How To Activate A Debit/credit Card Using Smart In The Philippines?

[Americano]

My Master Card account is located in America and I'm living in the Philippines. To activate the new card which I recieved by postal mail I must call 1-866-985-2273 from my Smart phone number. The call has to be from my number because activation is automated and uses caller ID. My wife put a100peso load on my phone and registered it for international calling but we always heard a message saying your number is not valid and can not be completed as dialed. Here is the number we were dialing, 01 for USA plus area code and number. 018669852273 Can anyone tell me what we are doing wrong?

[Call me bubba]

no need to call that number listed, Call the main customer service for your card issuer. they will ask certain personal questions, then they should activate it,or you could use online activation if your bank/card issuer offers this. When my cards from USAA arrive, they too have this"call to activate from home number" noticeI just call the USA customer service (using my PLDT calling card at only 1.5php per minute) ALSO make sure that they know that your HERE in the RP and that you will be using it,WHY? if they see charges being made they might think the card is fraudulently being used.BY calling, they will have notation from you, the cardholder that your here and that the charges are being made by you.Please note,if you plan to make a large purchase or several small ones make sure they(card issuer)is aware.yes i do have a bad day when I try to use my card and its blocked as they the BANK thinks its being used by someone else than me, when dialing/calling another country try 00+country code+ area code+ number...... 00+800+555-1212

Edited March 29, 2012 by Call me Bubba

[MikeB]

Here is the number we were dialing, 01 for USA plus area code and number. 018669852273 Can anyone tell me what we are doing wrong?

The correct number to dial is 0018669852273, I just called with my Globe and it worked - "Thank you for calling card services". There goes my load lol.

[billten]

The correct number to dial is 0018669852273, I just called with my Globe and it worked

Or you can try +1... the + works in the same way as the 00

[Mike S]

That's why I recommend that people buy a Magic Jack ..... you use the phone number as your home phone and it is simple and painless ..... been using mine for more that 7 years ..... bought one when they first came out and just ordered a new one end of last year ..... all calls back to the US and Canada are free and only costs about $35 per year .... and works just like your phone did in the US .......http://www.magicjack.com/plus-v06/ .....

[Americano]

Thanks to everyone for the information. I understand how to call another coutry now. Also, I had a Magic Jack for one year in Cebu City and it worked good just as Mike S said, but here in Carcar Globe has the port blocked which prevents using Magic Jack or other phone services on the Internet like Whistle. I few months ago I tried to use Whistle but I never found a way to unblock the port. I believe its port 5060 that Globe has blocked in this area.

[Call me bubba]

when dialing/calling another country try 00+country code+ area code+ number...... 00+800+555-1212

this is the Correct Way = 00+1+800+555-1212 or +1+800+555-1212 when using a cellphone

[Americano]

when dialing/calling another country try 00+country code+ area code+ number...... 00+800+555-1212

this is the Correct Way = 00+1+800+555-1212 or +1+800+555-1212 when using a cellphone

Thanks Bubba,You are exactly correct. The reason I had a problem making the call is the lists of country codes that I have seen lists the country code for the USA as 01. The correct code for the USA is 1. The Philippines is a two digit code of 63 and some countries have a three digit code. Also, knowing you have to dial 00 or a + before the country code is very important.What would we do without a forum where we can ask questions and share our experiences? Edited March 30, 2012 by Americano