Alert! (Spurious text message)
Richard Street
message which I receive
on my phone every few days?
It is from "Alert" (no other ID) and reads as follows:
"You have a new message. Please dial your retrieval number.
Sender: Alert. Sent: 26-Mar-2001 12:27:59"
(obviously the date/time is current!)
Every time there is a new message the old one is overwritten.
History:
I have an 07973 number and was with Orange on contract until recently, when
I paid
Orange for the phone to be unlocked and subscribed to Telecom Plus (runs on
the One2One
network). I shared a talkplan with my wife, who is now on an Orange pre-pay
plan.
1. The answerphone works OK, and when I do get a voice message the spool
symbol appears.
2. Whenever I get this message, a check on the voicemail number assures me
that there are no messages.
3. Text messaging works OK, and an ordinary text message behaves as it
should.
4. This problem never occurred when I was with Orange.
5. Telecom plus initially claimed there was some sort of problem in my using
my Nokia
nk702, ie Orange-specific software. They sent me a refurbished Nokia 5146 (I
want to keep the same car kit) but the problem remains.
6. Telecom plus now maintain that this must be a message originating from
*outside* their
network -- possibly some email or internet alerting service that I have
signed up to and forgotten (I don't think so!) or done by someone else for
whatever reason.
7. The text of the message does not make sense, unless I am expected to dial
a number which is different from voicemail retrieval.
8. I have now reached stalemate with Telecom Plus. They say the only thing
they can do is to change my number.
If you recognise the format of this message, or are able to help in any way,
please respond.
Thanks
Richard
Martin Jay
<r...@moreton-intermedia.co.uk> writes
>Can anyone please help find the answer to a problem with a spurious
>text message which I receive on my phone every few days?
>It is from "Alert" (no other ID) and reads as follows:
>"You have a new message. Please dial your retrieval number.
>Sender: Alert. Sent: 26-Mar-2001 12:27:59"
>(obviously the date/time is current!)
>Every time there is a new message the old one is overwritten.
>History:
>I have an 07973 number and was with Orange on contract until recently,
>when I paid Orange for the phone to be unlocked and subscribed to
>Telecom Plus (runs on the One2One network). I shared a talkplan with my
>wife, who is now on an Orange pre-pay plan.
I think someone is playing tricks on you, based on a bug/feature of
BTCellnet's voicemail service.
BTCellnet customers can listen to their voicemail by calling 901 from
their handset, or 07802 090100 from another phone and entering their
mobile number. It's also possible to deposit messages into someone's
BTCellnet voicemail box via 07802 090100.
Now for the bug/feature. BTCellnet's voicemail service will allow you
to leave voice message for just about any old mobile number. Type in a
one2one, Orange or Vodafone number when prompted and it will let you
leave a message. After a message has been left helpful BTCellnet will
inform the owner of the number by SMS that a voicemail message is
waiting for them. Presumably this bug/feature is a side-effect of
mobile number portability?
Anyway, if you want to listen to the voice messages that have been left
for you dial 07802 090100 and follow the prompts, entering your Telecom
Plus number when prompted. When you hear the message "This is the
BTCellnet voicemail 901 service for..." press * and then enter 8705 as
the PIN that will be requested. If you make the call from a BT line
it'll only cost about 2.5p/min at the weekend.
That's what I think has happened.
--
Martin Jay
Richard Street
message centre number is +44802000332. I do not know to what extent this
narrows the search for the service which is sending these messages...
Richard
"Richard Street" <r...@moreton-intermedia.co.uk> wrote in message
news:9ceqjg$l4b$1...@plutonium.btinternet.com...
Martin Jay
<r...@moreton-intermedia.co.uk> writes
>"Richard Street" <r...@moreton-intermedia.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:9ceqjg$l4b$1...@plutonium.btinternet.com...
>> Can anyone please help find the answer to a problem with a spurious text
>> message which I receive
>> on my phone every few days?
>I should have written in the original post (above) that the originator's
>message centre number is +44802000332. I do not know to what extent this
>narrows the search for the service which is sending these messages...
>Richard
It suggests that my explanation in message
<RgMnTMCH...@bona.clara.co.uk> was probably correct. The SMSC you
mention belongs to BTCellnet, but should be +447802000332 now. :)
--
Martin Jay
David Barr
"Martin Jay" <mar...@bona.clara.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fwuk34BJ...@bona.clara.co.uk...
off the top of my head that looks like the btcellnet sms centre, and in
reference to the theory doe sthis mean anyone owning a mobile can have a
free voicemail service from cellnet??
david.
Richard Street
number displayed on my phone on Friday. A friend suggests the originator is
likely to be Genie. I have sent them an email to ask if I appear on their
list of recipients. I will let the group know if/when this little mystery is
resolved. -- Richard
"Martin Jay" <mar...@bona.clara.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fwuk34BJ...@bona.clara.co.uk...
Martin Jay
Barr <da...@nospamplease.girlguides.co.uk> writes
>"Martin Jay" <mar...@bona.clara.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:fwuk34BJ...@bona.clara.co.uk...
>> It suggests that my explanation in message
>> <RgMnTMCH...@bona.clara.co.uk> was probably correct. The SMSC you
>> mention belongs to BTCellnet, but should be +447802000332 now. :)
>off the top of my head that looks like the btcellnet sms centre, and in
>reference to the theory doe sthis mean anyone owning a mobile can have a
>free voicemail service from cellnet??
Seems like it, but it could work out expensive to pick up voicemail.
And, of course, there's no guarantee that it'll work forever.
Free voicemail is pretty easy to get anyway. http://www.excite.co.uk/
offer a free fax and voicemail service which operates via an 0845
number. Faxes and voicemail messages are forwarded by email.
--
Martin Jay
Martin Jay
>"Martin Jay" <mar...@bona.clara.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:fwuk34BJ...@bona.clara.co.uk...
>> In message <9cgqo4$mm8$1...@neptunium.btinternet.com>, Richard Street
>> <r...@moreton-intermedia.co.uk> writes
>> >"Richard Street" <r...@moreton-intermedia.co.uk> wrote in message
>> >news:9ceqjg$l4b$1...@plutonium.btinternet.com...
>>
>> >> Can anyone please help find the answer to a problem with a spurious
>text
>> >> message which I receive
>> >> on my phone every few days?
>>
>> >I should have written in the original post (above) that the originator's
>> >message centre number is +44802000332. I do not know to what extent this
>> >narrows the search for the service which is sending these messages...
>> >Richard
>>
>> It suggests that my explanation in message
>> <RgMnTMCH...@bona.clara.co.uk> was probably correct. The SMSC you
>> mention belongs to BTCellnet, but should be +447802000332 now. :)
>Point taken about the extra 7. I was merely quoting the message centre
>number displayed on my phone on Friday. A friend suggests the originator is
>likely to be Genie. I have sent them an email to ask if I appear on their
>list of recipients. I will let the group know if/when this little mystery is
>resolved. -- Richard
I doubt it has anything to do with Genie. Didn't you read my posting
about BTCellnet's voicemail service?
The SMS you received is exactly the same message I receive from
BTCellnet's voicemeail service when a message is left, even if it's for
my Orange number.
It's not really a mystery at all. I've already explained it!
See: <RgMnTMCH...@bona.clara.co.uk>
--
Martin Jay