Weird numbers appearing with international calls

[ESCAPIS]

Lately, DTAC international calls relay has been acting very weirdly.

 

When I receive international calls, a weird number, lacking the international prefix and with a 02, 06, 093, 043 prefix are appearing ahead of some unknown numbers that turn out to be members of my family, friends or associates, whose numbers are stored in my contacts book but never seem to appear when the call comes.

 

I have had the same problem with AIS early this year and changed to DTAC. The numbers appeared normally, then started becoming very weird indeed.

 

When I called DTAC to ask about the problem, the operator gave me some weirder answer about the country of origin problem. I would have believed her if the calls span one country, but since the numbers span 3 continents and about 10 countries, it was clear she was given a canned answer to pass even before I finished exposing the problem.

 

It is clear that Tel Companies in Thailand are using the IP system to route their calls, and GSM is no longer being used, so I hinted as much to her, which stopped her in her tracks with a brief silence gap, then promised to pass my problem to the concerned department.

 

I do not have much faith or hope in Thai communication companies. I do not believe they care enough to correct the issue, especially if it involves cerebral effort in that direction.

 

Would members of this forum care to comment on this issue? Is there any way I can identify the IDD calls? It is so disconcerting not knowing who is calling, sometimes the same person with different numbers for the same phone number. 

 

I have 2 iPhones with 2 different numbers. Are other,embers of this forum experiencing the same? Different phone make perhaps?

 

And I thought it couldn't get any weirder...!

[dotpoom]

I get one call every week at the same time from my Ex back home, so I know it's her when the phone rings. It shows weird No's as the caller but no problem with the actual call, so I don't see it as a problem.

    I'm with AIS and wouldn't see the point of leaving them over this.

[Headgame]

You are right that this weird number phenomenon is because your calls are being transmitted via the internet. Getting very common.

[topt]

Are you sure it is the carriers or are the people calling you using some sort of reduced rate calling plan/service - I know I would if I was calling internationally?

[smccolley]

Normally when the call is initiated using a VoIP connection, such as Skype or many calling services, it starts on the IP network and drops off onto the PSTN (normal telephone network) somewhere regionally. In that case the number will be fictitious. If the call originates on the PSTN it should carry the originating phone number all the way.

 

So this is actually caused by the call originator and is not caused by the receiving system (AIS or DTAC).

[lungbing]

An 02 prefix is Bangkok, 043 is Khon Kaen, if that makes any sense.

[Jonmarleesco]

Irritating, but far from unusual.

[Jonmarleesco]

6 hours ago, topt said:

Are you sure it is the carriers or are the people calling you using some sort of reduced rate calling plan/service - I know I would if I was calling internationally?

I get the same issue via AIS when my eldest son calls me, and he doesn't use any reduced-rate service. The numbers have varied, but of late, it has been the same Bangkok landline one.

[KhunBENQ]

7 hours ago, topt said:

Are you sure it is the carriers or are the people calling you using some sort of reduced rate calling plan/service - I know I would if I was calling internationally?

That's a possibility.

Years ago I wondered why I got calls "from Bangkok" (02...) while I actually was called by someone in Germany.

You can assume that these services bridge the long distance by VoIP and then dial into the national fixed lines from a computer in Bangkok.

 

[Raymonddiaz]

I think operators are hiding international calls to avoid paying more tax. Operators did that back home and were caught by the authorities.

[mtls2005]

I'm confused.

 

People in other countries are calling you, and the Calling Party ID displayed is "Weird"? How are they originating calls? +66 nn nnn nnnn? Are they originating calls via fixed-lines? mobiles? VoIP? In which countries?

 

Obviously the people calling you are using local access and international "paths" over which you, DTAC or AIS have zero control. There are many, many, many toll by-pass options, not limited just to VOIP, which may or may not pass originating CPID. For VoIP trunk calls terminated here in Thailand, and handed off to the local fixed/mobile networks, the local VoIP gateway typically passes their own CPID, which may or many not seem "not weird"?

 

 

And/or: Are you calling people in other countries, and your CPID displayed is "weird"? Same questions as above.

 

If you originate a call using +CC then your CPID should get passed, whether it gets stripped out en route or in the terminating country is variable. If you're using 007/008/009, or a calling card, your CPID may get stripped anywhere from Thailand to the far end.

 

 

[Nurseynutcase]

We too have experienced the 'weird number' syndrome - also from different countries.  We are both on AIS with different types of phone.

 

Sorry everyone but I don't understand some of the jargon you use.  What is VoIP,?

[Rob13]

5 minutes ago, Nurseynutcase said:

 What is VoIP,?

 

Using the internet to make a phone call...ie Skype. Not sure what the letters stand for.

 

Intl pre-pay cards and  skype will  both give you weird  numbers from incoming calls. 

[Peterw42]

9 minutes ago, Nurseynutcase said:

We too have experienced the 'weird number' syndrome - also from different countries.  We are both on AIS with different types of phone.

 

Sorry everyone but I don't understand some of the jargon you use.  What is VoIP,?

VoIP is a call made over the internet and not via the normal telephone network, at some point a voip call will need to be connected back to the nornal network if the recieving party does not have internet or voip access.

[Nurseynutcase]

Just now, Rob13 said:

 

Using the internet to make a phone call...ie Skype. Not sure what the letters stand for.

 

Intl pre-pay cards and  skype will  both give you weird  numbers from incoming calls. 

 

Now I am even more confused - when I skype I always get a picture then visiual sight of  whoever it is I am speaking to.  Is speaking only via skype any different?

[Rob13]

Just now, Nurseynutcase said:

 

Now I am even more confused - when I skype I always get a picture then visiual sight of  whoever it is I am speaking to.  Is speaking only via skype any different?

 

You can use skype to call  a regular LAN line phone. If the number your calling has caller ID set up they won't see your number but a weird number like the OP is referring to. If your internet connection is good, it's pretty much the same as using your cell. Bad internet and it's like calling from the moon. Skype calling is cheap  for int'l calls.

 

 

[geisha]

Yes happens to me all the time with incoming calls from France. No idea why. My friends are using their iPhones on normal lines.