Recently bough a UM sim card and had no problems calling into my +423.663 number while in Canada using an Allstream LD calling card.

I'm currently in France on business and my colleagues in Canada are having trouble reaching me with the same Allstream LD card. They have even tried another carrier and is getting the same message: "We're Sorry, your call will not go through. Will you please hang up and try again. This is a recording... 6045"

I also tested this by calling from a land line (in France) using the same calling card and I got the same recording!! I can't even call into UM's customer service #(+423.663.09.99.11) with this calling card since it ends with the same message.

Checking prepaid balance or dialing out works. I just can't receive any incoming calls from canada using Allstream! I talked to Allstream's customer service but they tell me the problem is not on their end.

I've even tried manually switching to another wireless provider (Orange F, BYTEL, F SFR) but all of them are giving me the same result. However, my colleague was able to call me on many occasions directly using his mobile in Italy.

Who is restricting these incoming calls? Is it the French mobile operators or is it UM??

I suspect the problem lies with the calling card. Because rates to call +423 mobile numbers are generally higher this probably forces some of them to bar this destinacion.

If you want I can ring you from here. ...

This is strange since I suspect the calling card company would be very glad to pass on the full charges to its customer. I was able to use the same calling card to call into my UM number while I was in Canada. Not sure why it wouldn't work in France.

Thanks for the offer to call me but I already know it works from certain countries.
I'm guessing the problem lies with either the French mobile providers or UM's roaming agreement. Maybe both...

In the past (haven't been there since January) I have had difficulties getting callbackworld to work in France....don't really know if the French mobile companies are doing anything to sabotage UM.

If someone can call you (your friend you mentioned) then UM works fine. If only you cannot be called from Canada then it is probably their fault ;)

That is why I offered to call you. If I also did then it would lead us to the conclusion that the service works fine and that you should be looking elsewhere!

I understand but why am I able to call my UM mobile in Canada using the same calling card? I am dialing the Lichenstein number so the same charge applies.

Maybe when you return you will see if the situation has changed...

I would say the issue is with the calling card (CC). It initially worked because it's the first time someone is using that calling card to call a FL number. The CC company may have not been charging calls to FL mobiles appropriately and they may have ceased completing calls once they found that out, till they put the appropriate charges in place. The calling card I use here in the states to call FL mobiles completes 40% of the time. Calling directly from any phone completes 100% of the time.

In response to Bossman and his 40% completion rate. Carriers often have a number of pathes to complete a call. If path 1 doesn't work, go to path 2. For a cheap rate to a Lichtenstein mobile, they might have only one path.

I constantly am looking for cheap routes to Lichtenstein, but I think that eventually all routes will get closed down. Moving the route to the UK or Germany might make some sense if their termination costs are similar to the domestic providers.

Stu

Hi guys. I've been having the same problem with my United Mobile SIM card. I tested it while I was in Italy and Switzerland recently and it worked perfectly (friends in Europe were able to get through and I was able to call). A colleague in the US told me that she couldn't get through, though. Well, now that I'm back in the US, I'm not able to call my United Mobile either. (I was trying from my home line.)

Anyone have any updated news re: this problem? I'm very concerned about it since my new company, Zengo Wireless (zengowireless.com), primarily sells these types of SIM cards. United Mobile has seemed wonderful since I've been working with them, so I hope they fix this problem soon. I'm planning on calling when they're customer service line opens to figure out what's going on. I'll let you know if they say anything useful.


Khalisha

Try an ATT calling card if you have one. They are not the cheapest, but I have never known it to fail.

I too have had various issues reaching my 011 423 663 # with various calling cards. Service is spotty, even callbackworld, although they are fairly consistent.

Stan

My landline ld carrier is AT&T and I must report I have had very little difficulty connectiong to 011 423 66XXX XX XX and the connections have been clear.

There are many ld carriers both in the US and other places which block calls to UM...can't understand why. Actually I can understand why.

I just want to mention that, just incase anyone else is using the same calling card that I use, "Mega Clean & Stable". The cost to call my riiing card just went from .15 cents to a whopping >50 cents. It was not so about 2 weeks ago. That's considering that the thing only works less than half the time.

A call credit of $3.61 is giving me only 6 minutes.

I can't. If the problem is about high termination fees to +423 663 numbers, IMHO they should do one of the following:
1) Raise the rates to +423 663
2) Raise the rates to all the FL mobiles
3) Not to connect to +423 663 and say it clearly
4) Not to connect to all the FL mobiles and say it clearly

Not connecting to a listed destination (no matter at any price) isn't IMHO a serious attitude.

This is not for ever. They probably discover the high termination rates and they cease the service for some time untill they increase the actual rate.

Have a look also at this article from Guardian:

Saturday July 3, 2004
The Guardian

Thousands of internet users are being ripped off to the tune of millions of pounds after falling victim to the latest scam to hit the web. It involves "secret" software that worms its way into people's computers and makes your PC dial up expensive premium rate numbers without your knowledge.

This new hi-tech con trick has snowballed alarmingly in recent weeks. It's something people only become aware of when they receive their bills -and discover to their horror they have racked up huge costs they were not aware of and didn't agree to.

Companies under investigation

Icstis says it is investigating 15 telecom companies after complaints from the public, but tracking them down is not easy. Many are listed in the British Virgin Islands, Panama, Moldova and Liechtenstein.

After that a lot of people complained about they high phone bills and ICSTIS investigated. Here are the results of the investigation(http://www.icstis.org.uk/consumers/a...p?node=&id=147)

Provider(s) Mobilkcom Liechtenstein AG
Telephone network(s) Colt Telecom
Service type Online adult entertainment
Source of complaint(s) Public
Complaint

Members of the public complained about charges incurred, without their knowledge or consent, as a result of connecting to the Internet through a premium rate number.

The service provider was found to be operating the service without having applied for or obtaining the required prior permission (3.3.1 tenth edition).
Investigation

Mobilkcom Liechtenstein AG did not dispute that they had not obtained permission to operate such a service and explained that this had been due to an internal error.

They stated that access to all dialler services had since been removed and added that they were now in the process of applying for permission.

Decision

The Committee upheld a breach of paragraph 3.3.1 of the tenth edition of the ICSTIS Code of Practice.

Access to the service was barred for six months or until such time as the service provider had obtained the required permission to operate, whichever was the longer.

B

What do you mean by "discover"? Do you suggest that calling card providers don't know whosesale rates which they pay???


OK, but what does it have in common with the discussed subject?
It happened 2 years ago, before the service with free incoming calls (i.e. Riiing) appeared. Those times rates to Liechtenstein weren't so crazyas they are nowadays, I suppose :).
And the whole story is about dialers, not calling cards.
After all, did the dialers call to any PREMIUM rate numbers in Liechtenstein (or the the three other countries)? I think that they just called mobile numbers in those countries which could be considered "premium" for the end-user, especially when he/she compares that rates with the "regular" dial-up rates to ISP :).

We have discussed this issue lately and I have already told you that Mobilkon (the provider of Riing) also provides premium rate numbers on exactly the same range (+423663xxx). That makes it difficult to distinguish which numbers correspond to which service. Those premium rate reffered on the previous article numbers were also +423663 (Liechtenstein ones).

This of course is in line with the topic, which is about rates to FL numbers.

I hope now you understand ;)


P.S. Some months ago I have come across an article where someone discussed especially about poremium rate numbers in Liectenstein and that his phone company had to pay exorbitant rates for calls to Liechtenstein made by their customers. They charged very low for these calls! I have not bookmarked it. If I find it again I will post the URL.

OK, I try to understand because the situation described is not quite clear to me.
I remember that the same range (+423663xxx).serves both for UM and premium rate.

But, do the telephone companies under consideration have extremely high rates for some Liechtenstein (UKVI, Panama, Moldova) number ranges and it was mentioned explicitly in their price lists? If not, they shouldn't have charged the victims of dialers more than calls to "regular" FL mobiles. My point is that those rates to FL mobiles might have been high enough to be considered "premium rate" as for dialup internet access...

Does this mean that Liechtenstein premium rate providers may charge exorbitant rates without prior agreement/notice to their business partners?