Help suspended from WhatsApp!

[Discombobulated2024]

I am on a walking holiday abroad, alone and relying on WhatsApp to book accommodation as well as for keeping safe and feeling connected to friends and family. This morning I had a message from WhatsApp, ‘this account can no longer use WhatsApp’ No explanation.

I have no idea why this has happened. I am a respectable 62 year old woman. Not a spammer, scammer or extremist. I have not broken the terms and conditions in any way at all. I am really upset and panicking. Any ideas why this might be and what I could do about it?

I have, of course turned it off and on again and tried to reinstall the app. Nothing. Happened about 4 hours ago.

Just a suggestion as this happened to me before.

Maybe the WhatsApp text message is going into your " spam" text message folder.

It could be why you don't see it in your texts.

If you go into your text messages , go to the search bar at the top, and search for "whatsapp"

It will find the text for you that way, If it has got stuck in a spam text folder

Could you at least ask the refuge that has no place for the night to get in touch via whatsapp with the places you are planning to stay for the following nights?

Are you able to get assistance from any of the other solo travellers you have met on this hiking trail? Perhaps travelling together till this problem is sorted and using their WhatsApp account to book and confirm your accommodations. Alternatively, can you get each night's accommodation to help with booking for the next night? Absolute nightmare for you though.

This is a very isolated spot. I am not sure what I am going to do. It seems likely I will have to abandon the trip,

Could you not link up with one of the other hikers at the hostel and use their WhatsApp to confirm your next accommodation, then link up with someone else at the next place?

Surely having to compromise slightly on your route to tag along with someone else is preferable to abandoning your trip altogether?

Can you buy a local sim card, and use WhatsApp On the new number

Unless the people she is communicating with has it there wouldn't be any point. I don't know anyone who has it. Everyone I know uses telephone text, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

It seems likely I will have to abandon the trip, which was not just a hiking holiday but also my job, I am a researcher.

Your institution should not be sending you on an expedition where your safety is dependent in this way upon a third-party service that neither you nor they control, with no meaningful fallback option.

If you do end up curtailing your expedition, that's on your institution.

That's awful. I hope you get it resolved soon.

Also to add to this, turn off "RCS" messages or similar in your texts app. Basically it forces messages to send over the internet even if you don't any mobile data! Switching it off forces the phone to only use SMS. You could always turn it back on after.

I also posted about international dialling codes earlier. Think it's on page 3 on the thread here if it helps!!

If you can't get it to work, buy a local sim card. The WhatsApp text will probably come through better on that one

could you text/phone a friend to WhatsApp the accommodation for you and be the point of contact? They can text you if emergency.

Maybe this wasn't the right trip for you? You seem to feel very vulnerable out walking alone. Perhaps choose a holiday that doesn't involve this next time, if it makes you feel this way?

Thata a good idea too

How incredibly frustating. Second getting a local sim if you can, but in the meantime can you try WhatsApp Web?

Can others in the UK - family or at your research institution - assist you with future beds for the night by sending confirmation whatsapps on your behalf?

This does sound like the obvious solution

Your institution should not be sending you on an expedition where your safety is dependent in this way upon a third-party service that neither you nor they control, with no meaningful fallback option.

No university ethics committee would have approved this, so I think the OP is being a little bit loose in her definition of "research".

@PicturePlace it’s not a holiday.

Sorry to hear this OP. Some good suggestions about using family & friends or other hikers to WhatsApp on your behalf, or to buy a local SIM card.

What are you going to do tonight given you don't have a bed?

Found this online, can you try it but obviously just using your existing number?

”I downloaded WhatsApp business. I verified my new number through WhatsApp business. I went back into the regular WhatsApp and selected the “change” number option.
It was automatic with no verification code required and immediately confirmed that my number has been changed.”

Have you seen the info on the WhatsApp website about problems receiving codes when abroad?

Have you got roaming turned on and have you checked your voicemail for the 6 digit code?

Also found this:

”It worked for me now after making a change in network selection.
As I mentioned in my previous comment that I was facing the same issue for hours and hours. So, for my international sim, I changed the network selection from Automatic to Manual and then selected the network(Vodafone for me) manually. Entered my number again in whatsapp and whatsapp sent the message without any error and I was able to register my number again successfully.”

That's what I've been advised to do for a trip to Montenegro.

Ring your employer!!!