Mobile phone technical query

[XFool]

This may likely be seen as a peculiar query.

There is a lot of background I best leave out on this simple TLF query thread.

I still have and use my original simple Nokia mobile phone (no smartphone), it may seen a bit late in the day for this, nevertheless I have become aware there are still several things I don't really understand about the operation of ordinary mobiles - at the system/provider/settings level. Because of my technical curiosity I have always been aware of some aspects from the start that the average (non technical user) would not know, but was surprised to only recently come across a new 'twerk' I had not previously known (SMS reception confirmation). Anyway, this reminded me of other things I knew of, or thought I knew about, but possibly not correctly.

Can somebody please explain, or point me at an explanation of the short (i.e. four numbers or less) phone codes to access services. Plus what exactly is the relationship between any mobile's ordinary subscriber number and the associated(?) numbers, i.e. Message Centre number for text messages and also the phone's Mailbox number - i.e. The ISP provided default Divert number.

TIA

[servodude]

You mean the * # codes?

I thought they were a service backdoor for Nokia firmware.- the characters not being the start of a real number and so could be pushed to a different parser (not over the air)

Their only job was to provide access to functions and data without a cable or other interface - for the kind of stuff you need in production, testing or servicing
- that kind of thing that became a bit frowned upon from a security perspective when stuff got more complicated or capable

[XFool]

You mean the * # codes?

I thought they were a service backdoor for Nokia firmware.- the characters not being the start of a real number and so could be pushed to a different parser (not over the air)

Well sort of. Those are also used by the System Provider - e.g. for that confirmation of delivery of SMS message (which I have taken to calling "SMS pingback", following my use of it to tell me when a 'missing' phone/subscriber came back on the net. Useful!)

Mainly I am curious about the relationship between the ordinary mobile subscriber phone number and the 'other numbers' associated (but how?) with it. That is for instance the Message Centre number (via which SMS messages come and, in particular the subscriber's Mailbox Message number - which is an entire mobile phone number, but not the usual mobile subscriber's number. It is apparently the service providers default 'Divert' number for the phone, which I can apparently change via the phone settings - but here it is shown as simply a four digit number. The last three digits of which are the same as the last three digits of the full default 'Divert' number as shown via 'Divert Status', but the first digit of which is NOT the same as the fourth last digit of this full default 'Divert' number.

I'm confused.

Don't worry! I'm not trying to do anything naughty - such as get a UK national newspaper closed down...

Just curious.

[XFool]

Mainly I am curious about the relationship between the ordinary mobile subscriber phone number and the 'other numbers' associated (but how?) with it. That is for instance the Message Centre number (via which SMS messages come and, in particular the subscriber's Mailbox Message number - which is an entire mobile phone number, but not the usual mobile subscriber's number.

For clarity, by "the subscriber's Mailbox Message number", I mean the full telephone number of the subscriber's Voice Message Mailbox. (i.e NOT the subscriber's normal mobile number)

I'm not even sure if this is making sense! From the web:

e.g.

Sky Mobile voicemail | Sky Help | Sky.com
On your phone: Press and hold 1 or dial 759 . From a different phone: Call your mobile number and when you’re through to your voicemail press * and enter your PIN. While you’re abroad: Dial +44 7488 222 000 and enter your PIN. Call charges might apply depending on your plan. See 'Voicemail charges' below.

How does +44 488 222 000 (or indeed my equivalent(?) number on another network) relate to any one individual's Voice Message mailbox? What am I missing?

[Watis]

Mainly I am curious about the relationship between the ordinary mobile subscriber phone number and the 'other numbers' associated (but how?) with it. That is for instance the Message Centre number (via which SMS messages come and, in particular the subscriber's Mailbox Message number - which is an entire mobile phone number, but not the usual mobile subscriber's number.

For clarity, by "the subscriber's Mailbox Message number", I mean the full telephone number of the subscriber's Voice Message Mailbox. (i.e NOT the subscriber's normal mobile number)

I'm not even sure if this is making sense! From the web:

e.g.

Sky Mobile voicemail | Sky Help | Sky.com
On your phone: Press and hold 1 or dial 759 . From a different phone: Call your mobile number and when you’re through to your voicemail press * and enter your PIN. While you’re abroad: Dial +44 7488 222 000 and enter your PIN. Call charges might apply depending on your plan. See 'Voicemail charges' below.

How does +44 488 222 000 (or indeed my equivalent(?) number on another network) relate to any one individual's Voice Message mailbox? What am I missing?

My understanding of the above is that, when you call that voicemail number, the system knows the number it has been called from, so knows the call relates to that number's mailbox. Then it's just a matter of requesting the PIN to confirm that it's actually you calling from your phone.

If I've misunderstood your question, or got the technicalities wrong, then I apologise.

Watis

[XFool]

My understanding of the above is that, when you call that voicemail number, the system knows the number it has been called from, so knows the call relates to that number's mailbox. Then it's just a matter of requesting the PIN to confirm that it's actually you calling from your phone.

Ah! Of course - I thought there must be something obvious I was missing.
So it is one standard SP number you ring from your mobile to access your UK Voice Mailbox back home in the UK, when abroad.

I was concentrating on the "From another phone..." tack, which is where I originally came in on this. When I tried that originally, when I got my mobile years ago, I noted it down in the back of my mobile handbook as: "number '*' PIN" (after thinking "Anyone could do this!" and changing my PIN) and then forgot all about it - until the phone hacking scandal. When I saw it recently I wasn't sure what exactly I had meant by "number". It would in fact be my/(others!) normal mobile number, then wait until put through to voice mailbox, then enter 'star', then PIN and Bob's your uncle (or Rupert...). Exactly as per that Sky Mobile instruction, apart from a different three digit code.

It seems very unlikely but could it be just an amazing coincidence that with my SP the three digit code I use from my phone to access voicemail are identical to the last three digits of my SP's supplied international Mailbox access/Divert number, as well as being the last three digits of that editable four digit code "Voice mailbox number" under the "Messages" menu? (What's that about?) No wonder I'm confused...

I had thought I originally got all the info on this from the manual for the phone, but when I looked it up to refresh my memory I was surprised to find no mention of it. But why would there be? It is a Service Provider option - nothing to do with the mobile handset as such.

Anyway, thanks Watis. Some sense is slowly emerging. Perhaps some experimentation is called for?