Using Photon over seas questions...need answers ASAP

[tdoom15]

My mom is traveling to Hong Kong for a month...Tomorrow! We are thinking about getting her a photon in the next 1-1/2 hours as it has a sim card slot that can be used over seas without sprint's ridiculous charges, and I had a few very specific questions I hope you guys can answer for me...

1.) Can you use data (web browsing) by purchasing a temporary sim card over there? Are there even sim cards that provide data as well as talk available in hong kong?

2.) Can it be used as a wireless hot spot to connect a laptop to? If so, how? Apprx charges?

Thanks in advance!

(edit: haha, thanks androidcentral for putting this thread on the front page, i need answers asap!)

 

[thinknate]

Maybe. Some people have reported success using data overseas, and others have not. It appears to depend on the specific carrier you're trying to use. See this thread for some info: UPDATE 9/9/2011 International Use of the Photon - xda-developers

But you'll need a report from someone who's tried it in HK to know definitively.

 

[xcharles718]

AFAIK, You should be able to use the phone's data overseas(just need to put the phone in GSM mode in the settings).

I don't think the native hotspot app would work overseas, but if you root, you should be able to use the Wireless Tether app from the Market.

Coming from a former Photon owner.

 

[tdoom15]

Thanks guys, appreciate the help...pretty much goes along with what I've read and guessed.

If I got it tonight, I could theoretically root it, assuming I knew how and had done enough research to try it....or if it was as easy as Preware ....jk....but I don't feel comfortable enough to attempt it without having done the research first.

Hard decision...

 

[xo96]

Get a Smartone or People SIM, it work and show 3G. Not cheap for off contract dataplan, but if just straight emails and limit your background service shouldn't cost u much for refill. Depending where it will be used, Central and Tsim Sa tsui u should be able to carry a decent WiFi.

 

[aaron1981]

Wow, great to hear that some SIM cards might support data - I was sure overseas data would require using Sprint's outrageous rates!

If you do decide to go with this one, rooting and other key processes are actually pretty easy following the videos this guy posted at XDA: [ACS][HOW TO] Root, Install CWM, Unroot, Flash Roms/Kernels/Themes!(5 videos) 9/11/11 - xda-developers

Good luck and let us know how it goes! I am getting a Photon and planning some international travel pretty soon too!

 

[cezasf]

Does it work in Sweden? More specifically, Gothenburg and Stockholm?
SIM? Voice? Data?

 

[tdoom15]

Quick update...i stopped by the sprint store still undecided whether to give it a go or not, til I talked to the rep who seemed to know what he was talking about and also had a brother over in china...he said even with GSM mode on, the phone would still be racking up roaming charges and there was no way to avoid this, only minimizing the damage done to the bill by getting some sort of 1 month plan. Complete BS imo, and doesn't make any sense, but he was adamant when I questioned it.

The family she is visiting lives in mei foo...My aunt lives in central, but my sister needs the hotspot for her online classes, the rest would just be for entertainment purposes. They're going to try and figure something out there, but thanks everyone for the help

 

[Fyahstarter]

Hopefully, this will help...the Photon is completely unlocked. The best bet is to just buy a pay as you go SIM when your mom gets to Honk Kong. I just got back from London and I bought a SIM for 15.99 Pounds, which included 300 local & 100 international calls, 300 texts and Unlimited Data. I was over there for 12 days and thought it was a perfect deal especially using Google Maps as I explored the city. Not sure what plans are available in Hong Kong, but you'll fare much better using a local sim than using the sim that comes with the phone and paying Sprint's international rates. BTW...the SIM I bought in London was through T-Mobile/Orange.

 

[Levin63]

Yeah, I'd have to say that rep didn't know what they were talking about. She would need to purchase a prepaid SIM when she got to HK . . . that's the entire point of it being a world phone with interchangeable SIMs. Friend of mine got a prepaid when he was in Mexico, worked no problem.

 

[Fyahstarter]

By the way, once you put in the new SIM and switch over to GSM, make sure you update date your prl and profile else the data won't kick in. Do the same when you get back to the States and switch back to CDMA.

 

[the gator]

My son just got back from Europe and he bought a sim card in the US and it was allot cheaper then sprint. He even got 30 minutes of free incoming calls from the US with local number. He did not get data though just used WiFi when he could. This was on the Photon.

 

[mhmmdy123]

Quick update...i stopped by the sprint store still undecided whether to give it a go or not, til I talked to the rep who seemed to know what he was talking about and also had a brother over in china...he said even with GSM mode on, the phone would still be racking up roaming charges and there was no way to avoid this, only minimizing the damage done to the bill by getting some sort of 1 month plan. Complete BS imo, and doesn't make any sense, but he was adamant when I questioned it.

The family she is visiting lives in mei foo...My aunt lives in central, but my sister needs the hotspot for her online classes, the rest would just be for entertainment purposes. They're going to try and figure something out there, but thanks everyone for the help

That`s what I just got from the Sprint customer rep. on the phone few mints ago.

 

[heymista]

I think Sprint tells you that foreign sim cards don't work because they don't want to take responsibility in supporting another carrier's service. They should work fine especially for voice and text.

 

[Alik R]

my GSM roaming worked fine in China with Sprint SIM. But i was told by Sprint that in order to use all capabilities with other carriers cards, you have to make sure that local SIM you buy is 128K. I agree that using wi-fi for data is the best option anyway.