AT&T Blocking International Calls?

Willow

Willow

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This is the strangest thing and I can't figure what is going on, so I will ask here, and see if anyone using AT&T is experiencing this problem..

My husband is visiting family in Argentina and for the last three days hasn't been able to call home. Every time he calls, he gets a recording telling him some calls have been blocked on the number he is calling..

In the last few months, the same thing had been happening when other family members tried to call me from there, and I had assumed it was a problem originating there, because I could call them from my phone..

We've had the same number for more than 25 years and have never blocked anything..:(

We are on dial up, and the only phones that work where we live are the ones connected to the outlet on the wall..
Because of the area ~a tiny valley in the middle of some puny hills~ and many huge trees around us, we get no reception on wireless or cell phones..

About an hour ago I got a call from one of our daughters, who like us, lives in NJ -in another town.. telling me she had her dad waiting on her phone at that moment, while she was using another to call me because they thought something could be wrong...
I told her I was fine and to tell him I would be calling him as soon as we finished talking. She relied the message to him and we said good bye to each other..

Here is the weird thing... I immediately dialed the international number to talk to him and got this:
"You do not have permission to make that call" ... then my phone went into dial tone.. :eek

A few minutes later, I dialed again and was able to make that call, but I am just completely lost and freaked out about this.. :willy_nilly::eek:willy_nilly:
 
I have AT&T and I've had almost same experience as that b4 when making International calls. Call Customer Service to check as it depends on the type of plan you guys have.

I am quite lost if you're husband too is calling using AT&T service via cell phone/mobile from Argentina?

If such is the case then gotta let AT&T know that your husband's cell # is being used outside the country. AT&T had been very strict with International calls as there had been incidences in the past where mobile phones had been stolen and used Internationally only to find out that the mobile phone was stolen without it being reported/ reported late. AT&T I was explained b4 had taken this additional Security feature. Good luck ;)
 
Interesting. It's like when Joe and I went to Ireland one time. Our credit card wouldn't work because we did not call the credit card company and tell them we were going out of the country. That too was due to trying to prevent fraud from theft. Kinda sad commentary on the times we live in.....
 
hart said:
Interesting. It's like when Joe and I went to Ireland one time. Our credit card wouldn't work because we did not call the credit card company and tell them we were going out of the country. That too was due to trying to prevent fraud from theft. Kinda sad commentary on the times we live in.....
Click to expand...
well.... they don't want to be known as the company that allowed someone else to use your card. Sad note: the bank I used to work for allowed three of the 9/11 hijackers to open accounts...they really revamped their account opening procedures after that...
 
pjbleek said:
it might be due to the fact that international calls are a priority for Japan and they are trying to fix any lines possible (including international ones too)? I am just taking a stab at it...but glad you got through to him
Click to expand...

Nope... my sister has been having problems calling me from there for months... and today was the first time ever that i got that message when trying to call from the US to there..
 
PurpleDove said:
I have AT&T and I've had almost same experience as that b4 when making International calls. Call Customer Service to check as it depends on the type of plan you guys have.
Click to expand...
Already called, but will have to wait until Monday.. they are too lazy and cheap to pay someone to answer phones on the week end.. :(

I am quite lost if you're husband too is calling using AT&T service via cell phone/mobile from Argentina?

If such is the case then gotta let AT&T know that your husband's cell # is being used outside the country. AT&T had been very strict with International calls as there had been incidences in the past where mobile phones had been stolen and used Internationally only to find out that the mobile phone was stolen without it being reported/ reported late. AT&T I was explained b4 had taken this additional Security feature. Good luck ;)
Click to expand...

He is calling from either his mother's house -regular wired phone-, which is very expensive there... or from one of the places they have all over the city.
They are like a store with rows of closed compartments -or cabins- where you go into, and they connect you though an internet connection.. Most people use those, because it's less expensive, especially with the rate of dollar exchange..

We don't use cell - mobile phones.. we get no reception here, so they are useless to us..
I don't go out much anymore, and have my trusty old fashion plug in the wall phone in the house.. :p
We each have a little prepaid Virgin Mobile phone -the ones you add $20 every three months- and use them only when one of us goes to the supermarket and wants to know if the other needs more chocolate.. :D
 
hart said:
Interesting. It's like when Joe and I went to Ireland one time. Our credit card wouldn't work because we did not call the credit card company and tell them we were going out of the country. That too was due to trying to prevent fraud from theft. Kinda sad commentary on the times we live in.....
Click to expand...

I know... I had the same problem the last time I went there because I didn't know I had to call them.. :eek
 
Willow said:
Already called, but will have to wait until Monday.. they are too lazy and cheap to pay someone to answer phones on the week end.. :(
Click to expand...

Is this the # you called ?? 1-800-331-0500 that's a 24/7 customer service. If not mistaken the M-F hours would only be for physical repairs etc for land lines. Otherwise, if it's juz the unblocking any customer service might be able to help you. Hope it helps :)

He is calling from either his mother's house -regular wired phone-, which is very expensive there... or from one of the places they have all over the city.
They are like a store with rows of closed compartments -or cabins- where you go into, and they connect you though an internet connection.. Most people use those, because it's less expensive, especially with the rate of dollar exchange..
Click to expand...

That's interesting to know about Argentina. There might be a chance I might visit Argentina one of these days. I wanna visit a dear friend doing outreach missions out there. I miss that cool dude :( :p

We don't use cell - mobile phones.. we get no reception here, so they are useless to us..
I don't go out much anymore, and have my trusty old fashion plug in the wall phone in the house.. :p
We each have a little prepaid Virgin Mobile phone -the ones you add $20 every three months- and use them only when one of us goes to the supermarket and wants to know if the other needs more chocolate.. :D
Click to expand...

I used Virgin mobile b4 too. I like it , it's just that with the # of mintues and texting, my son uses a lot and we ended up paying more than having regular mobile service :(
 
PurpleDove said:
Is this the # you called ?? 1-800-331-0500 that's a 24/7 customer service. If not mistaken the M-F hours would only be for physical repairs etc for land lines. Otherwise, if it's juz the unblocking any customer service might be able to help you. Hope it helps :)
Click to expand...
Thanks for that number... The customer service in my phone bill is 1-800-288-2747 and there is no 24/7 number anywhere in all those pages.

I will try yours.. hope I can get somewhere with that, but I get the feeling that because mine is a landline, with my phone physically attached to it, not wireless, I will get the same run around..

They consider our phones outdated, but won't upgrade their lines in our little community so we can get wireless service here.. :(
We've all been going in circles with them for years.. :willy_nilly:

That's interesting to know about Argentina. There might be a chance I might visit Argentina one of these days. I wanna visit a dear friend doing outreach missions out there. I miss that cool dude :( :p
Click to expand...
It is still a beautiful country and used to be a great place to live many years ago, but it's not now.. so be careful if you go there.. leave any and all jewelry and valuables at home.. also, no pocketbooks there.. you just carry a little bit of money in your pocket..and nothing else..

The whole country is a mess, and crime is so high everywhere, that many people are afraid to leave their house for fear that they will walk into an empty house when they come back..
I have friends that were gone for two days, and when they came back, everything was gone... even the light bulbs and wires hanging from the ceilings!!..:eek

The last time I was there, I called a taxi to go visit my MIL.. my 80 year old mother came out on the sidewalk to say good bye to me and then went inside and locked the door.. The next moment she heard a noise in the garage.. The door is always locked, so she knew someone had opened it, and by the time she got there, a guy was running out with a bunch of things he had managed to grab.. :mad

In the city where I grew up -one of the best in the country at one time-, people had to resort to put tight bars all over their houses, even over the back yard..:(
They call them "leoneras".. or lion cages.. The owner -"lion"- gets to stay inside the cage... and the "prey" is free to roam around looking for trouble somewhere else... :willy_nilly:

We, and many young people like us, left more than 40 years ago because there were no jobs, the ones that existed were stagnant and there was no way to advance.. we had to leave our families behind to be able to start our own after getting married..

I used Virgin mobile b4 too. I like it , it's just that with the # of mintues and texting, my son uses a lot and we ended up paying more than having regular mobile service :(
Click to expand...
:p I have so much money accumulated in my phone because I can't use it here, that I don't know what to do!.. :)
If I don't put the twenty dollars in every three months, my account will be closed and I will loose all of it...:ninja
If I close my account voluntarily, they won't give me my money back either...:mad
So it just sits there... :(
 
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Willow said:
It is still a beautiful country and used to be a great place to live many years ago, but it's not now.. so be careful if you go there.. leave any and all jewelry and valuables at home.. also, no pocketbooks there.. you just carry a little bit of money in your pocket..and nothing else..

The whole country is a mess, and crime is so high everywhere, that many people are afraid to leave their house for fear that they will walk into an empty house when they come back..
I have friends that were gone for two days, and when they came back, everything was gone... even the light bulbs and wires hanging from the ceilings!!..:eek

The last time I was there, I called a taxi to go visit my MIL.. my 80 year old mother came out on the sidewalk to say good bye to me and then went inside and locked the door.. The next moment she heard a noise in the garage.. The door is always locked, so she knew someone had opened it, and by the time she got there, a guy was running out with a bunch of things he had managed to grab.. :mad

In the city where I grew up -one of the best in the country at one time-, people had to resort to put tight bars all over their houses, even over the back yard..:(
They call them "leoneras".. or lion cages.. The owner -"lion"- gets to stay inside the cage... and the "prey" is free to roam around looking for trouble somewhere else... :willy_nilly:

We, and many young people like us, left more than 40 years ago because there were no jobs, the ones that existed were stagnant and there was no way to advance.. we had to leave our families behind to be able to start our own after getting married..
Click to expand...

:eek :eek That's all happening in Argentina? :eek :eek

My friend probably didnt want me to worry :( He knows am gonna tell him to come back to Cali quick with that kind of a situation :ninja

He's inviting me to see how it is with the Missions......am not really sure where he's at per se. I think they go to a far flung place away from the city.....Any idea where maybe in Argentina needing such help? I know he goes to the city to call etc. :willy_nilly:


:p I have so much money accumulated in my phone because I can't use it here, that I don't know what to do!.. :)
If I don't put the twenty dollars in every three months, my account will be closed and I will loose all of it...:ninja
If I close my account voluntarily, they won't give me my money back either...:mad
So it just sits there... :(
Click to expand...

That's a shame you can't use them nor get your money back if you cancel etc..... Is the $20/month the lowest/cheapest plan ?? :ninja
 
PurpleDove said:
:eek :eek That's all happening in Argentina? :eek :eek

My friend probably didnt want me to worry :( He knows am gonna tell him to come back to Cali quick with that kind of a situation :ninja

He's inviting me to see how it is with the Missions......am not really sure where he's at per se. I think they go to a far flung place away from the city.....Any idea where maybe in Argentina needing such help? I know he goes to the city to call etc. :willy_nilly:
Click to expand...
It has been like that for years, and sadly, I think that as long as people don't try to improve themselves and stop blaming others for their actions, nothing will get better...

When greed, envy, and disregard for other people and their properties take hold, it is very hard to even try and make someone understand and differentiate right from wrong.
~There is a huge hate for the US, for one, but they can't separate the government leaders from the real people, so everyone of us gets lumped in the same hate words: "fucking yankees"... and like parrots, they repeat them constantly..

I have no idea where they would need that kind of help, because it is a large country and I haven't lived there for almost 42 years... but if you ask me, I think everyone there needs a good shaking..:ninja
I imagine that most missionaries would go into the poorest and less populated provinces, cities and towns in the northwest, along the Andes, where there are less resources for everyone.

There are a few provinces that were more important than others when I lived there, among them Buenos Aires -the country's capital- and Entre Rios in the east.. Cordoba in the center.. Mendoza in the west.. Rio Negro and Chubut going south.. that were key to many industries and business.. But that was in 1969.. :p

Everything has changed so much in all the years since I left, that I couldn't say which of the others have grown, and for all I know, the ones I am still thinking as poor, are big and prosperous right now..;)

When I go, it's only for a week or two to visit my parents and other family, and I just go to the city where I was born, so most of the information I have comes from family and friends living in different places across the country..

I admire your friend for doing what he does, and hope he is in one of the safer places, and he is being accepted there..
If it wasn't because I love my family and want to see them, I wouldn't go there at all.. My husband goes every year, but I still let two or three between visits...
It breaks my heart, but...:(

That's a shame you can't use them nor get your money back if you cancel etc..... Is the $20/month the lowest/cheapest plan ?? :ninja
Click to expand...
Yes it is the cheapest.. and it is $20 every three months, which is less than $7 a month... but when I see those $400 just sitting there, I could scream!!!...
I could be buying so much chocolate with it!!.. :D
 
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