WhatsApp : Adding International Phone for Contact

[WWGD]

TL;DR Summary

Having Trouble Adding International Phone. No '+' in Dial Pad

Hi All,
I am trying to add a new contact from WhatsApp that requires an international phone. I have done this a few times without problem, but that was way back. Now when I enter the contact and try to call, I get an error message to the effect that the number cannot be reached.

I've been through https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/about-international-phone-number-format/?lang=en

The problem is that I am supposed to enter a '+' entering the phone number. And there is no '+' in my Whatsapp Dial pad.

 

[mfb]

When I add a new contact I have a dropdown menu for the country. It also automatically assumes that the phone number is international, so whatever I type as first digits determines the country. Don't know why, maybe because my contacts are quite international.

Generally the "+" isn't an actual part of the phone number. It's just the internal "type whatever gets you an international call". If you are in Germany for example you call two "0" for an international call. Other countries might have different codes.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Assuming that WhatsApp does not release different app versions for different countries, in my phone, when I try to call any contact via WhatsApp, I have to first add the contact to my contact list. Only then does WhatsApp allow me to call that person. So, I am not sure what you mean by "WhatsApp dial pad".

If you add the contact via the default contacts app on your device, then the number keypad will have an option to add the country code.

 

[WWGD]

Thank you both, I figured out the problem. The pad can be " augmented" ( i.e., made to include additional options) by . - ( in the dial pad; it brings up additional options.

Edit: Fixed Issues.

 

[anorlunda]

Generally the "+" isn't an actual part of the phone number. It's just the internal "type whatever gets you an international call". If you are in Germany for example you call two "0" for an international call. Other countries might have different codes.

I got in trouble once at a hotel in Sweden. I think the hotel bought used phones from the USA. The phone had a sticker saying in English, "Dial 9 for an outside line." So I dialed 9, then 001 for USA, then my number. That brought me to SOS Alarm AB which handled emergency calls in Sweden. Confused and very weak on my Swedish at that time, I retried several times. They were very unhappy with me.

90000 was the publicized emergency number in Sweden (analogous to 911 in the USA). But it appears that all numbers starting with 900 went to the emergency service. Re-checking today, I see that the emergency number in Sweden has been changed to 112.

 

[mfb]

Problem I am now having is that I am being told I don't have enough money for the call. Aren't WhatsApp calls supposed to be free?

They should be, if they go to other WhatsApp users at least.

Re-checking today, I see that the emergency number in Sweden has been changed to 112.

They unified the emergency numbers so people don't have to memorize one per country they go to. 112 works (almost?) everywhere in Europe, in large parts of Asia and in a few places elsewhere. 911 works in many countries, too. If neither works try 000 or 999, and if none of these work there is a good chance the right number wouldn't help you either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emergency_telephone_numbers