Spurious mobile roaming - My phone thinks it is in Indonesia

[chuckd]

The strangest thing happened to my phone last evening.

I woke to find I had 3 SMS, the first from Telkomsel, and second two from Singtel. These were the usual messages saying 'Welcome to Indonesia.....' and advise from Singtel on how to save money on roaming charges. The messages were received between 3am to 9am today.

Now what's particularly strange is that I'm nowhere near Indonesia, I was asleep in my apartment (near Boon Keng). And I haven't been to Indonesia since February.

Even checking the mobile signal symbol, it had the 'R' indicating that I was roaming and my network was set as Telkomsel....even the timezone on my phone had been modified...1 hour back.

Once I got in the elevator, lost signal and my phone reconnected to the network I was back on Singtel normally, and the timezone rectified itself.

It's just really, really weird to me. Can't quite fathom why my phone would have picked up a Telkomsel beacon and connected to it randomly over night.

Anyone ever seen this happen before?

Fortunately I hadn't made any calls, SMS or data connections whilst in this state, would have been interesting trying to convince Singtel that they had applied invalid roaming charges. That would probably be to much to try to explain to any customer services advisor, let alone one from Singtel

[sundaymorningstaple]

set your carrier to Singtel and not auto. When you life near the coasts often you will be picked up by the stronger carrier and switched to them if you are set to auto. If you live in Woodlands you get picked up by Malaysia often as well due to the close proximity across the causeway.

[nakatago]

FWIW, I live in Holland and sometimes find that my phone roamed into Maxis--a Malaysian telco.

[JR8]

FWIW, I live in Holland and sometimes find that my phone roamed into Maxis--a Malaysian telco.

Wah damn powderful beacons reaching Holland ah!

[nakatago]

FWIW, I live in Holland and sometimes find that my phone roamed into Maxis--a Malaysian telco.

Wah damn powderful beacons reaching Holland ah!

aiyoh, I check my handphone after waking, roaming already!

[JR8]

FWIW, I live in Holland and sometimes find that my phone roamed into Maxis--a Malaysian telco.

Wah damn powderful beacons reaching Holland ah!

aiyoh, I check my handphone after waking, roaming already!

But tats like halb way round de world yah?

(hoping you get it this time )

[nakatago]

I live in the Holland area.

Did the now-defunct KTM trains carry mobile cells with them like some Malaysian flights do?

[JR8]

I live in the Holland area.

Did the now-defunct KTM trains carry mobile cells with them like some Malaysian flights do?

Yah I got that, it was a play on words yah .... anwayz!

Did the KTM trains have mobile cells.... haha... to ask that I suspect you never used one, they were rather a throwback to the 50s.

[chuckd]

When you life near the coasts often you will be picked up by the stronger carrier and switched to them if you are set to auto.

Sure, I can appreciate the consequences of living coastal and within the vicinity of other mobile networks' signal range.....more surprised that I was able to pick up a Telkomsel beacon in upper Serangoon...or whatever the area between Boon Keng and Potong Pasir is called (live there, but can't quite figure out what to call the general area).