Help! Photon not working in Hong Kong!

[k1dude]

I bought my Photon because it's supposedly a world phone. Well, on my first trip overseas it's useless. I'm in Hong Kong and it doesn't recognize a single network. So basically I'm carrying around a brick.

My trip first started out in Shanghai. When I got off the plane and turned the phone on it didn't recognize any networks either. After a couple hours of no service, I manually switched my Network Mode from "Automatic" to "Any GSM/UTMS". None were found. So I then manually switched to "Any CDMA" and it finally began working. Why "Automatic" didn't work I have no idea. Anyway, I used the Photon in China without a problem after I finally got it to recognize a CDMA network.

Then I flew into Hong Kong. Once again, my phone wouldn't recognize any networks. This is in a city with probably more networks than anywhere else on the planet. WTF!!! So once again, I manually changed from "Automatic" to "Any GSM/UTMS." Nothing. Nada. Zip. Ling. So I switched to "Any CDMA" without any luck either. I've now been here for 3 days with no service. I've been pretty busy, so I haven't had a chance to pop in a local SIM card.

Does anyone have any ideas what to do? Even though I'm getting no signal and no bars, I know for a fact that it IS picking up signals. Because when I manually tell it to "Select a Network Operator" under "Operator selection," it populates a whole list of local providers. Yet when I try to connect to one it claims no signal was found. And strangely, the Photon only decided to populate the list today. For the last 2 days, trying that tactic netted me exactly zero providers.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cellmeister]

OK k1dude,

here is what I have read in the past about the Photon International use, but have not done it myself:

I believe you have to call Sprint to activate the International GSM Sim card in your Photon (its not on by default and it is a world phone).

I heard after calling Sprint & activating the above, you can use a different Sim card for the country your in that has cheaper rates (Sprint GSM rates are crazy).

FYI: USA Sim Cards will not work with it, it was specifically designed that way.


If you Google it u should be able to get more info.

I am sure some others will chime in soon, but in the meantime;

If you can't call Sprint you may be able to access your Sprint online account via internet and see if you can Activate it that way or contact them with your issue or have them help.


Hope that helps

 

[k1dude]

Thanks for the reply Cellmeister.

Before heading overseas, I did in fact inform Sprint and paid $5 to be on their international calling plan. I had to tell them the dates and places I'd be visiting so they could activate the service. They also informed me I could use a local SIM card.

But since I wasn't planning on using my phone much, I decided to just pay the Sprint extorsion rates of $2.50 per minute. A SIM card would cost more considering how little I'd be using it. Unfortunately, my phone doesn't work at all and I don't want to pay for a SIM card just to see if it would work.