Cannot receive international SMS (Europe) while in Canada

[OMT3910]

Hello,

I am currently in my home province in Canada but cannot receive text messages from Europe. Text messages from Canada and the US work but not the ones from Europe. My plan includes incoming international sms. Unless "international" means USA, I do not know what the problem might be. Can anyone help?

[VIP_Tech]

Hi @OMT3910 

All plans include outgoing and incoming unlimited
International Text and Picture Messaging,

but for picture messaging you need to turn your data on to send a picture messaging in international,

and if your data is off and your home internet Wi-Fi is on is not going through the picture or video messaging,

to going through turn your data on and send a picture or video,

try manually selecting network "3G only" or WCDMA only,
and Rebooting device..

[OMT3910]

Thank you @softech. The company sends sms internationally and there shouldn't be an issue on their side - they confirmed this. But I will check again, you never know. I will also ask a friend to text me and see if this works. Perhaps I can find out if there is a problem with the specific sender or the format of the message. Thank you!

[softech]

---

@OMT3910 wrote:

The sms comes from a company and not an individual. It is automated and probably 'send by system' so that I can confirm a transaction. To be honest, I do not know what 'short code' is. Just read something on the internet but still not sure if this applies. No need to go into detail here but might there be an issue when the text is sent by an automated system instead of a cell? Is this considered short code?

---

System generated text from companies , many of them are short codes, might not be able to send overseas.   In fact, many of them won't . 

So, if you are waiting for text like 2FA text and you got it, good.  if you don't get it, it's kind of normal. 

Whether you can receive depends on whether the company have setup (and pay) to send overseas or to any particular overseas countries.    We saw experience that  people were getting  text for some times and suddenly not getting it anymore as the companies have changed the system.   

[OMT3910]

The sms comes from a company and not an individual. It is automated and probably 'send by system' so that I can confirm a transaction. To be honest, I do not know what 'short code' is. Just read something on the internet but still not sure if this applies. No need to go into detail here but might there be an issue when the text is sent by an automated system instead of a cell? Is this considered short code?

[OMT3910]

The texts come from Turkey.

[Camera4617]

---

@BeachNBeer wrote:

@OMT3910  Have your friend try....

011 1 (your area code) your last 4 digits..

Exit code 011

Country 1

Then number

So.. 011-1-647-2222 ..but like 01116472222

What country is the person texting from?

---

Exit code depends on the country and it will be different for each. Using + sign in front of the country number is telling phone use 'local country code exit code' wherever you are.. No need to know what that is.. 011 I think might be for Canada when calling somebody internationally, not opposite (when they call canadian number)

[Anonymous]

 @OMT3910 : The below is a reference of all the Exit codes. We all need to use exit codes to "get out" of our country. In North America we use 011. Very often a shortcut is simply to use + in front instead of the various exit codes.

https://www.howtocallabroad.com/codes.html#5

[OMT3910]

Thank you for your detailed response @computergeek541. Yes, 'global' was my understanding of international and I'm glad that this is the way it's supposed to be. I have a rather new plan and my understanding is that incoming international sms are included. The sender uses the correct number and the plan allows to send international messages. I will ask someone else to send me a text from abroad, as you suggested.  Maybe I can find out if this is a general or number specific issue and narrow it down this way. Thank you!

[BeachNBeer]

@OMT3910  Have your friend try....

011 1 (your area code) your last 4 digits..

Exit code 011

Country 1

Then number

So.. 011-1-647-2222 ..but like 01116472222

What country is the person texting from?

[softech]

@OMT3910   I believe it was a text send by a person in Europe and not a short code send by system?

another thing you can test is to get a VoIP App like TextNow or Fongo.  You can pick a Canadian number for the app and you can as your Friend in Europe to try texting you on that VoIP number as well

[OMT3910]

Yes, the sender can text internationally and my number is correct. Unfortunately, my cellphone is the only number I can use. I will ask someone else to text me from abroad. Maybe I can find out if this is a general or number specific issue.

[Anonymous]

 @OMT3910 : Maybe it's an Android/iOS/chat/iMessage thing going on between one end or the other.

[computergeek541]

---

@OMT3910 wrote:

I am currently in my home province in Canada but cannot receive text messages from Europe. Text messages from Canada and the US work but not the ones from Europe. My plan includes incoming international sms. Unless "international" means USA, I do not know what the problem might be. Can anyone help?

---

International(actually global) refers to the countries that you can send outgoing text messages to. The advertising isn't related to where the text message originated from.  Text messages sent to you from any country for you to receive while you're in Canada are included on any plan that includes text messaging (there are some old plans that don't include it).   This part likely doesn't apply to you, but there are also old plans that only included Canada-wide text messaging, but once again, that was only referencing the outgoing text message ability.

When a text message is coming from another carrier, an intermediary gets involves to relay the message through to the Telus/Public Mobile network. I suspect that it's not an actual entire continent or country that you can't receive text messages from, but more likely from people who are using a specific carrier.  Can you get others who are using a different carrier to send you a text message?

[OMT3910]

Yes, the country code 001 is added to the number.

[esjliv]

---

@OMT3910 wrote:

Hello,

I am currently in my home province in Canada but cannot receive text messages from Europe. Text messages from Canada and the US work but not the ones from Europe. My plan includes incoming international sms. Unless "international" means USA, I do not know what the problem might be. Can anyone help?

---

@OMT3910  - you should be able to receive texts from Europe, yes.

Can you send texts to the number trying to text you?

Perhaps the sender does not have international texting in their provider's plan. If they do can you try another number you can provider them to text.

OR, is this short code of some sort?

[Camera4617]

Your plan probably includes 'outgoing' international messages as incoming are always included. I'd make sure that whoever is sending is using proper format. One test is that you send them and they just reply. Also, person sending needs to be able to send internationally.. It should work.. 

[BeachNBeer]

@OMT3910  is the person texting you or that you're texting using the country codes? Like (example) 011 56 then number... I've been texting my friend in Germany all evening and has been working no problem.