vB Easy Archive - 511 Roaming Number

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511 Roaming Number
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Posted by: OZLancer

I just wanted to share what I thought was a useful peice of info I got from Bell today. I've been trying to figure out who was right; the reps who told me I could add weekend LD and the mate phones would get it or the ones that told me it was per phone. I told them my purpose for adding it was so I could call my mate phone when we were both travelling in Canada. They insisted I had to add $10 worth of features to be able to do so. Finally at the end of the conversation the rep told me about 511. Dial this when calling another Bell cell when you're both outside the local area, but are near eachother, and both have the same area codes, wait for the dial tone, and you can talk for your regular airtime rate. This would have solved my problem 3 calls to CS prior, but oh well, at least now I don't have to add anything. She informed me that this is not an advertised feature, but nonetheless has existed for a while.

Hopefully this is useful info, especially for those on familyshare plans - this eliminates so much extra cost if you're all travelling together

Posted by: Dreaderus

you have to be picking up off the same towers in order for this to work at the same time btw or know the local dima number for the area.

btw any calls routed though 511 will not count as family calling(meaning free calling within the family circle), it will bill airtime directly out of your airtime minutes since your not directly dialing your actual phone numbers so keep that in mind.

#511 shortly

Dreaderus

Posted by: jase88

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"511" is one of the reasons I left Rogers for Bell.

Rogers cancelled their roamer number service years ago. I never understood why, as it always saved money when travelling with co-workers or family.

It just seems stupid that two people who are local to each other both need to pay long distance to call one another.

Posted by: SweetCell

Quote:

Originally Posted by jase88

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"511" is one of the reasons I left Rogers for Bell.

Rogers cancelled their roamer number service years ago. I never understood why, as it always saved money when travelling with co-workers or family.

It just seems stupid that two people who are local to each other both need to pay long distance to call one another.

Agreed but I can see this as something Bell will eventually phase out in their "cut everything back to the bone" phase they are going through. If they did it would promote adding long distance features or changing plans or the push to push to talk (pardon the pun), which means more revenue for them....

It is a handy feature and hopefully it will be around a little more.

Posted by: OZLancer

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In light of this i still want weekend long distance on one of my phones, that way i'm covered 90% of the time (on weekends) unless were both out of area. Odds are though if we're both not travelling, one of us is at least at home/in area.

Posted by: HC - NO "i"

Folks,

I have been using 511 for long, long time. Works with TELUS West too, wherever served by Nortel switch. Also, another great toll-saver: Roamer Access Number (RAN)...

http://www.geckobeach.com/cellular/roaming/default.asp

Posted by: frankie5string

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreaderus

you have to be picking up off the same towers in order for this to work at the same time btw or know the local dima number for the area.

That's not the case I found. It's based on where you are in the MSA, not which tower you're on. By co-incidence you be "transporting" through the same local MSC, but you don't have to be on the same tower to take advantage of 511.

Posted by: HomerBoo

Will this work with naturally split area codes as well, i.e., 416 and 647? And please don't point out that they are different area codes, I can see that. I ask 'coz there's a big difference between those two and say, 416 and 604.

Thanks.

Posted by: frankie5string

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomerBoo

Will this work with naturally split area codes as well, i.e., 416 and 647? And please don't point out that they are different area codes, I can see that. I ask 'coz there's a big difference between those two and say, 416 and 604.

Thanks.

I haven't tried that. But since 647 is just an overlay, I'd guess that it would probbably work with 511.

Posted by: Dreaderus

i said "towers" not tower, implying a group of towers that would share an LCA

Dreaderus

Posted by: OZLancer

I just got a chance to look at the roaming #'s for Bell(http://www.geckobeach.com/cellular/roaming/default.asp). I know they can make it so I pay the LD when calling my mate phone if my phone is in my home area, but the mate is roaming on the other side or Canada for example, but they don't let me call my "home base" area when roaming right? Just someone else from my area code, when we're both (adjacent) in a different area code. If this is true, to check my voicemail, I dial a roaming # of the area I'm in and then my #, which is in my home area? I still don't know exactly how this works...<--In this case do I use 511, and call my own number for voicemail, since I'm obviously only using 1 tower...?

Posted by: HC - NO "i"

OZLancer,

Okay, clear your mind for a second... Now. Let say your Bell cellphone number is 647-xxx-xxxx and you are travelling to Edmonton, AB. You have couple of old friends wanna meet you. When you arrive, you call them up... 780-xxx-xxxx... local for you and them because you are in Edmonton.

But if they call your cell directly, 647-xxx-xxxx, is still required to dial 1 for the LD. What a waste of money! LD charges applied to BOTH you and your friends... NOT if they know about the Roamer Access Number (RAN)! So you tell them about that cool thing - especially everybody can save while travelling there...

"Hey, guys! Don't get call me direct with 1-647-xxx-xxxx! Dial 780-231-7626(ROAM) first. You will hear the dial-tone once connected, then continue to call my cell number, 647-xxx-xxxx. Save you and I tons of LD charges!"

One of your friend there has recently got a Bell cellphone too. So for her, that is even easier... Just dial 511, then continue with your cell number, 647-xxx-xxxx at the dial-tone. That's it!

Please note that if they call you from the cellphone, just need to press SEND once right after the RAN or 511. There is no need to press SEND again after key in your cell number.

Now, regarding the voicemail. It will NOT work - with incoming calls and checking your own mailbox with the roamer access number or 511. The callers will be greeted with the message like "The person you are calling is unavailable at this moment, please try again later." or fast busy signal, instead of forwarding to your voicemail. Hey, no harm to try but at least, it has never worked for me.

Posted by: OZLancer

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So we both need to be in the same area to use the ran's, and i can't have people from the home base call me using one-because that would just be free Ld. But if someone from home calls a roaming # thats long dist. To them and local to me, the person there is the only one who will pay long distance

Posted by: HC - NO "i"

Quote:

Originally Posted by OZLancer

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So we both need to be in the same area to use the ran's, and i can't have people from the home base call me using one-because that would just be free Ld. But if someone from home calls a roaming # thats long dist. To them and local to me, the person there is the only one who will pay long distance

OZLancer,

Yes. Just continues with my previous example...

Your folks are trying to call you from Toronto (416) because they want to tell you that they will also take a vacation. They remember not to call you direct because while it is a local call for them (i.e. from 416-xxx-xxxx to your cell number, 647-xxx-xxxx), you pick up the call in Edmonton will be billed with LD charge! Plus, they are using the FCI landline with 30-minute LD included every month. Why not take the benefit? So they dial 1-780-231-7626(ROAM) first, then continues with your cell number, 647-xxx-xxxx.

That's it. Summary:

- If someone try to call from your home area DIRECT, local call for them but LD for you while you are roaming / travelling.

- If someone try to call from your home area with the RAN, LD for them but local call for you while you are roaming / travelling.

- If someone try to call from the same calling area where you are roaming / travelling DIRECT, LD for BOTH the callers and yourself.

- If someone try to call from the same calling area where you are roaming / travelling with the RAN, local call for BOTH the callers and yourself.

- If someone try to call you from a Bell cell number from the same calling area where you are roaming / travelling with 511 or RAN, local call for BOTH the callers and yourself.

Posted by: HC - NO "i"

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomerBoo

HomerBoo,

Absolutely. See my example above mentioned.

Posted by: Dreaderus

wow how complicated.

if you travel to a city and call people on cell YOU do not have to use the dima number to call them, as you assume the local area and can dial them direct. If THEY want to call you, and use the dima, that will save you and them LD. thats pretty much the gist of it

Repeat this scenerio if your traveling with someone from your own area, call local dima, key in 10 digit number, and no LD both ways.

If there is ever any distance between two parties that would result in a long distance call one person will always pay LD>

Dreaderus

Posted by: OZLancer

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Thank you everyone- this has been very helpfull and will probably save alot of people time and money! I'm just i just printed out a list of the ran's too..very useful!

Posted by: Boukie

Hope everyone is aware it will be #511 not 511 June 25th (not sure of exact date)

511 will have a new purpose.

Posted by: OZLancer

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What's the new purpose of 511? Always good to get the jump on new features before they go up in price or turn "per line...:/ )

Posted by: Boukie

511 will be for travellers/weather information.

Read more: http://www.its-sti.gc.ca/en/511.htm

And here: http://www.511canada.ca/

Quote:

Transport Canada is a member of the 511 Consortium, led by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Society of Canada (ITS Canada), with the primary goal of obtaining the three digit “511” telephone number for use as a traveller and weather information system. Other participants include Environment Canada, all provinces, Yukon Territory, the Transportation Association of Canada, and the Canadian Urban Transit Association. Additional information on 511 is available at the 511 Consortium website www.511canada.ca.