Sprint rep ignorance about SIM / world phone capabilities

[thinknate]

I did a chat this afternoon to verify whether my Photon is ready to go on a different SIM card for my upcoming travel. Sprint has certainly upgraded their customer service in recent years, but clearly not all the ignorance has been rooted out.

The names have been changed to protect the ignorant innocent. Read on...

(Cliff's Notes: read the bold lines)


1:26:32 PM : Connected to sprint.ehosts.net

1:26:32 PM : Session ID: 3458820

1:26:32 PM : ME: Initial Question/Comment: I want to find out what is needed to replace my Photon's SIM card with another carrier's when traveling overseas

...

1:29:59 PM : REP has joined this session!

1:29:59 PM : Connected with REP. Your Reference Number for this chat session is 3458820.

1:29:59 PM : Thank you for contacting Sprint. My name is REP.

1:29:59 PM : REP: Hi

1:30:07 PM : ME: hello

1:30:19 PM : REP: Thank you for your patience, I will have that information shortly.

1:30:39 PM : REP: We have a dedicated department for this.

1:30:54 PM : REP: To activate the international roaming service, please call 888-226-7212, option 2. If your current PCS phone is not compatible, you'll be provided the compatible phone. For any assistance while you're traveling outside of the US, you can always call 1-817-698-4199, option 3.

1:31:04 PM : REP: You can also click on the link "E-Chat" (located at the top) to chat with an international support representative to enable the international roaming.

1:31:09 PM : REP: www.sprint.com/internationalroaming

1:33:14 PM : ME: ok

1:33:20 PM : ME: but I'm not interested in roaming

1:33:29 PM : REP: ok

1:33:42 PM : ME: I'm interested in replacing my Photon's SIM card with another carrier's

1:34:14 PM : REP: Please elaborate your concern.

1:34:22 PM : REP: ok

1:34:25 PM : ME: I just want to know if there's any unlocking that needs to take place before I can do that

1:34:40 PM : REP: Let me check this for you.

1:34:59 PM : ME: on my original Blackberry Tour, it needed to be unlocked before I could switch the SIM card

1:35:15 PM : REP: Thank you for your patience, I will have that information shortly.

1:36:25 PM : REP: I am sorry it ids not possible to use your phone with another carrier's sim card.

1:37:21 PM : ME: that doesn't sound right

1:37:50 PM : REP: Let me check again.

1:39:40 PM : REP: Yes , I have confirmed with my super visor that it is not possible to use your Sprint phone with another carrier's sim card.

1:40:00 PM : REP: Because there is difference for network technology.

1:40:20 PM : ME: so why does the phone have a replaceable SIM card?

1:41:20 PM : REP: Let me explain.

1:42:10 PM : REP: phone have a replaceable SIM card because if other service provider allow you to use another carrier phone on their network then you can use .

1:42:21 PM : REP: But Sprint does not allow this.

1:42:38 PM : ME: would you say the same thing about the Blackberry Tour?

1:42:51 PM : REP: Yes

1:42:58 PM : ME: well

1:43:03 PM : ME: then I've done the impossible!

1:43:04 PM : ME:

1:43:21 PM : REP: Because, Sprint does not allow this.

1:46:50 PM : ME: well, I don't think this is going anywhere

1:46:59 PM : ME: I've apparently done the impossible with my Tour

1:47:06 PM : ME: and I'll hope to do the same with my Photon

1:47:43 PM : ME: politely suggest to your supervisor that he re-familiarize himself with the capabilities of Sprint's "world phones"

1:47:54 PM : ME: thank you

 

[thinknate]

In the meantime, I learned from reading at xda that several users have been able to swap their SIM cards overseas without any unlocking. Happy day!

 

[Puzzlegal]

In the meantime, I learned from reading at xda that several users have been able to swap their SIM cards overseas without any unlocking. Happy day!

Yes. i did this in Germany. It worked fine.

 

[heymista]

I did a chat this afternoon to verify whether my Photon is ready to go on a different SIM card for my upcoming travel. Sprint has certainly upgraded their customer service in recent years, but clearly not all the ignorance has been rooted out.

The names have been changed to protect the ignorant innocent. Read on...

(Cliff's Notes: read the bold lines)


1:26:32 PM : Connected to sprint.ehosts.net

1:26:32 PM : Session ID: 3458820

1:26:32 PM : ME: Initial Question/Comment: I want to find out what is needed to replace my Photon's SIM card with another carrier's when traveling overseas

...

1:29:59 PM : REP has joined this session!

1:29:59 PM : Connected with REP. Your Reference Number for this chat session is 3458820.

1:29:59 PM : Thank you for contacting Sprint. My name is REP.

1:29:59 PM : REP: Hi

1:30:07 PM : ME: hello

1:30:19 PM : REP: Thank you for your patience, I will have that information shortly.

1:30:39 PM : REP: We have a dedicated department for this.

1:30:54 PM : REP: To activate the international roaming service, please call 888-226-7212, option 2. If your current PCS phone is not compatible, you'll be provided the compatible phone. For any assistance while you're traveling outside of the US, you can always call 1-817-698-4199, option 3.

1:31:04 PM : REP: You can also click on the link "E-Chat" (located at the top) to chat with an international support representative to enable the international roaming.

1:31:09 PM : REP: www.sprint.com/internationalroaming

1:33:14 PM : ME: ok

1:33:20 PM : ME: but I'm not interested in roaming

1:33:29 PM : REP: ok

1:33:42 PM : ME: I'm interested in replacing my Photon's SIM card with another carrier's

1:34:14 PM : REP: Please elaborate your concern.

1:34:22 PM : REP: ok

1:34:25 PM : ME: I just want to know if there's any unlocking that needs to take place before I can do that

1:34:40 PM : REP: Let me check this for you.

1:34:59 PM : ME: on my original Blackberry Tour, it needed to be unlocked before I could switch the SIM card

1:35:15 PM : REP: Thank you for your patience, I will have that information shortly.

1:36:25 PM : REP: I am sorry it ids not possible to use your phone with another carrier's sim card.

1:37:21 PM : ME: that doesn't sound right

1:37:50 PM : REP: Let me check again.

1:39:40 PM : REP: Yes , I have confirmed with my super visor that it is not possible to use your Sprint phone with another carrier's sim card.

1:40:00 PM : REP: Because there is difference for network technology.

1:40:20 PM : ME: so why does the phone have a replaceable SIM card?

1:41:20 PM : REP: Let me explain.

1:42:10 PM : REP: phone have a replaceable SIM card because if other service provider allow you to use another carrier phone on their network then you can use .

1:42:21 PM : REP: But Sprint does not allow this.

1:42:38 PM : ME: would you say the same thing about the Blackberry Tour?

1:42:51 PM : REP: Yes

1:42:58 PM : ME: well

1:43:03 PM : ME: then I've done the impossible!

1:43:04 PM : ME:

1:43:21 PM : REP: Because, Sprint does not allow this.

1:46:50 PM : ME: well, I don't think this is going anywhere

1:46:59 PM : ME: I've apparently done the impossible with my Tour

1:47:06 PM : ME: and I'll hope to do the same with my Photon

1:47:43 PM : ME: politely suggest to your supervisor that he re-familiarize himself with the capabilities of Sprint's "world phones"

1:47:54 PM : ME: thank you

What the rep really means is they don't support it. I used my BB Tour like you did, but sprint will not support foreign carriers service so customer care gave me the run around also. You really do have to call the International phone # to speak with CSR's that are familiar with the concept. Through International CS I was able to confirm that it should work, but sprint could not say for sure since it was not their service they were verifying.

 

[statdoc]

Sprint world phones are unlocked, unlike other carriers. I used my Sprint Blackberry in Europe in June, and confirmed with Sprint International CS that my Photon will do the same. You simply need to call the International CS desk and make sure they have enabled international service. They will ask if you want voice-only, or also data. I told them to enable data, but that I would probably disable data on the phone, while overseas, since it is so expensive. I want the capability enabled, however, just in case I need it.

 

[thinknate]

Sprint world phones are unlocked, unlike other carriers. I used my Sprint Blackberry in Europe in June, and confirmed with Sprint International CS that my Photon will do the same. You simply need to call the International CS desk and make sure they have enabled international service. They will ask if you want voice-only, or also data. I told them to enable data, but that I would probably disable data on the phone, while overseas, since it is so expensive. I want the capability enabled, however, just in case I need it.

When the Blackberry Tour first came out, it was not unlocked. Websites started popping up that would sell you an unlock code. But you could get the info for free if called Sprint and talked to the right person. This all changed when Sprint/Blackberry later started shipping the phone unlocked.

I do hope this is the policy for all future Spring world phones. But since I haven't seen it advertised, I wanted to verify.

 

[SporkLover]

I've spent the last day or so bouncing back and forth between Sprint and Moto support.

The GSM Radio is unlocked for Voice use only. If you want to use data, then your only option is to use the Sprint Sim.... other carrier SIMs wont work

This was discovered by a few other users, and I think verified by myself and one other person.

Essentially... when you try to program another carrier' APN information the phone WON'T save it unless it has Sprints MNC and MCC programmed into it. So say you want to program Vodaphones APN data.... the phone dumps the data unless it has Sprints MNC and MCC. If you leave Sprint's MNC and MCC instead of Vodaphones, then mobile data doesnt work. If you try to Zero Sprints MNC and MCC... then the custom APN data you tried to program is dumped.

Bottom line.... if you want data overseas through a Photon 4G.... be prepared to pay $17-20 per MB.

 

[exieramos]

I wonder if one of these SIM cards will work. It looks to be much cheaper than paying $17 to $20 per Mb.

Global Roaming International 3G mobile broadband and Global SIM solutions

 

[exieramos]

Just realized that my first post included a link to a product. No, I'm not a spammer and have just started learning about Android coming from WebOS. I'm interested in a Motorola Photon for the World Phone capabilities and did some research and found that Mobilitypass product. Just thought I'd pass along to see if anyone has tried it.

 

[SporkLover]

If it's not the Sprint Sim it wont work for data. Period.