International Dialing Prefix

Question

Level 1

1 points

International Dialing Prefix

Hi

I have searched the entire web (incl. your site) for information on how to solve this problem, a problem I'm positive others have too, and have had no luck.

I have my contacts on my phone all stored with an international dialing prefix... when someone from within the country phones me, it doesn't recognise who it is because the call comes to the phone without the international dialing prefix, "_(xx) xxx xxxx_". When I receive an SMS however, it DOES come with the international dialing prefix, "+_xx (xx) xxx xxxx_".

So, there is no win win situation here, as I can't have the numbers on my phone stored using both the + prefix and without it just to make sure the phone recognises it in the PHONE application as well as the TEXT/SMS application?

I think this really is a rather ridiculous fault for such an incredible phone.

I have posted two other questions on this forum for which I haven't really gotten a solution either, which is a bit discouraging cause I sit down and think about how to explain the problem properly but at the same time wonder whether it's actually going to help anything... so I considered not writing anything about this at all, but realized that where this problem is the most irritating is when you receive a missed call, because I don't know who it is from!

Please could you assist as this is an urgent problem.
Thank you for your time, it is much appreciated!
Nicholas

Dell XPS m170 Laptop, Windows XP, iPhone 3G

Posted on Oct 27, 2008 6:41 AM

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Answer 1

Kevin Liu

Level 1

100 points

Oct 27, 2008 3:51 PM in response to zaNicholas

I add international call prefixes to my contacts and they're all recognized by the phone. I believe most cell networks include international area codes. Perhaps it's your carrier's problem?
I've heard sometimes the "+" sign causes problems. Try removing them from your contacts and see what happens.

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Answer 2

zaNicholas Author

Level 1

1 points

Oct 28, 2008 10:42 AM in response to Kevin Liu

Thank you for your reply, Kevin.

Unfortunately, removing the + sign didn't change anything, and I am still sitting with the same old problem. What I don't understand is that when I was using my old Nokia phone, same carrier, I never had this problem.

I had all my contacts stored in the international number format and when a call (or SMS) came through it was always recognised and linked to the contacts in my address book.

This means, that it is in fact something which has been incorrectly programmed into the iPhone's code, and something I would like to see a fix or solution for.

I do wonder, however, whether this has been read by anyone from Apple because I have had no response to this problem (or my other one listed), and I find it quite apauling that Apple gives no other method of contacting Support other than using these forums, but they fail to do anything about this after I make the effort (after paying for an expensive phone with FULL functionality) to come and voice my issue here.

I certainly hope they will grace me with a solution, at the very least a reply, soon.

But thank you again Kevin for trying to help!

Kind Regards,
Nicholas

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Answer 3

m_hamm

Level 1

58 points

Oct 28, 2008 8:01 PM in response to zaNicholas

Nicholas,

I understand your problem as I used to have a Nokia n95 and this phone recognizes the contact name eventought there's only parts of the number stored. But with my new iPhone I had many problems as when I receive calls the numbers are recognized without prefix, but when receiving SMS's all numbers include country prefix.
After some frustration, I had to change to another carrier and this new carrier shows only numbers without prefix when receiving a call and when receiving SMS's.
I think that's the only solution I found, but maybe Apple will address this situation, you could email them to let them know that you want this situation to be fixed.

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Answer 4

Kevin Liu

Level 1

100 points

Oct 29, 2008 6:53 AM in response to m_hamm

I don't think this is only iphone's problem. My iphone is able to register all my contacts, with or without international prefixes. I don't even have area codes for some of my contacts and even they're recognized.

I think the problem is the way iphone interacts with your cell provider, the integration may not be smooth. Do leave a feedback for apple though.

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Answer 5

zaNicholas Author

Level 1

1 points

Oct 29, 2008 7:23 AM in response to zaNicholas

Thank you m_hamm and Kevin for your replies.

How would I go about getting this complaint directly to Apple? You mentioned something about 'feedback' Kevin?

I don't have any email addresses for Apple, wouldn't mind sending one straight to the CEO :P

Ciao,
Nicholas

P.S. Still no reply from any [Apple] staff...

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Answer 6

Oct 29, 2008 7:45 AM in response to zaNicholas

You can submit feedback to Apple: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html.

Ps. Although some Apple employees post in these forums as volunteers (i.e. on their own time), these are primarily user-to-user help forums. For technical support from Apple, you need to call AppleCare or visit an Apple Store.

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Answer 7

zaNicholas Author

Level 1

1 points

Oct 29, 2008 9:43 AM in response to neuroanatomist

Thank you for your help, neuroanatomist.

I just posted the following feedback using that form:

#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#

Hi

Please see the following thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1768094&tstart=0

In brief though, the iPhone doesn't handle International Dialing Prefix's very well and it very annoying! The SMS and Phone Applications also handle the numbers differently so names do not get looked up using the Phone Application but they do using the SMS Application...

Please, PLEASE, release a little update to resolve this?

Other things which I can think of:
* Forwarding an SMS
* Copy & Paste
* MMS Messaging
* A section under e.g. About where you can go to 'Battery' and see a detailed estimate of how long your battery may still last
* A setting to set how many times the reminders on your phone beep before they stop
* Zoom function (even if digital) on the camera

Thanks so much, these are all things which would make the phone even more awesome but without my first suggestion using the phone is rather irritating as I cannot see who is calling me and also don't know who missed calls are from!

Kind Regards,
Nicholas Frehse

#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#

Hope someone hears my cries :/

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Answer 8

Nov 22, 2008 12:46 AM in response to zaNicholas

Nicholas

You are not alone...I am having the same issues in Hong Kong however mine is in reverse to your issue as follows:

I too store all my contacts with the full international number in the regular format: +[countrycode][number] which translates to for example +1 212 123 4567 for USA or +852 1234 5678 for Hong Kong.

The Phone application correctly identifies my Contacts whose numbers I have recorded however my SMS application does not (it drops the "+" sign from the beginning of the number and does not recognise my contacts.

This is most annoying and has been a bug since 2.1 came out. I submitted a bug report after the 2.1 update and will now submit a bug report after the 2.2 update has not appeared to fix this.

Rafael

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Answer 9

LJSmak

Level 1

0 points

Nov 22, 2008 2:14 AM in response to digitalrunner

Same issues here, while I did NOT have those with 2.1. I live in NL close to the border and travel a lot, and I have always only used numbers in international format. Now with 2.2, when people call me, I see a number instead of name+pic. Totally unacceptable in 2008 really, especially for a "smart"phone.

I even tried downgrading to 2.1 but that didn't work because of some "unknown" error. If somebody could help me with this I would be very grateful, the new 2.2 functions are nice but I'd rather have names in my call list.

Lourens

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Answer 10

Nov 22, 2008 5:15 AM in response to zaNicholas

its not iPhone! your network decides what shows on you iPhone for that matter any phone dude, its called caller ID

may be this will help you?

iPhone: Troubleshooting received calls or SMS messages not matching a contact's mobile number http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2326

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Answer 11

fleyne

Level 1

0 points

Nov 24, 2008 11:34 PM in response to mcastorena

mcastorena,

Sorry your statement is wrong and the information on support.apple is only a work around to an iPhone problem.

No matter that your network provider sends the local format number or international format number your phone should be able to take into account the both format.

This is clearly an iPhone issue.

PS: Sorry for my bad english, I'm not native speaker

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Answer 12

Feb 16, 2009 7:52 PM in response to mcastorena

@mcastorena - I have verified that callerID in my location (Hong Kong) correctly identifies the country code on Sony Ericssons, Palms and Nokias...it is the iPhone that is incorrectly omitting the + from the beginning of international numbers that is at fault...

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