one experiencing trouble. It is incredibly frustrating however as this is the ONLY phone number to reach him on weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2009 at 10:43 PM

    Hi D

    i want to know what kind of VOip are you using? How do you forward calls on your cell phone in kuwait. I am curious.

    S

    ReplyDelete
  12. Desert GirlSeptember 24, 2009 at 11:22 AM

    I'm not using any VOip.

    ReplyDelete

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