Trouble dialing out from U.S. with United Mobile SIM

Nukesafe · **Trouble dialing out from U.S. with United Mobile SIM -** 09-09-2007, 02:16

I'm a newbie, an I hesitate to enter this forum because my problem is probably due to some stupidly simple thing I'm doing wrong -- but here goes.

I ordered two United Mobile SIMs for our upcoming Paris trip, and installed them in a couple of Motorola V190s I got on eBay. I went through the activation ritual, but can't get the phones to call out.

The phones work, in that they light up, etc., but when I enter a number and hit "Send", I get a screen that says, "Message Not Allowed". I wait to be disconnected, and to get the ring back, as UM's instructions say, but that never happens. The phone sits there for awhile, then changes to "Entering". Then it goes dark. I thought it was just that I was inputting the wrong international code, and I tried all possible combinations; +, 00, 01, 011, etc.

I tried calling one Motorola phone from the other. No go.

I tried my home and U.S. cell numbers, and a few overseas friends. No go.

Then I tried calling the new phones from my own Verizon cell phone, using the prefix 011 44, and both of the new ones rang, so the phones must be functional.

One other thing i noticed, that might give a clue, is that every time I power the phone down, then power it up again, I must re-enter the PIN.

I have sent an email to United Mobile, but have not had any feedback.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

andy · 09-09-2007, 02:47

With these sort of SIMs that use callback, not necessarily all phones support direct entry dialling like that and you may have to use the menu dialling method instead - look in the last section of the menu (United Mobile folder) instead

MATHA531 · 09-09-2007, 03:29

Second Andy....it should work with menu dialing...go through the menu entries till you find the United Mobile menu and you should see some indication of manual dialing...that should work

Another possibility is to switch the roaming partner...find the menu entry to manually select the network...I have found sometimes that AT&T doesn't work and T Mobile USA does.

Incidentally, you can change the pin if you want and/or remove the necessity of entering the pin every time you turn on the phone...there should be some menu entry for security which will allow you to do so...I always do that myself as I don't feel or see the great advantage of a pin on a PAYG phone...if somebody finds the phone you're probably not going to get the amount stored on the sim back anyway, chances are the thief will take the sim out and if you enter the pin incorrectly, you can freeze the sim till you find the little card with the PUK code if you still have it...

Nukesafe · 09-09-2007, 05:07

Thanks, both, but that does not seem to work. I cannot find the menu dialing function. I have scrolled through the whole menu, and sub folders, and there does not appear to be such a thing. At least it is not called that on these Motorola V190s. Neither does a "United Mobile menu seem to be there.

Any other ideas?

MATHA531 · 09-09-2007, 07:01

I don't know if this will help you...

On my motorola which is a different model, United Mobile is a submenu of Office Tools and a sub menu of United Mobile is service and then a sub menu of service (which is the only sub menu of United Mobile on this phone) is dial...when I select dial it says enter a number to dial....enter the number using the + and it works...

Przemolog · 09-09-2007, 07:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by MATHA531

I don't know if this will help you...

On my motorola which is a different model, United Mobile is a submenu of Office Tools and a sub menu of United Mobile is service and then a sub menu of service (which is the only sub menu of United Mobile on this phone) is dial...when I select dial it says enter a number to dial....enter the number using the + and it works...

Yes, the problem with those SIM-stored menus is that their location in the phone menu structure varies from handset to handset. Anyway, even if "menu calling" fails, try the USSD code *137*CountryCodeNumber#. Country code is not preceded by anything - no +, 00 or anything like this... Not so convenient, but should work.

Nukesafe · 09-09-2007, 16:28

Thank you all, but no joy. I can now find the United Mobile entry on my menu, it indeed was under Tools. It only opens into "Service", and that thing will not open on either phone menu. I suppose that the "menu Calling" option is hidden in there. I will write to UM again to see if they have a work-around for me.

Thanks,

Przemolog · 09-09-2007, 18:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nukesafe

Thank you all, but no joy.

The *137* code didn't work either?

Nukesafe · 09-09-2007, 18:15

Przemolog,

Well, I tried it, but perhaps I did it incorrectly. Did you mean, enter "Star" - 137 - "Star", before entering the country code? I did that, but the same thing happened.

I've also tried dialing their "Easy Code" numbers, i.e., 094 for customer service, 089 for balance inquiry, etc., and that does not work either. I even tried searching for the different available carriers, i.e., Cingular, and T-Mobile, and registering with them to see if that was the problem. Since I can change registration with these, I assume the phones are able to receive, just not able to send a signal.

Sigh ----

prion · 09-09-2007, 18:29

I can receive the callback when making a call. I am unable to dial my number from many routes. Since weekends are periods when we had problems in the past also I would call the cs.

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	(#1)
Nukesafe (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 11 Join Date: 09 Sep 2007 Country:	Trouble dialing out from U.S. with United Mobile SIM - 09-09-2007, 02:16 I'm a newbie, an I hesitate to enter this forum because my problem is probably due to some stupidly simple thing I'm doing wrong -- but here goes. I ordered two United Mobile SIMs for our upcoming Paris trip, and installed them in a couple of Motorola V190s I got on eBay. I went through the activation ritual, but can't get the phones to call out. The phones work, in that they light up, etc., but when I enter a number and hit "Send", I get a screen that says, "Message Not Allowed". I wait to be disconnected, and to get the ring back, as UM's instructions say, but that never happens. The phone sits there for awhile, then changes to "Entering". Then it goes dark. I thought it was just that I was inputting the wrong international code, and I tried all possible combinations; +, 00, 01, 011, etc. I tried calling one Motorola phone from the other. No go. I tried my home and U.S. cell numbers, and a few overseas friends. No go. Then I tried calling the new phones from my own Verizon cell phone, using the prefix 011 44, and both of the new ones rang, so the phones must be functional. One other thing i noticed, that might give a clue, is that every time I power the phone down, then power it up again, I must re-enter the PIN. I have sent an email to United Mobile, but have not had any feedback. Does anyone have any suggestions?

	(#2)
andy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,128 Join Date: 10 Dec 2004 Country:	09-09-2007, 02:47 With these sort of SIMs that use callback, not necessarily all phones support direct entry dialling like that and you may have to use the menu dialling method instead - look in the last section of the menu (United Mobile folder) instead

	(#3)
MATHA531 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 869 Join Date: 15 Oct 2004 Country:	09-09-2007, 03:29 Second Andy....it should work with menu dialing...go through the menu entries till you find the United Mobile menu and you should see some indication of manual dialing...that should work Another possibility is to switch the roaming partner...find the menu entry to manually select the network...I have found sometimes that AT&T doesn't work and T Mobile USA does. Incidentally, you can change the pin if you want and/or remove the necessity of entering the pin every time you turn on the phone...there should be some menu entry for security which will allow you to do so...I always do that myself as I don't feel or see the great advantage of a pin on a PAYG phone...if somebody finds the phone you're probably not going to get the amount stored on the sim back anyway, chances are the thief will take the sim out and if you enter the pin incorrectly, you can freeze the sim till you find the little card with the PUK code if you still have it...

	(#4)
Nukesafe (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 11 Join Date: 09 Sep 2007 Country:	09-09-2007, 05:07 Thanks, both, but that does not seem to work. I cannot find the menu dialing function. I have scrolled through the whole menu, and sub folders, and there does not appear to be such a thing. At least it is not called that on these Motorola V190s. Neither does a "United Mobile menu seem to be there. Any other ideas?

	(#5)
MATHA531 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 869 Join Date: 15 Oct 2004 Country:	09-09-2007, 07:01 I don't know if this will help you... On my motorola which is a different model, United Mobile is a submenu of Office Tools and a sub menu of United Mobile is service and then a sub menu of service (which is the only sub menu of United Mobile on this phone) is dial...when I select dial it says enter a number to dial....enter the number using the + and it works...

	(#7)
Nukesafe (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 11 Join Date: 09 Sep 2007 Country:	09-09-2007, 16:28 Thank you all, but no joy. I can now find the United Mobile entry on my menu, it indeed was under Tools. It only opens into "Service", and that thing will not open on either phone menu. I suppose that the "menu Calling" option is hidden in there. I will write to UM again to see if they have a work-around for me. Thanks,

	(#9)
Nukesafe (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 11 Join Date: 09 Sep 2007 Country:	09-09-2007, 18:15 Przemolog, Well, I tried it, but perhaps I did it incorrectly. Did you mean, enter "Star" - 137 - "Star", before entering the country code? I did that, but the same thing happened. I've also tried dialing their "Easy Code" numbers, i.e., 094 for customer service, 089 for balance inquiry, etc., and that does not work either. I even tried searching for the different available carriers, i.e., Cingular, and T-Mobile, and registering with them to see if that was the problem. Since I can change registration with these, I assume the phones are able to receive, just not able to send a signal. Sigh ----

	(#10)
prion (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 589 Join Date: 01 May 2006 Location: Greece Country:	09-09-2007, 18:29 I can receive the callback when making a call. I am unable to dial my number from many routes. Since weekends are periods when we had problems in the past also I would call the cs.