How to determine the carrier for a cell phone number?

[bobg]

Does anyone know of a way to determine the carrier of a cell phone number? Maybe that's possible from the digits in the number, or maybe there's a web service which does it.

I'm asking because some carriers will allow you to send text messages from your computer. See, e.g., http://sms.personal.com.ar/Mensajes/msn.htm

I can just try the Personal service and see what happens but I am not sure how to fill out the form. You have to enter something following a "0" and then something following a "15". Following the 15 I'm sure I should enter the 8 digit number. But I have no idea what it might want following the 0.

Thanks, Bob

 

[jimdepalermo]

As of a couple months ago, all cell numbers are portable from carrier to carrier. So there's no way to identify a carrier by the number.

011 is the area code for BsAs. If the destination number is here, the 2 digits you want are '11'.

 

[bobg]

As of a couple months ago, all cell numbers are portable from carrier to carrier. So there's no way to identify a carrier by the number.

011 is the area code for BsAs. If the destination number is here, the 2 digits you want are '11'.

Thanks. Was there a way prior to number portability? (Because I doubt that the number has been ported since then.)

Thanks, Bob

 

[flurec]

One way you can figure it our is by simply trying the number out on the carrier's website. I text from Personal's site which is nice because it is two way- you receive the replies if you leave the page open.

I was given a new contact number and didn't know the carrier. Personal gave back "invalid number" but Movistar accepted it. I tested a Personal number on Movistar and it came right back with "this number is not a Movistar number". Movistar has a free (for you as sender) service but it is not two way.

I was also confused about the input fields. As mentioned it is "11" then the last 8 digits. Movistar is the same.

What is frustrating is 1. They don't provide an email gateway where you could send a email to the phone and it arrives as a text that can be responded to. 2. From the US at least you cannot respond to a Argentinian originated text directly as you need to include a 9 in the number.

 

[bobg]

At this website, http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/email-to-sms/, it looks like Nextel might provide an email address which provides a response ...

Nextel (Argentina) TwoWay.11number@nextel.net.ar

... and also provides the email addresses for Movistar (although it's listed under "Movicom") and Personal. I'm sure, as Flurec says, that Movistar and Personal will not provide responses.

Thanks Flurec for your very helpful response.

Bob

 

[flurec]

My test of Personal ([email protected]) did not work but I investigated it and on their website it looks like it is an additional cost service that the subscriber has to "activate". A list of wordwide gateways is here but YMMV. I see Movistar Argentina and Claro for other countries but not Argentina-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_SMS_gateways

As an FYI for those IN Argentina as far as I know all the major US gateways are working.

 

[bobg]

For whatever it might be worth here is my experience in using the Personal web page (i.e. http://sms.personal.com.ar/Mensajes/msn.htm ).

The message I wanted to send was several times longer than their 110 character limit. When I completed the first segment and tried to send it I got some error message about configuration - in Spanish, of course, so I did not understand it. But I just tried again and it worked, or appeared to, the second time. When sending a message you have to enter a distorted code (what I would call a "captcha"). Many times it told me that I had entered the wrong code although it sure looked correct to me. But I just kept entering the new code it would display and eventually it would give in. I did not receive a SMS response and have not, so far (this was a few days ago), received any other indication that the message got to the intended recipient. But that might not mean much because the person I was trying to contact does not use email and does not have my telephone number and there has been no where near enough time for a letter to reach me.

Bob

 

[flurec]

The Personal SMS sender is super flaky as you said. 50% of the time you get "Check your browsers configuration" or "the code you have entered is incorrect".

My experience has been that after getting to the page you need to enter the message quickly. If the page has been open for awhile then refresh it. At least when it errors it doesn't not delete your information. When the person receives the text it shows from a random number with your name. As long as they respond within a few minutes their response will show up if you leave the page open.

I have yet to find a free easy way to send text but http://www.rebtel.com/en/Get-Help/faq/WebSMS/How-can-I-tell-friends-about-Rebtel/#How-can-I-tell-friends-about-Rebtel claims that they do it for 5.3 cents/minute from their website or mobile app.