What is International Roaming Service?

What is International Roaming Service?

International Roaming Service enables you to use your mobile phone in another country to receive calls the same way as you do in the Maldives. When you travel overseas, all the calls to your mobiles will be automatically redirected to you wherever you are. The only conditions are that Dhiraagu should have a roaming agreement with a GSM operator in the visited country and you must be within the coverage area of that operator. As a prepaid customer, you can make calls when roaming in Sri Lanka via Dialog and Mobitel operators.

How does it work?

When you arrive as a visitor in another country and switch on your GSM mobile phone, the GSM network there detects that a Dhiraagu customer is present, and if there is a roaming agreement between Dhiraagu and the visited network, you are ready to receive calls. The name of the operator or operator code of the visited network will be displayed on your phone indicating that you have successfully been connected to the visited network.

If there are many GSM networks having roaming agreement with Dhiraagu in the visiting country, which one would my phone use?

Your phone can select a network automatically or manually. When you turn on the phone in automatic network selection mode, the phone will search for the available networks and select the one with the strongest signal. In the manual network selection mode, you will be prompted to select one from the list of available networks. The phone will accept any network with which we have roaming agreement. You can check Dhiraagu website or with Dhiraagu Customer Service to find out the networks with which we have roaming agreements.

The network I got connected to does not allow me to make calls or use GPRS. What shall I do?

Your phone will most of the time automatically connect to a network but if it does not allow you to make outgoing calls or use GPRS, then you can manually select another network (this may happen if they have a technical problem or if Dhiraagu and visited network are in testing stage). Go to menu in your phone and chose to setup network manually and select another network. For latest prepaid roaming operator list, please click here.

Do I have to get a special phone to get roaming service?

In most cases you would not require a different phone as most GSM networks are of GSM 900 and 1800 type. The latest mobile handsets support both 900 and 1800 networks and also support GPRS. However you will need a 3G handset to roam in 3G networks and to roam in a GSM 1900, you will need a tri-band mobile handset or GSM1900 handset. (i.e to roam in Japan and South Korea CDMA networks or in USA GSM1900 networks, you will need to rent one of their handsets if your handsets does not support their technology).

How can I get roaming?

International Roaming is a premium service that keeps you connected where ever you are with the same number. Your Dhiraagu Prepaid sim is ready for roaming without subscribing to the service.

Are there any fees for roaming?

There is no setup or monthly fees for this service. For PrePaid customers there is no deposit required either.

How can I make a call or get someone to call me while overseas?

Dhiraagu is working with operators to test PrePaid roamers to be able to make calls. See our website for the list of operators. If you cannot make a call you can send *100*xxxxxxx” to request call me back request (example: *100*7771171#). It is cheaper to receive a call than to make a call.

To make a call while in the visited country, you should dial in the same way as local users in that country would do. All area codes for local, long distance and international calls should be applied. If you want to make an international call but do not know the International Access Code from the country you are visiting, you may enter '+' which all GSM networks will translate into the relevant International Access Code. Your phone user's manual will explain where the '+' key is on your GSM mobile phone. For example: to call the number 7771171 in the Maldives while overseas, you would dial in the following sequence of numbers: 009607771171 or +9607771171 where the '+' indicates the international access code, '960' indicates the country code for the Maldives, and '7771171' is the telephone number in the Maldives. Some mobile phones have a built in list of countries, which you may use to key in the required country code.

How can my friends, family and business associates call me when I am roaming?

They can simply call your Dhiraagu number. You will receive the call as if you are in the Maldives. The callers will not even know that you are out of the country, unless of course, you tell them.

Now that people can call me on the same number while roaming, what about the cost they have to bear?

If they are calling you from Maldives, they simply pay for a local mobile call. A person calling you from another country will have to pay for an international call to Maldives.

How are calls charged whilst roaming?

Calls made while roaming are charged according to the visited network's calling rates for roamers. For calls received, you will be charged for an international call for the forwarding of the call from Maldives to the country where you receive the call. In addition, you will have to bear any charge, which the visited network may impose on incoming calls.

For example, if you are roaming in Sri Lanka and you receive a call from a friend in Male' you will have to pay for an 'international call' from Maldives to Sri Lanka plus any applicable network charges in Sri Lanka, and your friend will only pay at the applicable mobile call rate in Maldives. Further, if you receive a call from your friend in Singapore, while you are roaming in Sri Lanka, your friend will pay for the international call from Singapore to Maldives and you will have to pay for the 'international call' from Maldives to Sri Lanka plus any applicable network charges in Sri Lanka.

(Please refer to Dhiraagu prepaid outbound roaming charges.)

How are SMS’s charged whilst roaming?

For each SMS of 160 characters (some phones support 140 characters) you will be charged according to visited network's rates per SMS for roamers. The charge will be deducted from your Prepaid account. For SMSs received while roaming, most GSM networks do not have a charge.

For example, if you are roaming in Sri Lanka and send an SMS of 200 characters you will be charged for 2 SMSs. The Sri Lanka GSM operator will charge the applicable network charges for the 2 SMSs sent.

However, if you are roaming in Sri Lanka and you receive an SMS from a friend in Male' you will not have to pay to receive SMS.

How do I pay for roaming call charges?

Yes, most of the time and you cannot modify it while abroad.

How are calls charged whilst roaming?

The amount will be deducted from your prepaid account.

If a country is listed in the list of roaming countries, does it mean I can use my phone anywhere in that country?

As is the case with all mobile networks, you can use the service only where there is coverage and where we have completed PrePaid roaming calling tests. Dhiraagu will be working towards completing prepaid roaming tests with dominant network operators in each of the countries, which means coverage provided by these networks will be wide. Please note that India is a special case where there are a number of GSM operators who provide coverage only in a specific city or area. There is no single operator who dominates GSM coverage in India.

How can I get help when I am roaming?

For inquiries and assistance, you may call the customer service number for the network in which you are roaming. Example: When you roam in Srilanka and use Dialog, you can call Customer Service of Dialog. The customer service number may or may not be toll free, depending on the network. Alternatively you may call our Dhiraagu Customer Service (123 or +960 3338887); bearing in mind that it would be a chargeable IDD call.

Can Dhiraagu assure roaming network’s quality?

Dhiraagu cannot control the quality of roaming network.

Why can’t I see the number (CLI) while roaming?

As explained above, the quality and delivery of service is controlled by the visiting roaming network and sometimes by the international carriers. Hence Dhiraagu is unable to ensure that CLI is delivered while roaming.

Do we have to do new GPRS settings to continue using GPRS on roaming network?

The local Dhiraagu GPRS settings can be used for GPRS in the roaming network.

How will I be charged when GPRS is used while roaming?

Prepaid roaming GPRS charges are published here.

Can I use Quick Recharge service while roaming if the particular selected network support for short codes?

Yes, you can use Quick Recharge and Quick Transfer service or send Call Me Back requests.

Can I send MMS to Dhiraagu customers even though Dhiraagu have not launched with all operators / countries?

Yes, MMS uses GPRS roaming service. So you can send MMS even when you are roaming to a Dhiraagu customers. Remember when you send MMS, GPRS charges in the visited country will apply and you will also pay for MMS charges from Dhiraagu.

Will Dhiraagu MyTones work when I am roaming?

Yes, most of the time but you cannot modify it while abroad.

Can I send call me back requests to DHIMOBILE numbers while roaming?

If you want to economize you can send ‘Call Me Back’ SMS request, Dial “*100*xxxxxxx# and then press send”.

Can we send MMS to Dhiraagu customers even though Dhiraagu have not launched MMS service with the roaming network?

While roaming if you can use GPRS service then you can send MMS to Dhiraagu customers or to international operators whom Dhiraagu have commercially launched (please click here for the latest International MMS operator list). Remember when you send an MMS, GPRS charges in the visited roaming operator will apply and also you will pay for MMS charges from Dhiraagu for the MMS sent.

Can we use GPRS in 3G networks?

No, you can only use GPRS in a GPRS network that has launched commercial service with Dhiraagu. Pure 3G network do not support GPRS.

Examples on Charges Related to Roaming

Receiving Calls

Outgoing Calls

DHIRAAGU will not be charging for SMS sent, while roaming. The only charge applied will be from the roaming operator.

DhiMobile services:

Short Codes:

Some of the networks such may support DhiMobile’s short numbers or short codes.

By using this service you can access the voicemail and the customer care of your network without using any prefixes.
Short codes make your travel easier and less stressful.

Note: For some networks short code service may network (not work) due to changes in settings.

Tariffs & Services

For roaming tariffs & services please click here.

Access Codes

DhiMobile

Customer Care: +960 3338887 (when dialing from overseas) or mail us to 123@dhiraagu.com.mv.