Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think she's in the UK

358 replies

Courtney555 · 09/11/2019 20:58

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...

OP posts:
Mamboitaliano · 09/11/2019 22:08

I reckon friend = affair partner.

The multiple calls, the suspicion...

Wizzbangpop · 09/11/2019 22:09

What did you think you saw at her house?
That was worth a call whilst she's on her holiday. I'm not sure if my house being robbed on the last night of my holidays I'd actually want to know. Rather be in blissful ignorance somehow

Evilmorty · 09/11/2019 22:11

Exactly, why not call the parents if there’s something dodgy (other than OP) at the house who are in the U.K. and are the first port of call for picking her up anyway.

Original poster
Courtney555 · 09/11/2019 22:12

read the the whole fucking thread and calm the fuck down. OP's friend has been ringing her just as much , it sounds completely normal for their friendship

Jesus , Saturday night always brings out the idiots on Mumsnet who all of a sudden think they are comedians

@Redlioness123 yup, pretty much. My friend was "stalking" me with her phonecalls earlier asking to get her some bits while I was in town Grin

OP posts:
itsgettingweird · 09/11/2019 22:13

FFS she didn't ring to check out the dial tone. The friend rang her twice. To ask for favours and a lift. OP returned call and then rang to arrange collecting her and got an odd ring dial and she didn't answer.

Totally agree with new MN V old.

OnlineShopping · 09/11/2019 22:13

Why don’t you try ringing her again? You say you call multiple times a day, so it wouldn’t seem odd to do so.

99GreenBalloons · 09/11/2019 22:15

OP CHILL THE FUCK OUT. Why do you even care?? This is stalkerish, weird behavior. If I was your friend and I knew you'd been thinking this way and being obsessively over invested, you'd be an ex friend. Creepy behaviour op.....

Original poster
Courtney555 · 09/11/2019 22:20

Why don’t you try ringing her again? You say you call multiple times a day, so it wouldn’t seem odd to do so.

I did, about an hour or so ago. Still rings as UK. I'm not calling again, she's probably asleep and I'm not disturbing her if she's crashed out. I'm less annoyed at not knowing logistics of tomorrow and more worried that she's not responded since 6pm because that's really not like her. It's that combined with the sudden UK ringtone that's odd.

FFS she didn't ring to check out the dial tone. The friend rang her twice. To ask for favours and a lift. OP returned call and then rang to arrange collecting her and got an odd ring dial and she didn't answer.

Hurrah Grin that's two of you who've read it properly.

OP posts:
turnthebiglightoff · 09/11/2019 22:21

It's Joey, Chandler and the baseball game thats tomorrow all over again.......

Mollymoo01 · 09/11/2019 22:22

Your behaviour isn’t normal OP.

Even if she had got back early you seem overly angry. It’s like you feel she has somehow done you down or hidden something incredibly important from you.

In the kindest way possible, do you think you are reacting normally?

Windbeneathmybingowings · 09/11/2019 22:24

I'm possibly picking her up from the airport tomorrow as her parents are unsure if they can make it now.

You aren’t because she’s not given you any details. Her parents obviously can make it. You were only a back up. You need to stop obsessing over ring tones and look at the facts. The has she gone on a date stuff is very OTT.

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 09/11/2019 22:27

Go to the airport website and check the flight arrivals for today and tomorrow to see if they match what she's told you.

Derbee · 09/11/2019 22:28

Hurrah that's two of you who've read it properly

I’ve read it properly, I still think you sound weird

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 09/11/2019 22:29

What was it you saw at her house that you have to ring her about (genuine question)?

Original poster
Courtney555 · 09/11/2019 22:29

*Your behaviour isn’t normal OP.

Even if she had got back early you seem overly angry. It’s like you feel she has somehow done you down or hidden something incredibly important from you.

In the kindest way possible, do you think you are reacting normally?*

Do I think I'm being abnormal by asking "can a UK mobile that is abroad go from an international dial tone to a UK one if the person is still abroad?"

No.

Don't confuse those incapable of reading the thread and being deliberately goady as having any relevance to a very simple yes/no question. Such a shame the way MN has gone. So sadly predictable.

OP posts:
TrainspottingWelsh · 09/11/2019 22:30

Ah yes, the good old days when a poster coming up with batshit theories about their friends flight would only receive constructive and supportive fax messages from other posters.

badbananabad · 09/11/2019 22:30

OP, you are handling the responses very well! If I was you I would be so frustrated at people not reading the whole thread before posting.

You're not acting weird or stalkerish. I would behave in exactly the same way. Smile

Some people are so rude, there's really no need. It would put me off wanting to post in the future.

Oh and to throw my two cents in... I've also had a UK ring tone when calling abroad. I did think it was odd at the time especially as I knew the recipient was most definitely abroad. Think other posters are right about UK ringing tone coming though when using WiFi.

MrsFoxPlus4Again · 09/11/2019 22:32

Your over analysing the situation. Maybe your friends enjoying her last night and her phones died, maybe she has went off on a date in London. If you don’t hear from her don’t make plans to pick her up and explain it’s because you couldn’t get a hold of her and thought she sneaked home 😂

AdelaideK · 09/11/2019 22:33

Well I'm not going to comment on all the stalkerish stuff but when I phone my friend in the US I often get a UK dial tone. I can't remember if it's only when she doesn't answer though.

Original poster
Courtney555 · 09/11/2019 22:34

Go to the airport website and check the flight arrivals for today and tomorrow to see if they match what she's told you.

Well yes, of course Hmm

She hasn't given me details, just called me earlier to ask please can I pick her up tomorrow. She was waiting for me to let her know if I could arrange childcare for DS. I called back to check the specific flight time, got a UK ringtone and no response since.

OP posts:
Loveatthefiveanddime · 09/11/2019 22:35

I've read the thread properly too, OP. So that's 3 people - plus possibly another few lurkers.

Mollymoo01 · 09/11/2019 22:35

Thing is, even if she had lied about when she was getting back why is that such an issue to you?

She asked for a lift, you had received one from her before so she asked you to possibly return the favour, you said yes, surely that’s the end of it?
You can’t say ‘well yes I’ll give you a lift but only if you haven’t stepped foot out of the airport by the time I’ve arrived’
If you couldn’t give her a lift because of childcare then say that, or if you are happy to give her a lift then do so but stop trying to control other people’s lives and that they can only qualify for your help if they behave how you want them to.

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 09/11/2019 22:36

no i'm serious, check the airport arrival times. The time that she asks you to pick her up should be about 15-20 minutes after a flight from Cyprus has landed.

ffswhatnext · 09/11/2019 22:36

This is why texts were invented because of these types of situations. Much easier than missing people. Not answering. Wanting to give urgent info. Sometimes the phone is out of range and will pick up the text quicker than you calling them. Well unless you constantly hit redial and the race is on.

Original poster
Courtney555 · 09/11/2019 22:37

OP, you are handling the responses very well! If I was you I would be so frustrated at people not reading the whole thread before posting.

@badbananabad it's almost a given that you have to entertain this shite on MN these days. It's so very dull.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread