David Kent

Your phone doesn’t ring. No voicemail notification appears. Two days later, you manually check voicemail and discover three messages sitting there. Excellent. If voicemail messages exist but notifications are not…

Your phone rings normally. You can call people. Mobile data is fine. But somebody says: “I texted you yesterday.” You received absolutely nothing. If calls work but SMS does not,…

You enter your mobile number. Tap Send code. Then stare at the screen. Nothing. You tap Resend. Still nothing. Then a third time, because apparently confidence is built by repeatedly…

Your phone says 4G or 5G. Websites load. You can stream music. WhatsApp messages arrive. But normal phone calls? Nothing. This usually means your phone has successfully connected to the…

Being able to call everyone while nobody can call you back is one of the stranger mobile faults. It also gives us a useful clue. If outgoing calls work, your…

You order a new SIM. The confirmation email arrives instantly. The actual SIM? Apparently it has decided to tour Britain first. A delayed SIM is frustrating, especially if you are…

Seeing four or five signal bars should mean your phone is ready to receive calls. Usually, it is. But those bars only tell you that your phone can detect and…

You’re twenty minutes into an international call. Then comes the sentence nobody enjoys: “Hello? You froze.” You reconnect. Two minutes later: “Can you hear me?” Then the robotic voice starts.…

You spot a SIM-only deal from a smaller mobile provider. The price looks good. The data allowance looks even better. Then comes the obvious question: “Yeah, but what’s the signal…

Working with a client in another country has never been easier. Until someone says: “Can I just give you a quick call?” Suddenly your perfectly digital working relationship involves country…

International calling used to require preparation. You bought a card, scratched off a PIN, dialled an access number, entered a long sequence of digits and hoped you still had enough…

There is something about festivals and holidays that makes distance feel a little more obvious. On an ordinary Tuesday, being several thousand miles away from family can become part of…