***Official GSM/World Phone/Sim Card Discussion Thread***

[lodisax]

Wish I had an answer for you. Majority of the users on here are domestic US on Sprint, but I'm glad that you posted that information on here that the Vodaphone sim card worked in Italy! that's great!.

I'm assuming that because the phone's primary purpose is to serve as a domestic US phone for Sprint, that's why it goes back to CDMA settings after you power down and back up.

When you go in and select "only GSM/UMTS," are you saying that everything that you've set up on the phone previously does not come back? And I'm assuming that means how you've set up the homescreens and other things of that nature, correct?

is correct. practice settings that are set on the type of network are not saved when restarting the phone.
someone knows more?

 

[drexappeal]

is correct. practice settings that are set on the type of network are not saved when restarting the phone.
someone knows more?

I wish I could tell you. I think, because the phone is less than 1 month old, your best bet would maybe to check on XDA forums or the Motorola forums.

 

[mkvoran]

Spoke with another department in Sprint. She said according to her notes the phone is GSM unlocked for Voice Only. Data is locked. So the only way to get mobile data abroad overseas is via Sprint SIM.... $17-20 a MB...... what a bummer and a let down....

If this is true.... wow I'll be really really pissed and disappointed with Sprint. I mean really? Is this confirmed?

 

[busted bones]

Yeah this is really going to create an issue for me as well because when Im in Korea and Japan Im going to need my phones translation app and on top of that I would be using my phone for directions in the even I get lost.

 

[mkvoran]

I am going to raise holy hell in the sprint forums. I really cannot believe they would do this.

Taking away the international unlimited plan was bad enough. yeah at 40.00 maybe they were losing money, but even at 80.00 it would still have been a good deal and a COMPLETE BARGAIN STEAL compared to 17.00mb

un-freakin-believable.

And I am headed to China in a month. great.

 

[mkvoran]

SO after doing more reading, it looks like it really is an APN issue. SOME carriers require specific APN settings, and if that is the case then you are screwed (until someone finds a way to unlock the APN settings on the PHoton) BUT there have been reports of people using the phone just fine with local sim cards, on networks which DO NOT require specific APN settings.


So I guess YMMV depending on where you try to roam. Lucky for me, I roam on only two overseas carriers, so I can go track down their info and see what the deal is with APN settings requirements on those carriers....

but still. COME ON Sprint...

 

[busted bones]

SO after doing more reading, it looks like it really is an APN issue. SOME carriers require specific APN settings, and if that is the case then you are screwed (until someone finds a way to unlock the APN settings on the PHoton) BUT there have been reports of people using the phone just fine with local sim cards, on networks which DO NOT require specific APN settings.


So I guess YMMV depending on where you try to roam. Lucky for me, I roam on only two overseas carriers, so I can go track down their info and see what the deal is with APN settings requirements on those carriers....

but still. COME ON Sprint...

Which 2 carriers do you use and any word yet? This will be my first time off the continent and am trying to find out as much as I can before I go.

 

[wadeslife]

I am deployed to Afghanistan and only bought this phone because someone at sprint international customer support ASSURED me that I could pop in an Afghan Etisalat sim card and use the local network for voice AND data! I have tried the manual settings provided to me by Etisalat and they do not work! A let down is an understatement. Does anyone out there have any advice or suggestions? I can use the phone for voice but not for data.. have tried everything I know.

 

[mkvoran]

Which 2 carriers do you use and any word yet? This will be my first time off the continent and am trying to find out as much as I can before I go.

When I am in China, I typically use China Mobile - and in Hong Kong I use ThreeHK

I think they now have a system through China Mobile that works in both areas, but never tried it.

I have not heard anything further yet, but I'll post anything I find out.

 

[mkvoran]

I am deployed to Afghanistan and only bought this phone because someone at sprint international customer support ASSURED me that I could pop in an Afghan Etisalat sim card and use the local network for voice AND data! I have tried the manual settings provided to me by Etisalat and they do not work! A let down is an understatement. Does anyone out there have any advice or suggestions? I can use the phone for voice but not for data.. have tried everything I know.

Wow. Sprint really needs to fix this APN settings issue.

The reason that your Etisalat settings don't work is because the APN is locked on these phones and wont save the new codes you enter.

I dont know if this was an oversight on Sprints part, or deliberate, but eitherway it totally sucks.

Thanks for your service, and good luck getting this resolved.

 

[busted bones]

When I am in China, I typically use China Mobile - and in Hong Kong I use ThreeHK

I think they now have a system through China Mobile that works in both areas, but never tried it.

I have not heard anything further yet, but I'll post anything I find out.

OK, Ill look more into them and see if it mentions anything. Im going to Korea, Japan and maybe HK for about a month this winter and need a phone that has a working data connection.

 

[SporkLover]

Just got back from Germany. Appears the problem exists with the German Vodaphone Sim cards.

I did some research and started using a Fonic pre-paid Sim. I was able to get mobile data. I assume it's because all fonic cared about was the correct APN name and APN. All other info didn't matter.

 

[mkvoran]

Just got back from Germany. Appears the problem exists with the German Vodaphone Sim cards.

I did some research and started using a Fonic pre-paid Sim. I was able to get mobile data. I assume it's because all fonic cared about was the correct APN name and APN. All other info didn't matter.

So are you saying that you were able to actually change APN settings and they stuck? I was under the impression that no APN settings could be changed....

 

[SporkLover]

I was able to set the apn name and apn. Mnc and mcc was not required nor were any other settings. Fonic is pretty lax about their apn configuration. Other carriers, such as vodaphone had very specific requirements ......

So in long, yes, but only because I did not have to set the other settings

 

[axwack]

I can't seem to find the answer to my question. I am in Thailand and there are a lot of Galaxy 2 s phones here.

I can buy it here but want to make sure I can use it in the US. Does anyone know? Is it just a matter of the phone being jailbroken? Also, phones here use SIM cards. I think ATT use sim cards. Anyone know?

 

[twospirits]

In the Motorola Forums there is a thread that might be helpful for some. It seems that depending on what sim card you use, some are more picky about entering settings than others.

TS

 

[KnowProblem]

I can't seem to find the answer to my question. I am in Thailand and there are a lot of Galaxy 2 s phones here.

I can buy it here but want to make sure I can use it in the US. Does anyone know? Is it just a matter of the phone being jailbroken? Also, phones here use SIM cards. I think ATT use sim cards. Anyone know?

Generally the European and Asian Galaxy phones lack the AWS band so you won't be able to use it with T-Mobile 4G. Also, if the Galaxy SII is like the galaxy S, you won't get WDCMA on the 850Mhz band by default for AT&T, you'd need to do this fairly simple hack to get it enabled: http://androidforums.com/samsung-ga...rk-frequency-your-samsung-i9000-galaxy-s.html

 

[AhmadCentral]

If i was to unlock, root and install a custom rom on this phone. Would i be able to use a overseas sim card and change the APN settings so they stick.

I'm planning to use this phone in the UK and need to make sure it works 100%.

Thanks.

 

[busted bones]

Thats a good question but no one really has an answer for it yet. Idk of any other phones having this issue. Your best bet would be to look over in the Droid 2 Global section and see if they have an answer.

 

[Vear01]

This ifrom the Motorola Owners forums
To save SIM APN settings

Settings->Wireless & Networks->Mobile Networks

You need to select GSM/UMTS and then it enables Access point names and you can then use the menu to add a new one.



https://supportforums.motorola.com/thread/55592?start=15&tstart=0
Aug 19, 2011 3:39 PM (in response to eaccents) Photon 4G : Not quite a practical global phone for business travelers
OK, of course as soon as I looked again I figured out where you enter it.

Settings->Wireless & Networks->Mobile Networks

You need to select GSM/UMTS and then it enables Access point names and you can then use the menu to add a new one.

A generalized question though, is there only one APN per GSM network or will I need to enter multipe in some cases and then manually set them?

I have a IUSACELL/Unefon prepay that I have been using in Mexico City with an old Android phone someone gave me which has worked well but I never have to mess with this.

 

[docsmooth]

August 14-21 I was in Copenhagen, with a layover in London

September 15-27 I was in Johannesburg, South Africa with a layover in London.

The Sprint SIM shipped with the card did work in Copenhagen and London, but would not register with a GSM network in Johannesburg (It could find them, but wouldn't register, so is probably a carrier agreement issue). I chose not to use it because it was expensive as heck (and personal).

In London, I tried a Verizon/Vodaphone sim - Got voice and data.
In London, I tried an ATT aircard SIM: got data (voice via skype).

In Copenhagen, I used the Verizon/Vodaphone sim, but got spotty data. Using that same sim in the original BB produced the same results (spotty data), so it might be a carrier access issue.

In Johannesburg, I purchased a pre-paid SIM from MTN. Voice worked out of the box, but I had to manually enter the APN info (deleting the proxy) to get data to work.

DATA DID WORK WITH A PRE-PAID SIM.

Just FYI.

Rob.
www.totalnetsolutions.net

 

[danperez72]

I was in Colombia and used a TIGO SIM card with internet on it. I could make calls but could not use the internet. Is there something in the setting that I need to change so I can use the internet on the phone?

 

[danperez72]

I just got back from Colombia and was able to use the phone but not the internet or MMS. Ive been browsing around and found this app (Tweakker ) that says it will change the settings for you. Has anybody used it yet and if so how well did it work for you?

 

[twospirits]

I believe a few have used it with success over in the Motorola forums. I plan on testing it out when I head over to Costa Rica in mid December.

TS

 

[mkvoran]

Can confirm working data and voice on hong kong carrier "3".

Apn settings were simple, and stuck with no issue.