Hello everyone,
just found this site, which I find it great since it has all the info available about the issues of prepaid cards...
Ok, LISTEN to this now!
A week ago, I was planning to travel to Switzerland (Ticino), as I do 1-2 times a year... Back in late March, while browsing around for a solution about not having to pay roaming charges when they call me (mom and girlfriend are the worst nightmares for me when it has to do with roaming!!!)...
So I found ICQSIM (which was given by United Mobile), and as such I bought a 20euro account with a +423 SIM card... perfect in shipping, fast, great service... I set it up, made the checkings and all... I am based in Greece I must tell you, and the service here is (I guess) supported by Vodafone Greece (that's what shows up in my phone, even though I try to change the network to another company, I have no signal and it goes automatically back to Vodafone; I actually like it because I am a customer of Vodafone here anyways...)
So, everything worked fine... when I was calling my +423 number from a local landline/mobile, I would always get a line... when I was trying to call from my +423, some problems existed (I had to try 2-3 times in order to get a line through)... but didn't really care, as I wanted it mostly about to be called instead of calling...
So I was getting prepared to leave for Ticino about 10 days ago, and I turn this dedicated phone I have for my trips (SE K550i) on... while still in Greece... signal full strength, Vodafone network... I try to make a call, nothing... it says "call not allowed/busy network"... I call the number from my Greek mobile, nothing... I send an sms message, nothing... I call from my home's landline, nothing... I try to send from the +423 number an sms to my Greek mobile, nothing! I think, WTF is going on here?! I was getting upset... while I was trying to see the configuration of the phone, etc, everything was just fine... So, think maybe my account is out of money? but how? I have only used it to send a couple of sms, and test the calls, etc, when I first got the number... I try to log onto my account in UM, nothing... I get an error page after I put my username and password... I was getting really upset!
What happened, I thought?! Not only that, but all my business friends in Switzerland, had this phone number for me!
So, I run a search on the net to maybe find some info... and there I get it... UM has been shut down... a lot of people lost their money... move to another company... etc, etc... I had no time to do something because I would leave in a couple of days... so I just got my Greek Vodafone Blackberry, and paid roaming
The think is that I had left my +423 number at home in Greece, and I had left it on... I just got back yesterday... still Vodafone signal shows, full strength signal... but how did I see that??? Suddenly, while at home with my girl, we hear a strange, not familiar ringtone... I check my BB, nothing... my girl checks her phone, nothing... so who's is that mobile that rings??? Yes, it was my +423 number that was ringing (someone from Switzerland was calling me)... by the time I figure out what/who's phone was ringing, the caller hung up... so I went crazy! now it is working, I thought?! and I paid Vodafone roaming for a week in Switzerland?! So, I try to make a phone call from my +423 number, nothing... again same message "call not allowed/busy network"... I try to call this number from my home, again nothing... try to call from my Vodafone number, nothing... send an sms, nothing...
But it continues to show Vodafone signal, full strength...
So, what am I suppose to thing guys???
What are your thoughts???