THOUGHTS: Qatar Sim is a "Transferable" Sim

http://images.wisegeek.com/various-sim-cards.jpg

I am pretty aware of what’s gonna happen when you have a sim card, and you’re not gonna use it for at least 6 months, it will be deactivated, and die. This is the most common scenario. What I don’t realize is that here in Qatar, they have different way of “deactivating” it.

When I first came here in Qatar in 2011 to work at the New Doha International Airport Project (now HIA) , I was with what we called “Dubai Team”. 4 Japanese, 1 Indonesian, and the rest, Kabayans. The kindest and the coolest Japanese of them is Kitamurasan, aka "Kitamz". Of course, mobile phones are necessary since we are new here. I got mine, they got heirs, and Kitamurasan got his own mobile phone and sim card (Note: We did not sign for a company mobile since we didn’t want to be called even Fridays and holidays)

Sad to say, Kitamurasan only worked for 7months in Doha, and he decided to go back to Japan. Homesick na daw sya, ang he’s missing a very good climate back in Japan. Edi Okay, Sayonara Kitamurasan…

And so time really flies. After more than 2 years of just exchanging emails, I saw his WhatsApp account status = “ONLINE”. Wow! Si Kitamurasan techie na. So out of excitement I sent him a message. A little hesitant though, Why he is still using Qtel sim?? You know what I got? This ----

An Arabic guys is using his number? How could that be possible?! Afraid of what’s the meaning of his replies, I asked my colleague. It’s actually a relief that It wasn't bad. He was just asking who I am and where did I get his number.

Now I understand what happened, Qatar will automatically deactivate your simcard if unused for 6 months, THEN, they will reissue the same number to another person. It is like recycling, tipid :D.. After I learned these things, I immediately deleted all my friends who are not here in Qatar anymore, hahahah! May trauma baka maulit. I am just so lucky the new owner of Kitamurasan’s number is nice.

Lesson learned, wag excited mag WhatsApp hahahaha!

And to the new owner, Thanks dude…