steve_b_wales Posted March 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2022 14 hours ago, Jaymo said: Steve Who is your mobile phone provider? O2, Virgin and 3 are still providing roaming as far as I know ( depends if your contract was taken out before Oct 2021 I believe?) Others charge £2 per day I think it is to access your phone tariff as if in the UK I took out a 3 contract well before European roaming was a thing and also allowed us calling in the States etc. For me I’m flitting from European Countries and it’s essential to have data access- we have a new destination of Belgrade which isn’t included and some of my colleagues have been stung for not turning data roaming off prior to arrival. I'm with Vodafone, and will be out in Egypt soon. I can buy a package that allows calls to the UK at a discounted rate, but it's only my parents that I would be phoning to their landline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted March 17, 2022 Report Share Posted March 17, 2022 Seems you're out of options... If you're parents can't or won't embrace a modern mobile, you'll have to pay. Orrrr, as your parents seem to be 'old school', you could just tell them that calls are expensive abroad and they will have to content themselves with a post card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2022 6 hours ago, udderlyoffroad said: Seems you're out of options... If you're parents can't or won't embrace a modern mobile, you'll have to pay. Orrrr, as your parents seem to be 'old school', you could just tell them that calls are expensive abroad and they will have to content themselves with a post card. I've done this before, and my mother (my father's not bothered either way) said 'Don't worry, just enjoy yourself'. But that was before they both had cancer. Yes, I can afford to pay for a 'normal call', I was just looing at various options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted March 18, 2022 Report Share Posted March 18, 2022 Don't get me wrong, am not unsympathetic, was in a very similar situation less than a fortnight ago, including parents who won't be around for ever. But WhatsApp relies on connecting 2 users of its service together, calls outside its network would require a third party telco, which would cost money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted March 18, 2022 Report Share Posted March 18, 2022 (edited) Hello, sorry to hijack your post Steve but my phone can no longer support WhatsApp , Old Apple i phone, can any one recommend a new phone I can buy that's similar but not expensive ?? I can transfer SIM, cheers Edited March 18, 2022 by oldypigeonpopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted March 18, 2022 Report Share Posted March 18, 2022 (edited) 11 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said: Hello, sorry to hijack your post Steve but my phone can no longer support WhatsApp , Old Apple i phone, can any one recommend a new phone I can buy that's similar but not expensive ?? I can transfer SIM, cheers Hello, my phone won't update new software, it's an I phone 4S Edited March 18, 2022 by oldypigeonpopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph5172 Posted March 18, 2022 Report Share Posted March 18, 2022 Can you not buy one of the .99p SIM cards that seem to be knocking around and give your parents an old phone with WhatsApp on. You can also video call them and take them on a tour of the hotel. when you get back just thrown the phone in a draw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 Just a quick update. I'm out in Egypt at the moment and tried phoning friends and family via WhatsApp. A message said that my network (Vodafone) does not accept it. I checked this out with other British people and they too have the same problem. Apparently it's been blocked because of terrorism! What truth is in that, I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTaylor91 Posted March 27, 2022 Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 14 minutes ago, steve_b_wales said: Just a quick update. I'm out in Egypt at the moment and tried phoning friends and family via WhatsApp. A message said that my network (Vodafone) does not accept it. I checked this out with other British people and they too have the same problem. Apparently it's been blocked because of terrorism! What truth is in that, I don't know. Connect to Wi-Fi and turn cellular network off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2022 On 27/03/2022 at 21:08, JTaylor91 said: Connect to Wi-Fi and turn cellular network off. We have and it still does not work, even when using a WiFi booster. Our ISP is not used at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 Wait, what? Wifi booster? As in, you took one on holiday? Just checking, but presumably you did reprogramme it to the hotel’s wifi network? Otherwise it will offer to connect to an extension of your wifi network at home, only of course it won’t find the original, thus you will get precisely nowhere, but have a seemingly ‘healthy’ wifi connection. In either case, some googling reveals that yes, it seems Egypt does block VoIP services (Skype, Teams, Google Hangouts and Whatsapp calls but not messages) citing ‘security concerns’ – I assume because they’re end-to-end encrypted and thus not easy to listen in on, so it’s easier to just block and deny. Which would mean you're back to calling the parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discobob Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 install something like NORD VPN onto your phone - connect to UK and then make your call - turn off cellular perhaps as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted April 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 5 hours ago, udderlyoffroad said: Wait, what? Wifi booster? As in, you took one on holiday? Just checking, but presumably you did reprogramme it to the hotel’s wifi network? Otherwise it will offer to connect to an extension of your wifi network at home, only of course it won’t find the original, thus you will get precisely nowhere, but have a seemingly ‘healthy’ wifi connection. In either case, some googling reveals that yes, it seems Egypt does block VoIP services (Skype, Teams, Google Hangouts and Whatsapp calls but not messages) citing ‘security concerns’ – I assume because they’re end-to-end encrypted and thus not easy to listen in on, so it’s easier to just block and deny. Which would mean you're back to calling the parents. We were loaned a WiFi booster (usually 15euro)and are using the hotel WiFi only. Not touched my Vodafone data etc. We are getting messages to my parents via WhatsApp but not voice calls of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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