Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

Using SMS in Europe

I've discussed with a couple of folks using the Visor Phone in Europe. But specifically as to SMS (I use Voicestream in the USA), has anyone been able to send / receive? And preferably from France, if you know?

I'm not sure there should be any difference between normal service and sms, but ......logic without facts is often worthless.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Houston
Posts: 72

I have successfully received SMS messages from France, but let me know if you can figure out how to send one back. Using my Voicestream phone number, a friend in Paris sent me a couple of SMS messages from her cell phone. When I replied, the message said it had been successfully sent but she never received anything. The message was sent to +33607XXXXXX, i.e. her cell phone number.

BTW, each message costs her one franc.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

Well, I see one possible issue: you're transmitting from an American sms system to a French one. Maybe they're not compatible for some reason. I wonder if the result is different if it's from your phone to someone in the USA (which is my main concern at the moment).

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Houston
Posts: 72

Truth be told, I can't even figure out how to send one outside of Voicestream. Any help out there?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

I didn't know that was an issue....

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Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Pembroke,MA
Posts: 307

I've sucessfully sent and received SMS messages in Europe using Visorphone/Prism combo, but I was dialed into my ISP in the states (Verizon). It did allow data calls through the International Roaming, and I was also able to use AIM, get on the web, and get/send email. I didn't have to do anything special. The person I was sending SMS messages to was on their Sprint phone (web enabled) back here in the States.

Neat fact.... Neuschwanstein (castle in Germany) has a website for etickets. I was able to purchase them on-line and I didn't have to wait 2 hours in line. Pretty cool in my book.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Here
Posts: 213

I use the SMS e-mail within the U.S. seems to work across Voicestream to other systems including ATT.

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 123

SMS is a service on the GSM networks, and it's standard. Facts: you don't need to dial up to any ISP, unless you want to use a web based or PQA application to interface with a SMSC.

What you need is to have the SMSC number in your Visorphone's SMS application (SMSC is the gateway that routes the SMS messages). You send the reply to your friend in France (destination #) thru a SMSC (SMS Message Center #).

On the Visorphone SMS application tap Options, Preferences, or R.

Enter the SMSC # using international code. For US it would be +1..., here in NZ is +6421600600 (Vodafone SMSC).

Hope this helps!

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 123

One more thing: regardless of your location, use the SMSC of your network provider (Cingular, or Vodafone, or BT, or...), because the majority of times the SMS will only accept messages from its own network users.

I use the Vodafone NZ SMSC # even while abroad.

Is that clear?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

In Europe now and I was able to receive without problem to my office in limited way---I use Yahoo filters so when someone sends a certain type of email i get it on my phone from yahoo usa:

i received in this manner but got no evidence that anything sent was received.

eMAIL With visorphone was easier. odd though; i just dialed my us voicemail box without entering special country codes--worked automqticqlly but for my isp I had to add 001. NB: do not add extra 1 for long distance if you do not normally

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Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 123

You don't have to worry about which code to use for International, Long distance or Local calls, when calling on GSM networks.

Enter + <country code> <area code> <phone> in your phone book.

The GSM network will detect if this is local, long distance or international, and place the proper call.

Example, enter your phonebook phone numbers as +1 215 555 1234 (US), +64 21 555 1234 (NZ), +44 709 555 1234 (UK).

Regardless of where (city or country) you are, the call wil go thru, with the proper code for international calls (011 or 001 or whatever) put in place by the network.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

way cool...merci

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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

Interesting...when I was in the South of France registered with Itineris, the service worked as you described---if I just added a + before any number then a "1" plus area code and number, the GSM automatically dialed correctly.

When I got to Paris, it selected SFR and I ignored it. With SFR it was not automatic and the numbers dialed into French numbers, not my American ones....!

I switched back to Itineris--everything worked again. No problems.

I don't understand why Itineris would support the feature but not SFR, but that appears to be the case.

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Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 123

Now this is interesting... They're not following the standards. If I were living in Paris I'd complain - but a tourist?

Call centre help desk operator thinking "Hmmm, tourist. That's no ok. No action required, He's going away in a week time"...

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

Ah. You've met French bureaucrats, bien s�r

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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

Looking at my bills, btw, it seems that calls in FRANCE to FRANCE (calls, not SMS) were billed at the same rate as calls in FRANCE to USA.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Germany
Posts: 116

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark Squires
When I got to Paris, it selected SFR and I ignored it. With SFR it was not automatic and the numbers dialed into French numbers, not my American ones....!

I switched back to Itineris--everything worked again. No problems.

---

It is always the french guys not meeting the international standards.

Looks like they do not meet the standard - so far to European community - still plenty of work to do. I will pass this information to the German D1-Net admin to let him know if you do not mind.

Visit Germany to check our D-Net and beer of course.

CU
Chris

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

Please let them know. No one listens to tourists' complaints about the phone system!

Of course, SFR is so unpopular that no one wants to use them anyway.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Germany
Posts: 116

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark Squires
Please let them know. No one listens to tourists' complaints about the phone system!

Of course, SFR is so unpopular that no one wants to use them anyway.

---

That might be the point. But anyway I will meet him on saturday on a BBQ and I will let him know. It might help someday.

Take care
Chris

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Germany
Posts: 116

Message delievered.
He told me that it is known that they have some probs with the French network and that they are trying to "help" them to go the right way. But there is a lot of politics in this subject.

So you might expect the same problem when you re-visit France.

CU
Chris