Without call waiting active, anyone trying to reach your Omantel line while you’re already on a call gets a busy tone or is sent to voicemail — they have no way of knowing you’re simply occupied rather than unreachable, and no way to flag that their call matters more than whatever you’re currently doing.
Quick answer
Dial *43# to activate, #43# to deactivate, and *#43# to check status. Free on prepaid and postpaid alike.
What changes once it’s on
A second incoming call during an active one now triggers a short beep and shows the new caller’s number, while your current call stays connected uninterrupted until you choose to act. Press your phone’s call button (often labelled “Swap”) to hold the first call and answer the second; press it again to switch back. Nobody is disconnected — the choice is entirely yours.
A universal standard, not an Omantel add-on
*43# is defined by the GSM standard itself, meaning it works identically on Ooredoo Oman, on virtually every network you’d roam onto abroad, and on any SIM you’ve used before. There’s no Omantel-specific behaviour to learn.
Turning it off deliberately
Some people switch call waiting off before an important call — an interview, a formal meeting — specifically so a beep can’t interrupt their focus. Dial #43# beforehand, then *43# afterward to restore it.
Prefer redirecting calls elsewhere entirely instead of just flagging them? See Omantel call forwarding.
*43# is the GSM/3GPP standard supplementary-service code, verified against Omantel’s official support guidance, July 2026.
Step-by-Step Guide
- 1
Activate
*43#.
- 2
Check
*#43#.
- 3
Deactivate
#43#.
Alternative Methods
Dial *43# from your phone dialer.
Phone Settings
Troubleshooting
No beep
*#43# to check. Enable in phone Settings too.
Switch
Press call button during beep.
Look Up More USSD Codes
Frequently Asked Questions
Free?
Yes, free on Omantel — activating, deactivating, and checking status all cost nothing; only the calls themselves are charged.
All plans?
Prepaid and postpaid both support it, since it's a GSM network feature rather than a paid add-on.
Standard code?
Yes, *43# is universal GSM — identical on Ooredoo Oman and while roaming abroad.
What happens to the second caller if I ignore the beep?
They typically continue ringing briefly before going to voicemail, depending on your handset and voicemail settings.
Why would I turn call waiting off on purpose?
To avoid interruptions during an important call — disable beforehand with #43#, re-enable afterward with *43#.