Only USA Band available on Droid 2 Global

[D2Gabuser]

I have a D2G that I am using in France (I'm from the US), I have a foreign SIM that is working (SIM is unlocked via Verizon), but I can't get 3G no matter what I try.
I think that my problem is my Baseband ( N_01.48.05R) . When going in to test mode--> Select Radio Mode --> Set GSM/UMTS band, the only option is "USA Band". There are no other options!

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I have been reading/trying for at least 10 days now. Thanks in advance!

 

[corydunbar]

Sounds like you're gonna need to wait for an update to fix that because we can't alter the baseband because of the encryption. Maybe check the Motorola forums, as this sounds like a pretty important key feature they should have been informed about.

sent from my Motorola DROID X / DROID 2

 

[D2Gabuser]

Thanks Cory, I guess that is why I can't find any additional info on it.

I am leaving to come back to the States tomorrow, so no big deal for this trip. But I have to return to France in about a month and I was hoping to resolve the issue before I left this time (for testing reasons). I will not be able to test in the US.

 

[silverfang77]

So Moto advertises the D2G as a world phone, but cripples the ability to use broadband overseas and prevents it from being remedied with its encrypted bootloader.

Another feather in Motorola's cap.

 

[D2Gabuser]

Yeah, I don't understand why they would install only the USA Band in a world phone, that makes absolutely no sense.

But just to be clear, I am able to use the phone. It's just that it can't connect to 3G in France on the Orange Telecom Network and it also can't transmit the USSD code correctly. This makes it impossible to "Recharge" (Adding Credit) the SIM card over the phone. And the main reason I was wanting to use the Orange SIM was for Data.

I can take the same SIM card and put it in my Blackberry Storm and both the 3G and the transmitting of the USSD works.

 

[ishore99]

Just a thought, and I am headed to Europe this summer, but the Sim Card may not be compatible with the phone software. We all know that VZW wants every penny that they can get.

 

[D2Gabuser]

Hey ishore, Thanks for the response. I don't really think that it was an issue with the SIM card, only because I was able to use it. I was also able to have data, but it was only the connection type called "Edge", which is slow (100kb upload and 200kb down).
The 3G is much faster, but now matter what I did I wasn't able to obtain this. I kinda needed it, so it was really bugging me.

I just got back in to the US last night. I will give Verizon a call and see what they say.

 

[aweber1nj]

I was thinking the same thing as ishore. Maybe it's crippled if you choose to unlock and use your own SIM? After all, they've got to be capable of using Vodafone's 3G network (with the included SIM)...it's virtually the same company.

It's just too strange that it wouldn't get 3G at all, and the phone has been available for what, 8mos? Someone else would've posted a similar complaint before this, right?

 

[D2Gabuser]

Update: I'm back in France and took the phone to 2 Orange locations. They both said that there is nothing wrong with the SIM, and it says that it is a 3G sim on the SIM card.
I looked at the techs phone and copied the APN settings from his phone, Created a new APN based off of this, my phone will not allow me to keep this APN setting and reverts back to the original.
I contacted Verizon Global, their official statement is that they do not support other providers SIM cards and that they can't help me. I threatened to switch carriers and the answer was the same.
So much for the "Global Phone" that I just spent megabucks on for this specific purpose! I am seriously PISSED!!!!!!!!

 

[aweber1nj]

Verizon's definition of "Global Phone" is obviously vastly different from yours.

I'm not here to defend them (I have had my own issues), but just like I won't call Verizon and yell at their TS people when my custom ROM hangs the phone, I don't think it's fair to call them and tell them their phone doesn't work with some other carrier.

What's the point anyway? If you want a cheap phone to use extensively in EMEA, and have it fully supported, then buy a phone from Orange or whomever and pay-as-you-go. If you want the convenience of taking your existing phone overseas, having the same phone number and full access to your configured email and other online accounts, then use the phone the way VZ promoted it and sold it. If you want to do neither, then YMMV, and while reaching out to forums for help is a great idea, don't blame VZ unless they told you to buy and configure the other carrier's SIM.

 

[opentheroof]

Edit, I think the phone is only quad band global capable and not 3g global. That could be the issue.
QUAD BAND GSM GLOBAL ROAMING I am not sure if this is capable of 3g and if this is the case I am pissed also.

It could be that the radios installed are not compatible with oranges 3g. Why not try finding a vodaphone sim card.

I am going to be in Germany on Thursday and will be trying the same thing. I already have a sim card my wife picked up but not sure of the network. If it doesn't work I will be trying another card.