Roaming Calls on GS3 without Service

[Jimbo Carrey]

Hi everyone, first I'd like to start out by saying that I'm not exactly tech savvy compared to you guys, but I'm trying to learn more about smartphones. My question is How can I make roaming collect or credit card calls on an old us cellular Galaxy S3 that doesn't have cell service? I have 2 old us cellular samsung flip phones that don't have cell plans and I can still make 911 calls, I know all old cell phones can do that. However, if I try to dial a friend's number on one of the old flip phones I get connected to the American Roaming Network and it says "You are roaming. To call your mobile carrier, or any other phone number, purchase a calling pin by pressing 1 now. To make a collect call to a mobile phone or a landline phone, dial 2 now." And I can call anyone collect, I've tried this out before. But when I dial a number on my old Galaxy S3 nothing happens. Now I'm sure 911 would work fine (not going to try it) but I'd like to know if I can make emergency calls to family, two truck service, etc on my old s3. I currently carry my old flip phone in my car as backup in case I had an accident and my current phone was dead. But I'd like to use my s3 as a backup instead. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance!

 

[Rukbat]

How can I make ... calls on an... S3 that doesn't have cell service?

Only on wifi, with a VoIP app.

I have 2 old us cellular samsung flip phones that don't have cell plans and I can still make 911 calls[/QUOTE, I know all old cell phones can do that.

All cellphones MUST do that. It's illegal for the carrier to check even whether the phone is reported stolen if it's calling 911. Calling 911 must occur on all phones without delay - cellphones, private company pay phones, all phones.

However, if I try to dial a friend's number on one of the old flip phones I get connected to the American Roaming Network and it says "You are roaming. To call your mobile carrier, or any other phone number, purchase a calling pin by pressing 1 now. To make a collect call to a mobile phone or a landline phone, dial 2 now." And I can call anyone collect, I've tried this out before. But when I dial a number on my old Galaxy S3 nothing happens.

Nope. Not on any of the newer phones.

Now I'm sure 911 would work fine

If the phone works, it will.

(not going to try it)

You can. Unless your dispatching agency is, shall we say, completely anal, you just say, "This isn't an emergency, I'm just making sure that this cellphone can make emergency calls. Thank you." It won't bother most dispatchers. I called 911 earlier in the week to get AAA's emergency number - a handicapped woman had locked her wallet, cellphone and keys in her car. The dispatcher apologized that it was taking so long to bring AAA's number up on her screen. I used to be a dispatcher, when I got injured. (Dispatching is a "light duty" assignment in some departments.) I'd rather let you know that your cellphone can get you help, than have to dispatch the Medical Examiner to pick up your body because you were afraid to call 911. (And I've always told everyone that if you think it's an emergency, call 911. If they don't, they won't send a car with lights and sirens, but let them decide if that car with a woman and young children stuck on a lonely country road at 3AM in the dead of winter is an emergency or not.)

but I'd like to know if I can make emergency calls to family, two truck service, etc on my old s3. I currently carry my old flip phone in my car as backup in case I had an accident and my current phone was dead. But I'd like to use my s3 as a backup instead. Anyone have any ideas?

A cheap prepaid plan or an old pre-smart-phone phone. Unfortunately, you can't have a "spare SIM" in your spare phone. It would be nice it they allowed that. I also use an old flip phone sometimes (not to leave in the car - I always have a working phone with me - but in case I'll be in a situation where the phone could get damaged or "lost but never found"), but I put my microSIM into an adapter to make it a full sized SIM.

 

[Jimbo Carrey]

Only on wifi, with a VoIP app.


All cellphones MUST do that. It's illegal for the carrier to check even whether the phone is reported stolen if it's calling 911. Calling 911 must occur on all phones without delay - cellphones, private company pay phones, all phones.

Nope. Not on any of the newer phones.

If the phone works, it will.

You can. Unless your dispatching agency is, shall we say, completely anal, you just say, "This isn't an emergency, I'm just making sure that this cellphone can make emergency calls. Thank you." It won't bother most dispatchers. I called 911 earlier in the week to get AAA's emergency number - a handicapped woman had locked her wallet, cellphone and keys in her car. The dispatcher apologized that it was taking so long to bring AAA's number up on her screen. I used to be a dispatcher, when I got injured. (Dispatching is a "light duty" assignment in some departments.) I'd rather let you know that your cellphone can get you help, than have to dispatch the Medical Examiner to pick up your body because you were afraid to call 911. (And I've always told everyone that if you think it's an emergency, call 911. If they don't, they won't send a car with lights and sirens, but let them decide if that car with a woman and young children stuck on a lonely country road at 3AM in the dead of winter is an emergency or not.)

A cheap prepaid plan or an old pre-smart-phone phone. Unfortunately, you can't have a "spare SIM" in your spare phone. It would be nice it they allowed that. I also use an old flip phone sometimes (not to leave in the car - I always have a working phone with me - but in case I'll be in a situation where the phone could get damaged or "lost but never found"), but I put my microSIM into an adapter to make it a full sized SIM.

Thanks for the response, I already have a voip app that I use when I have wifi. Why is it that the new "smart" phones are unable to roam without service when the old phones can? It seems crazy that any old flip phone can connect to ARN but a new phone can't. What's the technical reason for that?

 

[Jimbo Carrey]

nobody knows?

 

[Jimbo Carrey]

ok I just tried dialing a number on an HTC Hero S and it did exactly what my old flip phones do, it connected me to the American roaming network and then transfers me to telecom USA and allows me to make a collect call. does no one know anything about this? Why can't I do this on my galaxy s3? the HTC is only year older and It's a smartphone that runs on android. any ideas?

 

[Jimbo Carrey]

I cant believe that no one on this forum knows anything about this.