Greetings !

From 4 days ago I became proud owner of Vaio T350P/L.  8)

I successfully unlocked SIM but I’m having difficulties with darn thing to work.  :(

First question:
1. Is built-in GPRS/EDGE modem compatible with european GSM networks ?

If yes, can I then use Cingular Connection Manager to connect to GSM networks here in Europe (Croatia, acurately) ?

Do I need to use dedicated SIM card for data only or can I pop in regular SIM card that goes in mobile phone ?

I have SIM cards from 3 different networks:
1. VIPnet - GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS
2. T-Mobile HR - GSM/GPRS
3. Eronet - GSM only

And when I put any of that 3 cards Manager ask for a PIN code, I type it in, and then it just stay “Searching for Network” constantly and nothing is changing.  :(

What do I need to do to be able to use WWAN ?

Thank you in advance !

could you please share with us on how did you unluck your sim ?

Legend,

I’ve wrote a whole set of intructions in the T subsection of the forums.

Please refer to that:

http://www.siliconpopculture.com/sonytr/viewtopic.php?t=4574&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

and that:

http://www.siliconpopculture.com/sonytr/viewtopic.php?t=5104

[quote author=“Matta”]Greetings !

From 4 days ago I became proud owner of Vaio T350P/L.  8)

I successfully unlocked SIM but I’m having difficulties with darn thing to work.  :(

First question:
1. Is built-in GPRS/EDGE modem compatible with european GSM networks ?

If yes, can I then use Cingular Connection Manager to connect to GSM networks here in Europe (Croatia, acurately) ?

Do I need to use dedicated SIM card for data only or can I pop in regular SIM card that goes in mobile phone ?

I have SIM cards from 3 different networks:
1. VIPnet - GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS
2. T-Mobile HR - GSM/GPRS
3. Eronet - GSM only

And when I put any of that 3 cards Manager ask for a PIN code, I type it in, and then it just stay “Searching for Network” constantly and nothing is changing.  :(

What do I need to do to be able to use WWAN ?

Thank you in advance !

1) yes it is.

2) you can use the Cingular software to connect to any network as long you know the APN. You can use the two URLs that I’ve posted above on how to unlock and how to create a dial-up connection outside the CIM

3) you can pop any smartchip simcard voice/data doesnt matter.

4) I know for sure that t-mobile hungary works. I also have a friend with VIP who says that it works edge only.

5) It is possible your laptop is still locked. I had to repeat the procedure twice before I got it to unlock properly. Once you get it MAKE SURE YOU REBOOT.

6) Remove all PIN numbers. This vaio doesn’t like PINs

Still no success. :(
According to Sony Support I’ve successfully unlocked my T because I get no SIM rejection when I insert some other network’s SIM card. :?

In “Network Info…” I don’t see phone number and according to eSupport “A Phone Number will be present if the Sony Ericsson EDGE Module/SIM card combination has ever been activated and successfully connected to the Cingular® Network.” Is there have to be phone number or not ?

When I try to connect outside Cingular software I get message “connecting” then “registering to network” then error 734 (The PPP link control protocol terminated).

Don’t know what else to do. :(  Do I need to lower the speed in modem properties (it’s on max ATM and that was by default) ? Perhaps some other thing I forgot ?

[quote author=“Gilbert”]2) you can use the Cingular software to connect to any network as long you know the APN.

How can I connect to a network if it stays on “Searching network” or something like that constantly ?
And when I try to scan networks manually I get no network listed although I have signal from 5 different GSM networks in my area.

P.S. Is there any other program that can do what Cingular software does ?

Thanks ! :?

I don’t think so because I have one worn out SIM card and sometimes Connection Manager pops message “NO SIM”, but just sometimes. On other 2 SIM cards I never had that message.

As I said, I have 3 SIM cards from 3 various network providers and all 3 them are not working. They are plain SIM cards (voice/data), not data only. Connection manager just keep searching for available networks. No CID networks, no edge/gprs networks, nothing !

It is strange ,though, that when I pop in SIM card from T-Mobile Croatia in Network Info… phone number actually appear. On other sim cards phone number don’t appear just IMSI number.

And when I go on Help==> About Connection Manager it say that my licence has expired ! Is that how it’s supposed to be or what ?

Am I missing something here ? Please help !  :(  :cry:

your local providers might not support grps/edge. It won’t register and will keep searching. This is the best answer I can give you unless I get some more facts/screenshots etc.

I know for a fact that 1 of them support GPRS/EDGE and even UMTS. I am subscriber of that network and I use GPRS/EDGE with my Nokia 6630.
Other two don’t support EDGE and UMTS but they support GPRS for sure.

This is the best answer I can give you unless I get some more facts/screenshots etc.

What kind of screenshoots would be helpfull ? I’ll snapshot couple and post it here.

Thanks for trying to help ! 

snapshot of each card’s network properties/info.

do you insert the card correctly?  :shock:

[quote author=“Gilbert”]do you insert the card correctly?  :shock:

I’m, maybe, having problems with this but I can still turn SIM in proper position !
Just kidding. It’s inserted correctly because it would give me some kind of error upon initialization if inserted wrongly and besides that, I believe you cannot puit it inside completly if inserted wrongly…

snapshot of each card’s network properties/info.

Here are the snapshots with description below every picture:

Startup screen with ERONET card inserted (voice/data SIM with GPRS enabled)

Diagnostics screen of the same card. You can see IMSI number displayed which means that SIM is properly initialized. Opposite to T-Mobile Croatia SIM (images below) phone number is not displayed.

Here I tried to scan for networks manually but no single network detected…

Then I powered off T and inserted SIM card from T-Mobile Croatia (voice/data with GPRS enabled). It’s initializing.

It’s successfully initialized and search for network appears but again no result. I swithed profile to T-Mobile Croatia but that’s not working because there’s no network detected.

Diagnostic-network window of the same SIM card.

Diagnostic window of the same SIM card. You can see IMSI, IMEI and Phone Number displayed but, again, there’s no network.

I also tired SIM card from VIPnet which has GPRS/EDGE/UMTS enabled but again, no results.  :(

I also tried to put in SIM card with PIN code enabled and it always ask me for a PIN code. I type it in, it gets accepted and same story all over again: searching for network…

I really don’t know whatta heck is wrong and why I cannot search through networks. If you need any more screenshots I’l be glad to post it if it will help somehow. Thank you in advance !

P.S. I don’t know if it’s rellevant now or not, but I tried unlock procedure couple of times after unlocking it for the first time and EVERY time I type in the unlock number I would get OK echo even when I deliberately enter wrong unlock number.  :?  Perhaps the reason is because it is already unlocked.

There are two possibilities

1) the sim is a payasyougo plan, and it is a rechargable card (no data available)

2) the card has the data SPECIFICALLY disabled and you need to call the provider to enable it.

Looking for network is when the card is initialized but it cannot get the provisioning, since the data is disabled.

Please explore these two possibilities.

[quote author=“Gilbert”]There are two possibilities

1) the sim is a payasyougo plan, and it is a rechargable card (no data available)

2) the card has the data SPECIFICALLY disabled and you need to call the provider to enable it.

Looking for network is when the card is initialized but it cannot get the provisioning, since the data is disabled.

Please explore these two possibilities.

Gilbert, thank you for trying to help me. 

Unfortunately, it isn’t first or second possibility, it’s the third one:

3. GPRS/EDGE modem that is built-in, does NOT support GSM 900 band. It only supports GSM 1800.  :(

I’ve found that out by accident. These days I went to our capital city and took T350 with me. As soon as I powered up WWAN I got signal from some network. It turned out to be network from new (third) GSM provider in Croatia that works on 1800MHz. Unfortunately, they just started and only have signal in capital city (and no GPRS !), elswhere they use roaming from other two networks which are 900 MHz and they don’t intend to buy licence for GSM 1800 range.

Built-in modem is useless to me for now, til this new networks gets to my town and upgrade to GPRS/EDGE. Talking about a year or so… :(

Anyway, thanks once again for trying to help me !

[quote author=“Matta”][quote author=“Gilbert”]There are two possibilities

1) the sim is a payasyougo plan, and it is a rechargable card (no data available)

2) the card has the data SPECIFICALLY disabled and you need to call the provider to enable it.

Looking for network is when the card is initialized but it cannot get the provisioning, since the data is disabled.

Please explore these two possibilities.

Gilbert, thank you for trying to help me. 

Unfortunately, it isn’t first or second possibility, it’s the third one:

3. GPRS/EDGE modem that is built-in, does NOT support GSM 900 band. It only supports GSM 1800.  :(

I’ve found that out by accident. These days I went to our capital city and took T350 with me. As soon as I powered up WWAN I got signal from some network. It turned out to be network from new (third) GSM provider in Croatia that works on 1800MHz. Unfortunately, they just started and only have signal in capital city (and no GPRS !), elswhere they use roaming from other two networks which are 900 MHz and they don’t intend to buy licence for GSM 1800 range.

Built-in modem is useless to me for now, til this new networks gets to my town and upgrade to GPRS/EDGE. Talking about a year or so… :(

Anyway, thanks once again for trying to help me !

Matta,

I feel your pain. These monopolist Eastern European GSM networks, that charge 20c-50c per minute and dont offer a reasonable GPRS/EDGE, are usually run by ex-commies/ex-state police and their only concern is how to get rich fast and rip off people. Not to mention that their quality is zip/nada/null, since they buy outdated equipment. Hopefully when Croatia joins the EU, your country will open the market and improve its infrastructure…

[quote author=“Gilberto”]Matta,

Here is something new for you:

There are different unlock codes.

For North America
For Japan
For Europe
WorldWide

Make sure you unlock your modem with the WorldWide one
The SIM card has geographical info and if doesn’t match the modem settings, the modem won’t recognize it.

How do you get different unlock code ? Is it by telling SonySupport that you want WorldWide unlock code ?

BTW, can anybody direct me to some source where I can find specefications of Ericsson EDGE modem that is built-in inside T series ?
I want to be certain does it or does it not support european GSM 900 band .

P.S. Is Gilberto=Gilbert or not ? 

Well, this is quote from SmartWiFi guide for T300 series:

General Functional Information:

SmartWi connection utility supports the following wireless WAN-related funcionality:

Network Systems
GSM 850, 1800 and 1900

Network Services
GPRS/EDGE and SMS
Note: Speech services are not supported.

and so on, and so on.

The most important part is the one painted in blue and underlined. Now, I’m wondering:

1. Does SmartWi connection utility NOT support GSM 900;

or

2. Does modem (and in that way SmartWi connection utility too) NOT support GSM 900 ?

If 1 then there’s a hope that I use modem but outside SmartWi connection utility.
If 2 then I cannot use modem in my country for now.

What do you think ?

[quote author=“Matta”]Well, this is quote from SmartWiFi guide for T300 series:

General Functional Information:

SmartWi connection utility supports the following wireless WAN-related funcionality:

Network Systems
GSM 850, 1800 and 1900

Network Services
GPRS/EDGE and SMS
Note: Speech services are not supported.

and so on, and so on.

The most important part is the one painted in blue and underlined. Now, I’m wondering:

1. Does SmartWi connection utility NOT support GSM 900;

or

2. Does modem (and in that way SmartWi connection utility too) NOT support GSM 900 ?

If 1 then there’s a hope that I use modem but outside SmartWi connection utility.
If 2 then I cannot use modem in my country for now.

What do you think ?

Matta,

The modem inside your laptop is identical to the GC89, which is quad band.

Here is more info:

http://men.style.com/gear/notebooks/mini_marvel

Please call sony and let them give you your worldwide code to unlock it and follow

http://www.siliconpopculture.com/sonytr/viewtopic.php?t=5104

in order to create a dialup ouside the Cingular’s software.

Hope this helps