To think she's in the UK

[Courtney555]

Anyone who has a bit of tech knowledge greatly appreciated here....

My friend is abroad. Been there since Weds due back tomorrow morning. I've called her mobile a couple of times, got the international dial tone, as per normal.

Today, called at lunch. International tone still. She's told me again she's flying back in the morning. I called her just now to double check flight time and it's ringing with a standard UK ringtone like the phone is in the UK?

Does this mean she's in the UK now? She's a really good long term friend with no reason at all to fib. There's literally no reason why she'd tell me she was back tomorrow morning instead of tonight (it's like 14hrs difference) so can this happen by accident? Google is not helping.

I know she's on EE. Could the phone have picked up a UK network out there (Cyprus) and that's why the dial tone has changed this evening.

I hope this is a common occurrence with phones, I'm just a bit "hmmmmm" because since it's rung like it's in the UK she hasn't read my WhatsApps or returned the call.

Please tell me you've had experience of this to put my mind at ease. I know it's really none of my business at the end of the day, but I'd like to know if she could still be legitimately out there and it's just the phone playing silly buggers.

Thank you in advance...

In fairness op I am not surprised at the responses. Your op comes across as “I think my friend is lying about coming home early. I’m “hmmmm” about it.” You then qualify that it’s actually none of your business. It isn’t any wonder that some people have come to the conclusion that you may be stalking her.

Rather than stepping back to see that what you have written is the issue, you have bemoaned it is the calibre of posters responding. That’s pretty rude imo.

OP, what did you expect from your post? Its not that you asked a straightforward question and got batshit replies really is it. Asking a simple question would have meant postinh "does anyone know if it's possible to call someone who is abroad and get a UK dialling tone?". You added all the detail about your friend possibly lying etc, and then got instantly pissed off when pp zoned in on that. Of course people are interested in that kind of thing over a fucking dial tone.

OP, what did you expect from your post? Its not that you asked a straightforward question and got batshit replies really is it.

Actually it's exactly that. I spelt it out. But like when you watch the MN first wives club jump on any stepmother post in an equally "hard of thinking" manner, this is the calibre you have to accept is here nowadays. This in growing numbers, peppered with posters who have genuine wit or informed advice/opinion.

But what did I expect? Oh very much this. It's the MN twats class of 2019. It's exactly what you have to expect on any thread now. You virtually need Crayola for them. It is what it is.

She's fine I woke up to several missed calls from her, just called her back (it rang internationally straight away this morning??!) and she had just fallen asleep. She's fluffed the flight times and getting back much later than she thought, so she's getting the last train in this direction as far as she can and I'm getting her from a station about an hour away.

I can't stop laughing at this. Is there a Best of Mumsnet? This is MN gold.

This is funny af, I was LOLing. But also I want to know wtf it sounds like.* I just re-read it. FUNNY af.*

Not people, the "stalker" crew

Glad you can take this all so lightly. You do realise it is some people's reality, and it wouldn't be the first time people have posted on MN who are actually looking for advice about someone they are stalking? How dare posters be wary of that, eh?

Maybe she switched her phone completely off? Would answering phone direct not have regular UK tone?

Because it's a seriously long round trip and I'm child free tonight. If a UK ringtone meant 100% she was in the UK, my response would be "I'll collect you tonight instead, as it's tricky finding someone to have DS for 5hrs+ tomorrow and you're physically back now"

I don't get this. You thought she might have randomly arrived in the UK tonight instead and you would make the 3 hour drive to get her while she waits at the airport?

Are people really this disorganised?

But what did I expect? Oh very much this. It's the MN twats class of 2019. It's exactly what you have to expect on any thread now. You virtually need Crayola for them. It is what it is

No, you need to understand the impact of the way you communicate. Want a simple answer, ask a simple question, restricted to ringtones. If you start giving half the context: YOUR bizarre suspicion that your friend is lying, without telling us the information that you subsequently disclosed, makes you sound like a stalker. Possibly male, how can posters tell?

I have been on MN for 15 years and while I agree it is a long way from what it was when it was smaller / newer/ pre penis beaker it’s as much posts in the tone of your response, that have caused that.

Take some responsibility for the way you communicate,

Glad the situation is resolved.

Your original question wasn't rude... But your aggressive and sarky responses and plethora of 🤔😒😑😏 became really irritating.

Some people were just offering suggestions and didn't deserve you batting off like an exasperated old headteacher.

I hope you're notlike that IRL

Glad you've got your answer now. The dialling tone thing can't be 100% foolproof, especially when near British bases as already worked out.

I'd echo what a few others have alluded to - you seem to really hate MN. I'm confused why you'd use it if you have such disdain for it?

What a thread!!

OP, I understood your question and understood why you were asking it easily enough. I'm amazed at how many posters didn't. I think a lot of posters get a kick out of being unpleasant and aggressive. It's a bit pathetic of them really.

I'm glad you stood up for yourself.

Maybe she wants a bit of peace from you

I'd echo what a few others have alluded to - you seem to really hate MN. I'm confused why you'd use it if you have such disdain for it?

No no, MN was fab. There still are fab people on it. There are, so very sadly, huge numbers of what you see on this (and most) threads now though. You just have to forcibly wade through that shite. It's still worth using. For every five simpletons, there was one knowledgeable response. And that is useful.

I think if you had titled your thread factually rather than suspiciously the thread replies would have been different.
For example :"why do I get different ring tones when phoning my friend who is aboard?", rather than "I think my friend is lying".

OP, I understood your question and understood why you were asking it easily enough. I'm amazed at how many posters didn't. I think a lot of posters get a kick out of being unpleasant and aggressive. It's a bit pathetic of them really.

The one's that don't understand, are just frustrating and clog up threads, as no one has the patience (or stick drawings) to explain what's written perfectly coherently already. They're not pathetic, just irritating.

The pathetic ones are those who are incapable of reading a full thread. They find their dim wit, terribly edgy and clever. It's embarrassing, to all but them, who pat themselves on the back at their "hilarious" efforts.

I'm glad you stood up for yourself.

Not especially. There was nothing of worth to stand up too. I know what you mean, but honestly, the correct response should have been not to entertain any of the shite and simply blank that level of "contribution."

Mmmm doesn’t know how a phone works but calls us simpletons because the tone was exactly the same as a stalker ex boyfriend trying to ascertain details of where his exgf might be.

Did you pick your friend up or is she still on the run?

I've been here for 15 years too fwiw and I don't have a misty eyed view of what it was like before. What I clearly recall is how utterly cliquey it was and you were either in the club or you were invisible

And for those saying, just answer a straight forward question without further details required - at what point do you draw the line?

For example, would you answer “how do I pick the lock of my friends house?” with a straightforward answer?

I've been here for 15 years too fwiw and I don't have a misty eyed view of what it was like before. What I clearly recall is how utterly cliquey it was and you were either in the club or you were invisible

I second this. Lots of posters had smoke blown up their ass.

Op I am glad it's sorted, you are a kind friend to travel that far. The only person I would is for my dd and that's only because she is young.

Mmmm doesn’t know how a phone works but calls us simpletons

Actually, if you try reading the thread, you'll see my understanding is exactly how it works. Google also says you can't get a UK ringtone abroad unless you deliberately reroute your calls.

What her phone did is an anomaly. It's not common or usual. It most likely synced itself to a UK military base. Hardly "the norm." And until a few posters commented that they'd experienced this too, I (quite rightly) presumed wasn't possible.

But again, that's all already in the thread. Quite simply stated several times. You'd have to read the thread to see that clear and repeated information. It's a novel concept.

Mate you only know that because of the updates here, on page 1 you had no idea how a phone worked and assumed your friend was lying about what country she was in, so let’s stop throwing insults about our intelligence, huh?

You actually can't read. (Gets Crayola...)

I stated that from the start. My understanding was and is correct. Something to the contrary can happen though, which is not common place, or mentioned if you look up the same question on Google.

My understanding was and is spot on. Not being aware of unheard of anomalies like connecting to military base networks is something that the thread put forward. That doesn't change the basic concept that no, you shouldn't get a UK ringtone if the phones not in the UK. As I said. From the start. If you can read the full thread.

I can't make it any simpler. If you can't understand that...

The correct response should have been not to entertain any of the shite and simply blank that level of "contribution.

Takes own advice... Will also leave Crayola for said posters to make their own gold star badges

@OwlBeThere @over50andfab pedant point- it’s not an English ring tone. There are millions of us who are not in England in the UK. hmm

😂 well yes you are correct, English ring tone = UK ring tone. OP’s friend is expected to arrive/has arrived in London though, so...England. Same thing 🤷‍♀️

Late to the party line here, but quite often when I call my husband's mobile phone when he's travelling in India particularly, but also in Turkey, I think, I hear a connecting ring and then an "English" ring tone afterwards. Surprises me every time!

OP you are being unbelievably patronizing and rude, if you've been here so long you know to just ignore the baiters and h8erz, that from one oldie to another