Lost text messages when abroad

Shappy · 17-01-2008, 14:58

I recently went to Asia for a month. Before I got on the plane at Heathrow, I switched my phone off. When I got to my destination in Asia, with the phone still switched off, I took the UK sim card out. I then replaced it with a local Asian sim card and switched on the phone for the first time since heathrow.

Anyway, after a month's holiday, I took the local Asian sim out, came to Heathrow and put my original UK sim card in. I was a little surprised to find that I had only received one text message on my UK sim in that month. Later, when I spoke to my friends, I found out they had sent text messages which I do not seem to have got.

My question is, if your sim card isn't in your phone for a month, do any text messages sent to you get "lost"? Is there any way to retrieve these messages now?

The single text message I had got was from three days before I got back to the UK so I thought maybe the ones sent to me earlier hadn't come through. Is there a time limit for how long a text message tries to enter your phone?

I'm with T-mobile and have a Nokia 6300.

Deanparkr · 17-01-2008, 15:22

Virgin Mobile keep texts for 3 days so I imagine T-Mobile would be the same.

I dont think you'll be able to get these messages back im afriad.

Shappy · 17-01-2008, 15:27

Oh no! So if I had kept my sim card in a phone, but had the phone switched off for a month, would I have got the text messages when I switched my phone on again after a month? Would be good to know for next time.

tvlooker · 17-01-2008, 15:50

Tex have validity of around a week so if no one has the phone switched on u get a message sent failed if have you delivery reports

Gogfumble · 17-01-2008, 16:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shappy

Oh no! So if I had kept my sim card in a phone, but had the phone switched off for a month, would I have got the text messages when I switched my phone on again after a month? Would be good to know for next time.

No, as the poster above me says, text messages expire after about a week whether or not your sim is in the phone or if your phone is switched on or off. If your phone hasn't physically recieved the text messages then they will expire.

Shappy · 17-01-2008, 16:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeNerd

If your phone hasn't physically recieved the text messages then they will expire.

Good to know for next time!

prking · 17-01-2008, 18:13

Just to point out that on most phones you can set how long a text (you send) remains on the system waiting to be picked up. This can be from 24 hours to Network Maximum (which is about a week)

tony077844 · 17-01-2008, 22:48

This may help also...... When you are abroad reciving a text message is usually always free. I would suggest next time to take your sim with you switch the phone on with the UK Sim and collect any text messages. When you want to make a call use the Asian sim.

Roaming you get charged for sending texts/making and reciving calls.

Shappy · 18-01-2008, 12:19

Oh, I thought it cost me to receive text messages abroad as well. I should really have put the UK sim back in from time to time and then taken it out again.

The last time I went abroad, I kept my sim in the phone but had it switched off, but people kept leaving me long voice mails which cost me loads, that's why I took the sim out this time. I forgot to turn off the call divert thing which would have disabled my voicemail!

tony077844 · 19-01-2008, 02:49

If I am away I abroad I usually switch my voicemail off also. but most networks do not charge to recieve texts abroad...........

17-01-2008, 14:58	#1
Shappy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: By the window Posts: 14,154	Lost text messages when abroad I recently went to Asia for a month. Before I got on the plane at Heathrow, I switched my phone off. When I got to my destination in Asia, with the phone still switched off, I took the UK sim card out. I then replaced it with a local Asian sim card and switched on the phone for the first time since heathrow. Anyway, after a month's holiday, I took the local Asian sim out, came to Heathrow and put my original UK sim card in. I was a little surprised to find that I had only received one text message on my UK sim in that month. Later, when I spoke to my friends, I found out they had sent text messages which I do not seem to have got. My question is, if your sim card isn't in your phone for a month, do any text messages sent to you get "lost"? Is there any way to retrieve these messages now? The single text message I had got was from three days before I got back to the UK so I thought maybe the ones sent to me earlier hadn't come through. Is there a time limit for how long a text message tries to enter your phone? I'm with T-mobile and have a Nokia 6300.

17-01-2008, 15:50	#4
tvlooker Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 215	Tex have validity of around a week so if no one has the phone switched on u get a message sent failed if have you delivery reports Last edited by tvlooker : 17-01-2008 at 15:50. Reason: typo

17-01-2008, 15:22	#2
Deanparkr Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 813	Virgin Mobile keep texts for 3 days so I imagine T-Mobile would be the same. I dont think you'll be able to get these messages back im afriad.

17-01-2008, 15:27	#3
Shappy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: By the window Posts: 14,154	Oh no! So if I had kept my sim card in a phone, but had the phone switched off for a month, would I have got the text messages when I switched my phone on again after a month? Would be good to know for next time.

17-01-2008, 16:12	#5
Gogfumble Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Swashbuckling on Melee Island. Posts: 21,624	Quote: Originally Posted by Shappy Oh no! So if I had kept my sim card in a phone, but had the phone switched off for a month, would I have got the text messages when I switched my phone on again after a month? Would be good to know for next time. No, as the poster above me says, text messages expire after about a week whether or not your sim is in the phone or if your phone is switched on or off. If your phone hasn't physically recieved the text messages then they will expire.

17-01-2008, 16:50	#6
Shappy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: By the window Posts: 14,154	Quote: Originally Posted by FeNerd If your phone hasn't physically recieved the text messages then they will expire. Good to know for next time!

17-01-2008, 18:13	#7
prking Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Weston-super-Mare Posts: 9,167	Just to point out that on most phones you can set how long a text (you send) remains on the system waiting to be picked up. This can be from 24 hours to Network Maximum (which is about a week)

17-01-2008, 22:48	#8
tony077844 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 159	This may help also...... When you are abroad reciving a text message is usually always free. I would suggest next time to take your sim with you switch the phone on with the UK Sim and collect any text messages. When you want to make a call use the Asian sim. Roaming you get charged for sending texts/making and reciving calls.

18-01-2008, 12:19	#9
Shappy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: By the window Posts: 14,154	Oh, I thought it cost me to receive text messages abroad as well. I should really have put the UK sim back in from time to time and then taken it out again. The last time I went abroad, I kept my sim in the phone but had it switched off, but people kept leaving me long voice mails which cost me loads, that's why I took the sim out this time. I forgot to turn off the call divert thing which would have disabled my voicemail!

19-01-2008, 02:49	#10
tony077844 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 159	If I am away I abroad I usually switch my voicemail off also. but most networks do not charge to recieve texts abroad...........

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Lost text messages when abroad