SIM card issue with RAZR V3

[cashuin]

Discussion Thread-Anyone have any ideas?

I purchased this phone from an individual/private party. I have a Silver T-Mobile branded RAZR V3 but wanted one of the BLUE RAZR V3 models. It came to me with ALL accessories as you would normally find in a branded Motorola box. The private party was unable to use this phone with his service provider, as they do NOT use a SIM card. I made sure (by asking several questions) that this phone would be operational with MY T-Mobile SIM card and was assured that all I would have to do is "insert your own SIM card" and it would work. Alas, it does not. My provider, as I mentioned, is T-Mobile but this phone shows as a Cingular service when my SIM card is installed. How do I use THIS phone on MY T-Mobile Network? Do I have to call T-Mobile to do anything? I really am going goofy trying to figure this out.

[Matt]

You should be fine.

You're actually using the T-Mobile network. In 2002, T-Mobile started sharing Cingular's network (Pac Bell / Nevada Bell) in CA and NV. In 2005, T-Mobile bought it outright, and now owns it completely. Cingular now primarily uses the former AT&T Wireless network in these areas, although for a while longer they can roam on T-Mobile.

Your new phone must be loaded with software that makes it think it is using Cingular, as the network ID number has not been changed in CA/NV yet. (T-Mobile uses 310-26, the former Cingular/PacBell, now TM network is 310-17 I think.

[cashuin]

So, what exactly do I need to do? Do I call T-Mobile to "register" the phone? I am so

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by Matt

You should be fine.

You're actually using the T-Mobile network. In 2002, T-Mobile started sharing Cingular's network (Pac Bell / Nevada Bell) in CA and NV. In 2005, T-Mobile bought it outright, and now owns it completely. Cingular now primarily uses the former AT&T Wireless network in these areas, although for a while longer they can roam on T-Mobile.

Your new phone must be loaded with software that makes it think it is using Cingular, as the network ID number has not been changed in CA/NV yet. (T-Mobile uses 310-26, the former Cingular/PacBell, now TM network is 310-17 I think.

I'm not quite as sure as you are. Do you think the problem might be the the phone may still be locked to Cingular, and is therefore rejecting his TMO SIM card?

-Jay

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by cashuin

Discussion Thread-Anyone have any ideas?

I purchased this phone from an individual/private party. I have a Silver T-Mobile branded RAZR V3 but wanted one of the BLUE RAZR V3 models. It came to me with ALL accessories as you would normally find in a branded Motorola box. The private party was unable to use this phone with his service provider, as they do NOT use a SIM card. I made sure (by asking several questions) that this phone would be operational with MY T-Mobile SIM card and was assured that all I would have to do is "insert your own SIM card" and it would work. Alas, it does not. My provider, as I mentioned, is T-Mobile but this phone shows as a Cingular service when my SIM card is installed. How do I use THIS phone on MY T-Mobile Network? Do I have to call T-Mobile to do anything? I really am going goofy trying to figure this out.

Cashuin, don't worry. There is nothing wrong with your phone and there is nothing you have to call T-Mobile for. I have a Black V3, unlocked and unbranded (basically a European version) and mine does the same thing.

The fact that it says "Cingular" instead of T-Mobile is because of how the firmware in the phone reads the network. This may all sound like phonespeak, but basically, your phone is fine.

You are on the T-Mobile network, but as Matt mentioned, it used to be the old Cingular network (in CA and NV). I wondered about this very issue when I got my RAZR. Your phone will work just fine. If you wish to use T-Zones and such, you will have to configure your phone, but for basic operation, you should have NO problem.

[cashuin]

"If you wish to use T-Zones and such, you will have to configure your phone, but for basic operation, you should have NO problem."
Ok so please explain to this non-technical person how I configure my T-zones stuff? Will all of my photos,phone numbers, etc. be available to me? On my SIM card? I'm old and suffer from "Half-zeimers" so be gentle with me

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by lbmike212

Cashuin, don't worry. There is nothing wrong with your phone and there is nothing you have to call T-Mobile for. I have a Black V3, unlocked and unbranded (basically a European version) and mine does the same thing.

The fact that it says "Cingular" instead of T-Mobile is because of how the firmware in the phone reads the network. This may all sound like phonespeak, but basically, your phone is fine.

You are on the T-Mobile network, but as Matt mentioned, it used to be the old Cingular network (in CA and NV). I wondered about this very issue when I got my RAZR. Your phone will work just fine. If you wish to use T-Zones and such, you will have to configure your phone, but for basic operation, you should have NO problem.

I can email you a plmn_text_table.bin from my old V551 that should correctly show the network name if you like. I put it on my new V3 so I can tell the difference between the blue & orange networks.

-Jay

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by cashuin

"If you wish to use T-Zones and such, you will have to configure your phone, but for basic operation, you should have NO problem."
Ok so please explain to this non-technical person how I configure my T-zones stuff? Will all of my photos,phone numbers, etc. be available to me? On my SIM card? I'm old and suffer from "Half-zeimers" so be gentle with me

I think there is a thread that shows the proper settings in the T-Mobile forum.

[Matt]

https://support.my.t-mobile.com/know...c/tm21625.htm?

t-zones(SM) and T-MobileWeb Settings

NOTE: T-Mobile Customer Care provides minimal support for phones not sold by T-Mobile USA. The following settings are provided for configuring non-T-Mobile branded mobile phones for use with the t-zones and T-MobileWeb data services. Not all links and features provided within T-MobileWeb will be compatible with non-T-Mobile branded phones.

T-Mobile provides an over-the-air wireless configurator that allows you to easily configure the most popular phones for use with t-zones. To begin setting up your phone, access the Wireless Configurator.

If you are unable to use the Wireless Configurator to configure your phone, you may type the settings manually using the information provided below. These settings are specific to T-Mobile USA and will only work with an active T-Mobile USA account.

Primary IP address:


216.155.165.050

Secondary IP address:


Blank

APN name:


wap.voicestream.com

Data bearer:


GPRS

Profile name:


GPRS

Username:


Blank

Bearer:


Data

Home page:


http://wap.myvoicestream.com

[cashuin]

Yes-I did the configurator and it worked! Now, it even recognizes my SIM phone book-yes! But...you knew this was coming right??? it is a European version phone-mostly Switzerland services. How do you change the time from "military" to 12 hour? I set my alarm in "AM/PM" but not sure where to find the settings for date and time-yes I find date and time but it doesn't let me change the format. Am I making sense? It was a long day at work
((( to all who helped )))

[cashuin]

Ok-I can get calls, receive messages but can't download tunes or wallpaper. The error message is "GPRS network not availalable">

[Matt]

Have you looked at the T-Mobile Web settings pages on mytmobile.com? That's where I got that page from.....

[cashuin]

yep I did. Then I did the browser update again. It seems to have done something different this time. It is giving me the option to select t-mobile Web.
Thanks All. I will just keep plugging along. I guess I am going to try again to download a tune and see if it will let me. At a $1.99 a pop it could get expensive, though

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

http://tmobileus.wdsglobal.com/phonefirst


make sure you use this site cuz some of the lock on T-Mobile phones prevent you from manually entering in some settings

[Clix]

Hi, i have had an i870 for a while, and its just not what i want, and i was wondering if i could take the SIM card out of it and put it in a RAZR and it would work, 870 is just to bulky, rather have a slim phone, i had an 830 but its been scratched to he**... Anyways if someone could help me that would be great

[Telekom]

Originally Posted by Clix

Hi, i have had an i870 for a while, and its just not what i want, and i was wondering if i could take the SIM card out of it and put it in a RAZR and it would work, 870 is just to bulky, rather have a slim phone, i had an 830 but its been scratched to he**... Anyways if someone could help me that would be great

The Motorola i870 is for use on iDEN networks such as Nextel. It will not work on GSM phones such as the V3/Razr (even if it is unlocked.) If you use Nextel or any other iDEN service you are limited to only use iDEN compatible handsets. Unfortunately the iDEN handsets do tend to be bulkier than CDMA or GSM handsets.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

yeah....if you knew what you were doing you could get a RAZR and go to a Cingular or T-Mobile store and give the blank SIM card and RAZR and see if they will program them but you would have to open a account with them

[Telekom]

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

yeah....if you knew what you were doing you could get a RAZR and go to a Cingular or T-Mobile store and give the blank SIM card and RAZR and see if they will program them but you would have to open a account with them

Unless the SIM card is for the specific mobile operator they will not be able to have the SIM accept the OTA update to the SIM. Each SIM has specific serial numbers that are for a specific mobile operator.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

so you can't port a SIM Serial Number between providers as well as you MTN?

some people want to keep their SIM card because they have phonebooks.....and people don't want to travel to a store just to have their contacts moved from one SIM to the next......if they have a system that can read and write the SIM card then why can't they simply add SIM IDs to the system or change the Serial number?!?!?!

[Matt]

SIM cards are operator-specific. Most phones todat have significant capacity to copy address books to a phone, which can help copy addresses to a new device or SIM card.