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MDA Compact and 3G network UK

Hi all,
Congrats for the nice forum. I got my MDA compact sim free recently which I used with my Vodafone UK sim card and it worked fine. However I have signed a new contract on 3G UK in Phones4you where I was convinced by the dealer that the sim card can be used to another sim free phone apart from the 3G Nokia 6680 I have taken. It seems that this was not true because when I insert the sim card in the MDA it says "Ivalid Sim Card" and I can't use it now. Do you know any way I could manage my problem? Any advice is appreciated. Thank you very much.

I'm interested in this too. I have considered switching to the 3 network but that fact that you have to use their phones has thus far put me off.

kneeslasher said:
I'm interested in this too. I have considered switching to the 3 network but that fact that you have to use their phones has thus far put me off.
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Yes, they have good price plans, but I am really disappointed cause I can't use my MDA. Their sim cards seem to be locked and unfortunately I have no idea whether there is any way to make it suitable to non-3G phones.

The dealer lied.
3 will not allow non 3G phones because it involve cost to them. Three roam to O2's GSM (2G and 2.5G) when you are out of range of the 3 network and that costs them money. If you have a 2.5G phone like the Magician then it will be permanently roamed to O2 and they would make no money from you becasue they would be billed by O2 for your calls.

Don't forget you get a "cooling off" period on these contracts. Might be worth using it.

MDA Compact is not a UMTS phone! :roll: I think it couldn't operate in 3G networks! Correct me if I'm wrong.

GAINER said:
MDA Compact is not a UMTS phone! :roll: I think it couldn't operate in 3G networks! Correct me if I'm wrong.
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I believe this is true

I tried Orange 3G sim card and it worked just fine on my MDA compact.. :?
Was able to make phonecalls and access the internet without any prob.

RT-PRO said:
I tried Orange 3G sim card and it worked just fine on my MDA compact.. :?
Was able to make phonecalls and access the internet without any prob.
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Are you sure?! This is very strange! Are you talking about Orange in Israel?! :shock:

Thank you all for the replys, it seems that unfortunately in UK it would be impossible to use 3G card on the MDA. As the 6680 has nothing in common with the MDA I hope my bills to compensate the inconvenience :mrgreen:

3G
Using a non umts phone like the magician to connect to a umts network seems to me a very strange and bad idea.
Wait until next year (not so long) and buy the HTC Hermes or the XDA version : it's a S110 with the features of a QTEK 9100 and umts and wifi and ....

GAINER said:
RT-PRO said:
I tried Orange 3G sim card and it worked just fine on my MDA compact.. :?
Was able to make phonecalls and access the internet without any prob.
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Are you sure?! This is very strange! Are you talking about Orange in Israel?! :shock:
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Yeah, an Israeli Orange sim card works OK on my Magician.
of course I couldn't use any 3G services... :roll:

3 is a UMTS-only network. All 3G phones in the UK are dual-mode GSM/UMTS phones.
Because the 3 network does not cover enough of the UK it has an arrangement with O2 so that 3 phones will 'roam' to O2 when out of 3 coverage. When they do this they use O2's GSM network. So, a GSM phone with a 3 USim would be permanently roamed to O2 as I said earlier.
An Orange USim will work in an Orange GSM phone. Orange (in the UK) have a GSM Network and are rolling out a UMTS network. When an Orange phone is out of reach of the Orange UMTS network, it simply uses the Orange GSM network instead. Now if you put a usim into an Orange GSM phone, it simply accesses the Orange GSM network and can't see the UMTS one. Oh and it will be able to use the 2.5G GPRS system as well.
A bit wordy but I think it's clear.

also remember folks thats "3" use a 5volt sim card unlike every other uk network that still use the old 3volt cards.

O2, Exec upgrades and 3G

I've just got an Exec as a free upgrade to my beloved XDA II so I phoned O2 to ask about their 3G service.
In short, if you get an Exec from O2 you should also be given a new 3G SIM for free. If you haven't, call them to say you haven't and they'll send one. No reconfiguring of the Exec is necessary (they say). I'm guessing this doesn't apply if you're a pre-pay client, but who knows?
G
(I suppose I'll have to change my name to 3Goldry soon...)

I don't think a new SIM is required for 3G access... I had a Vodafone Pay&Go SIM well before I got my V1640, and it works on UMTS.

Yes you do require a sim that is compatable, although it is possible your existing one will support the UTMS, if not simply call in to the O2 shop and they will give you the SIM for free, activate it and away you go....
Huge bills - stupidly expensive access charges, but a super quick connection - oh - and did I mention the battery life, UTMS kicks the cr*p out of your battery, I have seen mine decrease even when connected to the car charger - Mike

some theory
3g requires a thicker sim card. You eill not be able to use 3g band with a standard gsm sim. hence no video calling, etc.
its a fact, ie - its a standart.

igs said:
some theory
3g requires a thicker sim card. You eill not be able to use 3g band with a standard gsm sim. hence no video calling, etc.
its a fact, ie - its a standart.
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3G is a thicker SIM? I've not noticed any difference with my T-Mobile SIMs..?

O2 have different SIMS for 3G and GSM. The 3G SIM has some extra information on it which means that a GSM SIM in a 3G phone will not allow 3G data.
I went into an O2 shop and they charged me £10 for a new 3G SIM which they then registered to my account and threw away the old one.
rgds

£10 for a new SIM? That's a joke! I might just go back to Vodafone then in that case...

I just had this with Orange.
I bought a SIM from a market stall for £5 thinking that it would be cheaper than going to Orange for it.
I put it in my Uni, got it all registered and everything was fine until I asked 450 why I wasn't getting a 3G icon.
I had to go to the Orange shop, pay another £5 for a SIM (USIM, 3G SIM) and then ... The fun started.
I put £20 on the USIM when I bought it, it was pre-activated. I took it home, phoned 450, got them to change the number from my old SIM to the new one. I asked if the £20 would be credited accross and he said "yes, within 24 hours".
I waited and it didn't appear. I phoned 450 and the nice gentleman in India told me there was sweet FA he could do to help, go see the Orange shop.
I went to the shop and they told me that ev erything had been done wrong, that they shouldn't even sell USIMs without a new 3G phone to go with it.
I got my £20 back though and am now fully 3G (when in coverage).
The USIM isn't any thicker than the 2G SIM, but it is a different color.

So you're saying that the orange SIM card was meant to be free? Or were you not meant to get it at all?

I think the virgin 'normal' free sims can be enabled to be 3g simply by sending a message to 80310 with the word “Video” but o2 use special seperate 3g sims. From what I understand there is extra capacity on the newer 3g sims but for current 3g services we don't need them hence why virgin's can be enabled.
I have o2 sim and am planning to be off on my travels so am in the process of setting up my universal (xda exec) to use a virgin sim in this as you can roam in Japan only on a 3g sim.

Let us bare in mind that these most extreme cases are pay as you go deals where its "not subsidised"....
If anyone puts some marketing sense into it it will be clearer to understand what all the comotion is about.
Eventually all charges for sims etc on paygo will be waved.... for the moment its a matter of choice.
BR

There's no such thing as a 3G SIM.
Yes there are different SIMs available (with more on-board memory) but at the end of the day they all have to fit into the same SIM shaped hole in your phone.
The handset and features on your account determine whether or not you can access 3G.

actually there is a specific SIM for 3G. It is same shape and size but does not work in older 2G phones..... However, 2G SIMs all work in most 3G Phones

moghisi101 said:
actually there is a specific SIM for 3G. It is same shape and size but does not work in older 2G phones..... However, 2G SIMs all work in most 3G Phones
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Not entirelly right m8...give it a try if you have one and you will see I have my o2 rg sim and works fine on other 2g phones...that also goes for another PAYGO 3g vodafone card that i got hanging around...obviously when it comes to three uk its a diferent story since they do not offer a gsm service and rely on 02 lines where there is no coverage from them and this costs them money.
BR

Does anyone know if a 3G sim (3) will work in a Wizard?

Hi, I have a unlocked Wizard & my T-Mobile contract has just expired, I was just wondering if a 3G sim (3) would work in it as there are some cheap deals on that network? I wouldn't use it for video calls so thats not a problem.

im 99% sure they DONT! however maybe someone there can prove me wrong

I'm using a Cingular 3G SIM in my 8125 with no problems at all.

sk0t said:
I'm using a Cingular 3G SIM in my 8125 with no problems at all.
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a cingular 3G sim and a "3" UK usim are not the same, one runs at 3 volts (sim) and the other at 5 Volts (usim)

Aha! More than I knew! I knew it! Thanks for correcting me..

i was having problems going on line when i first got my wizard, tried everthing even customer suport couldnt figure it out. well i finaly went to store to exchange my unit and one of the reps asked to look at the sim. sure enough thats what it was i didnt have a 3g sim. all is welll now

bigdooky said:
i was having problems going on line when i first got my wizard, tried everthing even customer suport couldnt figure it out. well i finaly went to store to exchange my unit and one of the reps asked to look at the sim. sure enough thats what it was i didnt have a 3g sim. all is welll now
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what our american brothers call a "3g" sim and what the network provider called "3" use are slightly different things.... a american 3g sim is simply a normal 128k provisioned with extra services I.e. data and video calling (this is the same way all the gsm uk networks work too) however with "3" being the first 3g only network in the world they choosed to use the next generation of sim card called a usim which don't work in lots of non 3g phones including the wizard. try googling the word "usim" to see wot I mean

Under 3's terms and conditions you are not allowed to use their sim in a 2.5g phone. If you do use one and it works, they will eventually block it and send you a new sim with a gentle reminder that you are in breach of Ts and Cs.

Cheers Chaps, 3 it isn't then!

My O2 UK 3G UMTS sim works perfectly in my Wizard.You just can`t really get the benefits from it (Faster GPRS/EDGE etc....).

Do I need a 3g usim card for 3g on a m3100?

Hi All
I have just ordered a orange spv m3100 to be used unlocked on t-mobile. I just phoned up t-mobile to ask if i need a new sim to use in a 3g phone, but the woman i spoke to seemed to think that there is no such thing as a 3g sim, is this correct?
Will my old sim from my wizzard work in the m3100 and will i get 3g?
Thanks

you can use a 2g sim in the m3100 but you wouldnt be able to get any 3g services out of it.
best thing to do is just pop your sim into it and it will tell you if you have a 3g signal.
hope this helps

thats what i thought, thanks. i will have to phone up t-mobile again and explain i want a 3g sim.

have you asked to receive the m3100 unlocked or are you having it unlocked after you get it?
as far as i'm aware the m3100 comes locked to orange as standard so you won't be able to use a t-mobile sim...

I've spoke to T-mobile previously about 3g services and they've told me that the chip that I got off them (Bought a MDA vario) would be able to use 3g.
I popped it into my Nokia N70 and it worked a treat.
So, you might not need a different type of Sim card

nice tread i was literally going to ask this exact sme question. i just posted in another thread, asking almost the same thing, only i'm getting a new contract on t-mob and extending my misses contracting then gonna pay for them to both be unlocked and then swap the sims,
hope they send me a 3G sim

Strangely enough, I've ordered a Orange SPV 3100 today and depending on if I like it I'm going to get it unlocked and use my t-mobile chip with it.
Don't fancy paying £20 to get it unlocked to test though, So if anyone can get me a free unlocking solution by tomorrow, that would be appreciated

Even T-Mobile pay as you go sim cards seem to be fine for 3g data - just not enabled for video calling.

My vodafone sim card is a standard one, I haven't changed it in 3 or 4 years and 3g works fine.

thanks for the replys guys, this is all sounding good

I have a mate who had a MDA Vario. He bought an unbranded TyTN and asked me what he had to do to get the internet working.
I said call T and ask for 1) 3g sim 2) connection settings.
He called T and they said he didn't need a 3g sim... I have to say I though they were talking bollocks. So he popped his old sim in and we had a video call - no problems at all.
So you may be ok...

It depends on when you got your device/SIM. If bought over the last year it should be OK, if the SP supports 3G anyway. Older SIMs may need to be replaced.

So...the networks have been shipping USims instead of Sims....interesting. I didn't know that.
Quite useful to know.

thats very interesting, although I have had my sim for some time so not sure if it is a usim. Mine came with my Magician just over a year and a half ago. When I got my wizzard, I just swpped the sim over.
My M3100 should be here today, so I will test it and see what happens.
I dont think there will be a free unlocking tool for a few weeks at least, so Im just going to pay the £20 and get the code.

TheBrit said:
So...the networks have been shipping USims instead of Sims....interesting. I didn't know that.
My voda sim is a sim (not a usim) and is about 3 years old and has worked in every voda 3g phone I've tried it in (v980, 6680, sharp 902, sharp 903, v3x and xda exec).
Gives 1.2mb on hsdpa.
I just had to ask for it to be enabled when voda launched 3g.
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3 Network uk

Has anyone managed to get there artemis working with a 3g sim card? ie.e the 3 network in the uk? www.three.co.uk? sometimes known as hutchinson 3g?
i spoke to a mobile phone shop in southall (middlesex) and they said its possble but £50!!!!

patterns said:
Has anyone managed to get there artemis working with a 3g sim card? ie.e the 3 network in the uk? www.three.co.uk? sometimes known as hutchinson 3g?
i spoke to a mobile phone shop in southall (middlesex) and they said its possble but £50!!!!
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Not tried it, but UK O2 Orbits are not network locked, you can put any SIM in - although with it not being a 3G device, there seems little point in putting a Three SIM in as it will just drop back to whichever GSM network Three piggybacks on (O2 I think). I'v just bought a three sim for £1.25 on ebay, so I'll load it up and see what the coverage is like near me - I only get intermittent t-mobile in my place...

it used to be possible but then 3 started to locking their sims so they only worked in 3g phones

aha!
im not so fussed about the 3g coverage its more being able to use that sim card in the phone, whethe rit roams off of o2 or etc. i got my phoen unlocked (originally t-mobile compact 3) and its the only simcard that doessnt work - thats why im suspicios of this shop[ who says they can doo it for £50
please keep me updated as to how your simcard goes, and if anyone knows a way of doing this im all ears!