Root Unlocked Rooted Telus Milestone won't work with Bell SIM

[brettpim]

I bought a Milestone a couple weeks ago without a SIM card. I was able to unlock it and root it soon after and I have been very happy with this as a wifi enabled PDA. I just got a Bell SIM card and when I put it into my Milestone it can detect the phone number from the SIM but I canot make any calls or find any networks.

When I try to make a call it says "Not registered on network"

In Settings->Wireless & Network Settings -> Mobile Networks -> Network Operators when I choose "Search Networks" I get "Error while searching for networks"

How can I troubleshoot to find out what the problem is? How can I find our it it is the SIM card that is a problem vs my phone vs rooting vs others?

I found some threads that rooting disabled 3G but I can't use the phone at all. On another forum (http://www.droidforums.net/forum/mo...one-stopped-connect-network-after-rooting.htm) I found someone who also lost all cell phone use after rooting. He managed to solve it after installing a "SBF downloaded from motorola_milestone:sbf [And Developers]" but did not give any instructions on just what he did.

thanks
brettpim

 

[firefight16]

Why don't you just enter the information yourself thats all I did. Here are the settings. Go to wirelsess & Networks/mobile networks/Access Point Names/ use menu and make new APN and enter this info.
Name: Bell-Internet
APN: pda.bell.ca
Proxy: web.wireless.bell.ca
Port: 80
Username: <Not set>
Password: <Not set>
Authentication protocol: <Not set>
Server: <Not set>
MMSC: http://mms.bell.ca/mms/wapenc
MMS proxy: web.wireless.bell.ca
MMS port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 610
APN type: <Not set>

 

[TelusMilestone]

Why don't you just enter the information yourself thats all I did. Here are the settings. Go to wirelsess & Networks/mobile networks/Access Point Names/ use menu and make new APN and enter this info.
Name: Bell-Internet
APN: pda.bell.ca
Proxy: web.wireless.bell.ca
Port: 80
Username: <Not set>
Password: <Not set>
Authentication protocol: <Not set>
Server: <Not set>
MMSC: http://mms.bell.ca/mms/wapenc
MMS proxy: web.wireless.bell.ca
MMS port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 610
APN type: <Not set>

Not that I needed this info but great job!

 

[brettpim]

Why don't you just enter the information yourself thats all I did. Here are the settings. Go to wirelsess & Networks/mobile networks/Access Point Names/ use menu and make new APN and enter this info.
Name: Bell-Internet
APN: pda.bell.ca
Proxy: web.wireless.bell.ca
Port: 80
Username: <Not set>
Password: <Not set>
Authentication protocol: <Not set>
Server: <Not set>
MMSC: http://mms.bell.ca/mms/wapenc
MMS proxy: web.wireless.bell.ca
MMS port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 610
APN type: <Not set>

firefight 16,

I entered all this information and I am still getting "Error while searching for networks" when I try to search for networks and "Not registered on network" when I try to make a call.

Is your phone rooted?

Do I need to "register" with Bell somehow?

This SIM comes from another handset (Nokia 2730 Classic) which works fine.

thanks
brettpim

 

[roriii]

hi ,
how did you unlock it ,and what is you sbf you did flash it with you have to make sure it s for telus .i have one and it s working with or without root but whe i got bell sim phone was locked ask me for unlock code i did purchase the code and enter the code setup my apn to bell , and pda.bell.ca or pda2.bell.ca and work great .

 

[FadedSpark]

firefight 16,

I entered all this information and I am still getting "Error while searching for networks" when I try to search for networks and "Not registered on network" when I try to make a call.

Is your phone rooted?

Do I need to "register" with Bell somehow?

This SIM comes from another handset (Nokia 2730 Classic) which works fine.

thanks
brettpim

Let me guess, you bought the prepaid as a source of getting a sim.

Did you ever bother activating the sim? And for that matter, why would you expect bell to just let an unknown smart phone on to it's network? You'll 100% have to give them a call either way because that sim card is not meant for a smart phone, it's tied to a dinky little prepaid.

 

[brettpim]

hi ,
how did you unlock it ,and what is you sbf you did flash it with you have to make sure it s for telus .i have one and it s working with or without root but whe i got bell sim phone was locked ask me for unlock code i did purchase the code and enter the code setup my apn to bell , and pda.bell.ca or pda2.bell.ca and work great .

roriii,

I unlocked it with a neighbour's SIM and a code from unlocking.com. I used it as a PDA for a few weeks and then I got a SIM from my organization which is the one that is not working in the Milestone (although working in the Nokia it came with)

I am trying to find the place where I got the sbf to root it. It may not have been a telus sbf. Is there a place I can go on the phone to get info on the sbf? Where did you get your rooted telus sbf?

thanks
brett

Let me guess, you bought the prepaid as a source of getting a sim.

Did you ever bother activating the sim? And for that matter, why would you expect bell to just let an unknown smart phone on to it's network? You'll 100% have to give them a call either way because that sim card is not meant for a smart phone, it's tied to a dinky little prepaid.

FadedSpark,

I did not buy the Nokia/SIM, my organization did. When they bought it from Bell they asked if it could be transfered to another phone and the Bell people affirmed that it could. The SIM works in the Nokia; does that mean it is "activated"?

What do you think I need to ask Bell to do?

I thought the point of unlocking a phone was that any SIM card could be used, at least for calls if not also for data. I am primarily interested in being able to make calls.

thanks
brett

 

[roriii]

did you ever use the phone before or never ,if never when you put ur sim do you see any signal bars what do you see on the top right of your phone under thr time you should see the provider bell .if not or the sim not inserted correctly,or not activated ,or phone is lock when ou root your phone it s not unlocking your phone what i do i will flash it with sbf to original sbf to unroot your phone and try to get service from there .

 

[FadedSpark]

roriii,

I unlocked it with a neighbour's SIM and a code from unlocking.com. I used it as a PDA for a few weeks and then I got a SIM from my organization which is the one that is not working in the Milestone (although working in the Nokia it came with)

I am trying to find the place where I got the sbf to root it. It may not have been a telus sbf. Is there a place I can go on the phone to get info on the sbf? Where did you get your rooted telus sbf?

thanks
brett



FadedSpark,

I did not buy the Nokia/SIM, my organization did. When they bought it from Bell they asked if it could be transfered to another phone and the Bell people affirmed that it could. The SIM works in the Nokia; does that mean it is "activated"?

What do you think I need to ask Bell to do?

I thought the point of unlocking a phone was that any SIM card could be used, at least for calls if not also for data. I am primarily interested in being able to make calls.

thanks
brett

If it isn't working, it's because Bell doesn't want unknown phones on their network. You'll have to call them and get them to register it as "User owned and maintened" hardware.

That is to say, you are bringing a currently owned phone to them, without their branding, their warranties, and their requirements.

 

[roriii]

nothing to do with bell . i will send you the link or i will add a sbf for telus and you could root it from there

 

[roriii]

here is the link download it and flash it with sbf should be good to go .
Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites!

 

[akusokuzan]

I'm thinking that it might be an issue with the unlock procedure itself. Recently, Bell and Telus' new HSPA phones have been double locked (service provider and network lock), meaning that traditional unlock codes aren't enough. Have you tried using a sim from rogers or fido on the phone? If it doesn't work, then that's the problem here, and you're going to need to use another way to unlock the phone that covers both locks.

 

[brettpim]

FadedSpark,

I called Bell and after I gave them my IMEI the told me that this phone is not compatible with their network (which contradicts several people's ability, including rorii, to use this phone on Bell's network.)

Rorii,

Thanks for the download. I have found the one I used:

A853_Telus_Upgrade_SHOLS_U2_03.10.0__USASHLSMR2TLSB1B2B505F.0R_Service1FF.sbf

So it seems to me that my sbf should not be the problem. (I will be trying the one you sent too, thanks)

akusokuzan,

Is trying a Fido or Roger's SIM the only way I can find out if what you suggest is my problem?

thanks for all your help and suggestions
regards
brettpim

 

[roriii]

if the phone is a telus milestone and unlocked should be compatible 100000/100.
dont think all the agent from bell or telus or rogers are ???????. make sure phone is unloked ,sbf what you have is good it the original one from telus i beleve your phone is not unlocked or your sim is not working .the one i send you is the new sbf not released from telus yet should out soon thats what im using .

 

[brettpim]

All,

OK; I tracked down a friend with a rogers GSM phone and his SIM worked like a charm. So I know that my SBF is fine and I know that my phone is properly unlocked. That seems to mean we are back to Bell and and the SIM and FadedSpark's diagnoses.

I was pretty sure that Telus and Bell are sharing a network so I was pretty suspicious of what the Bell agent said to me on the phone

Maybe I will take it into a Bell store and see what they can do.

The other thing I should try to do is find someone else with an unlocked GSM phone (not originally from Bell) and see if the SIM works there.

If it is a SIM problem we have to explain why the SIM is working in the Nokia fine.

thanks
brettpim

 

[roriii]

why you dont go to telus store and try a sim there and when did you put a sim fron rogers or fido does the 3g work or only edge. i have a telus milestone unlocked and using it on bell. where are you located witch city.

 

[brettpim]

why you dont go to telus store and try a sim there

OK, I will try this

I will also try to find a Bell customer with a smartphone and see if that behaves differently.

and when did you put a sim fron rogers or fido does the 3g work or only edge.

I forgot to check. I will try again

i have a telus milestone unlocked and using it on bell. where are you located witch city.

I am in Ottawa so I think the network coverage should be pretty good.

thanks
brettpim

 

[FadedSpark]

Is it a north american milestone? If it isn't that is why you are getting rogers coverage, but not Bell coverage.

Rogers has a 2g backbone which will work with the milestone regardless of where it comes from because it has allllll the 2g network bands rogers uses.

BUT

If it's not a NAM milestone, it won't work on the Belus 3g network, because when bell/telus built it, they didn't build a 2g backbone, to save money, and because honestly, it would have been a waste XD

 

[brettpim]

Is it a north american milestone? If it isn't that is why you are getting rogers coverage, but not Bell coverage.

Rogers has a 2g backbone which will work with the milestone regardless of where it comes from because it has allllll the 2g network bands rogers uses.

BUT

If it's not a NAM milestone, it won't work on the Belus 3g network, because when bell/telus built it, they didn't build a 2g backbone, to save money, and because honestly, it would have been a waste XD

FadedSpark,

I bought it at a Canadian Best Buy Store. I will check if the Rogers SIM gives me 3G or 2G.

thanks
brettpim

 

[brettpim]

I have had success putting two different Rogers 2G SIMs in. They work no problem (I can make calls) In both cases I only had Edge but both people told me thatthey don't have 3G phones/plans.

I also tried a Rogers SIM from an Iphone and although my milestone knew it was Rogers and knew its own phone number, I could not make any calls

Then I tried a Telus SIM from a colleague's unlocked and rooted HTC android phone and again I could not make any calls.

He was able to use my Bell SIM in his HTC android with no problem at all.

This seems to be pointing to some issue with My Handset in particular.
I am thinking it is not the unlocking because the two Rogers 2G SIMs work fine for calls.

Is it possible that I only unlocked 2G capabilities?

 

[TwinDragons]

Sorta sounds like you bought a non NAM Milestone, judging by Bell says it is not compatible. You should check the sticker on your Milestone's box to verify that it says 'Telus UPC'. From there you should check that your IMEI on the box matches the IMEI of your phone(Settings>About Phone>Status>IMEI). Maybe someone pulled a quick one on your Bestbuy.

 

[FadedSpark]

Sorta sounds like you bought a non NAM Milestone, judging by Bell says it is not compatible. You should check the sticker on your Milestone's box to verify that it says 'Telus UPC'. From there you should check that your IMEI on the box matches the IMEI of your phone(Settings>About Phone>Status>IMEI). Maybe someone pulled a quick one on your Bestbuy.

Best Buy does not, and will not ever sell used/open box/refurbished phones as new. Too much of a shit storm comes along with that. (I work in one. )

I'm officially pretty much stumped... I'd recommend moving on to seeing if your sim was maybe "Bad" and getting a new one.

 

[brettpim]

Well, I was able to resolve it!

I did check that the IMEI on the phone and the box matched and that the box said "TELUS UPC"

I unrooted it and then the Bell SIM worked fine.

Then I went through the rooting process all over again and at every stage the Bell SIM was still working.

hypothesis 1: the first time I rooted I did something wrong
I am hesitant to believe this because so much was working OK; I would
think that an error would have messed up more than ability to use
some SIMs but not others.

hypothesis 2: If you root a milestone that does not contain a working SIM then adding a SIM after rooting does not work properly
Is this believable?

I want to thank everyone for all your time and energy with helpful suggestions to my trouble.

 

[TwinDragons]

Glad it's working.

 

[roriii]

Glad it's working ,good news ........took long hahahah.....