Related
hi...
im a newbie to the Softbank X01HT, and to be sure would like to ask a few questions before purchasing one...
when people say 'unlock SIM,' it would just allow the X01HT to work with any carrier's card, right? which means that if in another country, i take out Softbank's U-SIM card, and replaced it a local card; then it should theoretically work?
i know that the MAX for the 'Teigaku' for the X01HT approaches 10,000 yen - but does this limit still hold if we use third-party apps, ie., Opera Mobile, Skype, etc.?
when people say 'SIM Free,' i would understand that this is to make the X01HT work even without a SIM card inserted (as ive heard a lot of rumors that without the U-SIM, it just becomes a brick). am i correct in this?
as a follow-up to previous question, if i do choose to make my Softbank X01HT 'SIM Free,' then i can use it just like any other PDA with Full functionality, ie., Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.?
thanks in advanced...!!!
Note: i apologize for asking things that may have been asked before... 'did try searching through the forums, but couldnt find a clear answer to some of my inquiries...
alfred_jp said:
....
when people say 'unlock SIM,' it would just allow the X01HT to work with any carrier's card, right? which means that if in another country, i take out Softbank's U-SIM card, and replaced it a local card; then it should theoretically work?
....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i found my answer to this in this post:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1043066&postcount=96
...
if some can help me in my other questions - it is much appreciated...
thanks!!!
alfred_jp said:
hi...
im a newbie to the Softbank X01HT, and to be sure would like to ask a few questions before purchasing one...
i know that the MAX for the 'Teigaku' for the X01HT approaches 10,000 yen - but does this limit still hold if we use third-party apps, ie., Opera Mobile, Skype, etc.?
when people say 'SIM Free,' i would understand that this is to make the X01HT work even without a SIM card inserted (as ive heard a lot of rumors that without the U-SIM, it just becomes a brick). am i correct in this?
as a follow-up to previous question, if i do choose to make my Softbank X01HT 'SIM Free,' then i can use it just like any other PDA with Full functionality, ie., Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i was wondering if anyone can verify these or not?
thanks...
SIM free does not specifically mean it works without a SIM it means you can use your own SIM from your own network. i.e. it is already unlocked. In general this means it will be more expensive to purchase as it is not subsidised by a network provider.
In fact the Hermes does work without a SIM with all the functions that are not SIM dependent.
You will not get a cheaper device if you run third party software because all devices sold come with pre-installed MS operating System and a set of applications (like them or not)
Mike
Hi Alfred,
I will try and answer some of your questions
The X01ht will work fine as just a PDA without the sim installed
The unlimited access is a bit more tricky Opera will work for the unlimited access and i'm unsure about skype tho
Softbanks price plans are a confusing as hell and it does seem to matter what you use it for .
Also you know that the unlimited price of 5,900 yen is a offer and real price is about 9,800
Really if you just want a internet browser/PDA/Skype/Email and not a Phone I would say that you get a Sharp EM one ( if you live in the Tokyo) it's 39,000 with a 2 year contract and a flat rate of 6,000 for unlimited access
it's what i have done ..
Rob
hi rob,
thanks for the reply...
actually im looking for an "all-in-one" type of thing, so the eMobile wont work (voice services are said to begin in 2008/3). also, once you leave tokyo - no more signal...
willcom's WS004SH/WS007SH wont work either since there is no international roaming. also the fact that PHS signals are very weak outside tokyo.
id rather have an AU - unfortunately, no PDA-type devices; so i guess im left with Softbank.
as for the motivation for my post - my only need is that i can use this device when i go abroad and being able to use the locally available SIM cards (so i dont have to pay expensive roaming charges)... im not so privy with experimenting with various ROMs, etc.
but what im worried is that compared to eMobile and Willcom, Softbank's browsing rates are very expensive...
Tokyorob said:
Hi Alfred,
Really if you just want a internet browser/PDA/Skype/Email and not a Phone I would say that you get a Sharp EM one ( if you live in the Tokyo) it's 39,000 with a 2 year contract and a flat rate of 6,000 for unlimited access
it's what i have done ..
Rob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you actually have a Sharp EM one and are using it?
I know Dopod 900 and other 3G phones can be used in Japan as long as you have a 3G enabled SIM card from your home telco. How about the new U1000? If I buy one in Singapore can I use it during my trips to Japan? This is a major purchase decision point so please help if you can. Thanks!
I can confirm it works. And you need to use a handfree to make call. I used 3HK and CSL SIM card in Japan and works just fine.
jameshuang said:
I can confirm it works. And you need to use a handfree to make call. I used 3HK and CSL SIM card in Japan and works just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you make a GPRS / internet connection with the Dopod U1000 in Japan?
Yes. It works just fine. No problems.
k_kirk said:
Yes. It works just fine. No problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's good news. Could you please tell me how you set up the GPRS connection?
Edit: oops , I see, you are not using a Japanese service, like Softbank, or NTT. I am still trying to find out whether it's possible to use an unlocked Athena with a Softbank SIM card. I know the it would work as phone, but how to set up the GPRS connection would be the problem.
chainbolt said:
That's good news. Could you please tell me how you set up the GPRS connection?
Edit: oops , I see, you are not using a Japanese service, like Softbank, or NTT. I am still trying to find out whether it's possible to use an unlocked Athena with a Softbank SIM card. I know the it would work as phone, but how to set up the GPRS connection would be the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. I use Singtel and use roaming when I'm in Japan. My SIM has the 3G service activated. I hope you can find a telco offering service in Japan. Good luck.
Using Dopod 900 3G PPC in Japan
Hi! Can anyone tell me how to get the Dopod 900 I bought in Malaysia to work here in Japan? Sales clerks are telling me it's not possible. Dopod's site doesn't offer any help. Thanks a lot. I plan to be here for a month or more so it will really help to find out what's true and possible.
Yes I can confirm it works too.
Professorredbag said:
Hi! Can anyone tell me how to get the Dopod 900 I bought in Malaysia to work here in Japan? Sales clerks are telling me it's not possible. Dopod's site doesn't offer any help. Thanks a lot. I plan to be here for a month or more so it will really help to find out what's true and possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it does. As far as I understand if it supports 3G then it should technically work in japan. Too bad I no longer have my Dopod 900 with me to test it out.
Dopod 900 Woes in Japan
Thanks for your replies. The problem is I want a Japanese sim card and number not the roaming services from Malaysia as I have temporarily moved. This what sales clerks are telling me is not possible. They say I must have a Japanese made handphone. !!?? I know they are protectionist here but surely there is a way around the obstacles.. Any specific suggestions? really appreciate your help!
What I know
I am really interested in this too, as I plan on getting an Athena soon. However, I know that you don't need a "Japanese made handphone". They don't like people using different phones on their network, but they can't really stop you.
Well, they probably can technically stop you, but it is highly unlikely that they will. The reason the sales clerk is telling you it is impossible is probably because there are almost NO unlocked phones in Japan. 99.99% of all phones sold here are branded and locked to a specific carrier.
I am a Hermes user and bought my Hermes through Softbank, a carrier here in Japan. I have since reflashed it hundreds of times and have never had a problem with connecting to the network. I also know others on this board who are Kaiser users who have imported their Kaisers from other countries and are using them on Softbank's system with no problems. There was also a big interest in the mobile device geek community of Japan in the Treo 700w when it first appeared, and I have seen blogs of Japanese guys who have got that running on Softbank's system. So it IS definately possible to run non-Softbank phones on Softbank's network provided you have a valid Softbank SIM.
Some caveats:
I have never seen any carrier here just selling SIMs. You will more than likely have to purchase a phone to get a SIM card.
Voice and SMS (text) should work automatically just by popping in the SIM. Data and MMS are more difficult.
Data
There are two ways of connecting to Softbank's data servers, and each is charged differently. One method uses a public access server, but the charges for using this are quite high. This is the server used for people connecting laptops using cellular modems. The other method allow access under Softbank's tiered and capped system, which is the much cheaper and safer option. The connection settings to access this system are very closely guarded and no one to my knowledge has been able to hack them.
However, there is a workaround. See here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=298031
The problem with this workaround is that it requires a program called WIFIwake.exe. And it just so happens that WIFIwake.exe is coded specifically for different machines. On the link above, there is a version for the Universal and a version for the Hermes (the U and H in the .zip file names). Valued member Chaimd hex-edited a file to make it work for Kaiser: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=328362&highlight=softbank&page=3. And he seemed to think it was a pretty easy job. If asked nicely, he might be able to hex-edit one for Athena too - or not. I don't know.
MMS
MMS is also more difficult to set up. Basically, it requires a program called MMSLite which can be quirky. The only way to know for sure whether it will work with Athena is to try and see I think. And it does NOT work on WM6.1 systems, so you will have to decide between MMS + WM6 or NoMMS + WM6.1. This is the big reason I am thinking of buying the 7501 rather than the 7510.
After some research...
... on some Japanese sites, it seems that a CID unlocked Athena can use the WIFIwake.exe file meant for the Universal.
Also, MMSLite seems to be working as well. So it seems that on the Softbank network at least the Athena can do it all.
Dopod Woes in Japan
Dear Larsuck,
I appreciate your investing so much time and thought to help me. I'm not even remotely savy enough to understand the complexities of your advice but I do gather that buying a Japanese phone is inevitable. Any suggestions for the cheapest? as I'll just use it for local calls and carry my laptop with me when I need other connectivity.
Professorredbag said:
Any suggestions for the cheapest? as I'll just use it for local calls and carry my laptop with me when I need other connectivity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh? So you have decided not to the the Athena? There are tons of really cool phones over here that can do many, many different things - but none of them compare to WM in that they aren't as customizable. Go to the Softbank website (English: http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/en/ ) and check them out.
However, if you want to get the Athena, here are two choices:
1) Get the Athena, come to Japan, get a cheap phone (cheap in the relative sense) here, take the SIM card out of it and put it in the Athena. Do some research on this site and get the Athena up and running. Keep the cheap phone just in case the Athena dies.
2) Get the Athena, come to Japan, get an expensive but slightly subsidized phone, unlock it and sell it on ebay. Use the sim card in your Athena and hope it doesn't die.
...or at least I hope that this is possible. I really don't want to take the old advice which says "buy a Japanese cellphone and stop worrying" as the MDA is hard to replace and after "teaching" it how to read and write Japanese there's nothing I'd really miss just keeping it. Against the myth you can get standard SIM cards in Japan, too and the only critical point would be the wireless standard used in Japan. The Phone tab say that it supports WCDMA, but I read before that this is not true for every Japanese provider. Softbank (Vodafone) is said to be compatible to the European UMTS standard. Can anybody here validate this? It would safe me a lot of money getting a decent Japanese cellphone as my "brick" still has a year or two of life in it
Yes the Universal works in Japan. At least in most places... it seems to lose the signal in the middle of a subway tunnel but gets it back quickly at the station ;P
I think our 'bricks' will be around a lot longer than that as they don't seem to be giving us a direct replacement :¬D
That's great news, but which provider do you use eksekki? Softbank? Or maybe it doesn't really matter after all? And we're not talking about the Japanese Universal here, right? And about the direct replacement: Is the 'Omni' really vaporware? I always had my hopes up for that one...
SB/Vodafone + Universal works. As for any other operator, if you can get a SIM card that fits into Universal I really don't see any reason why it wouldn't work(*). Hardware wise, I use (UK) Xda Exec brand but all the HTC Universal models are the same and there is no "Japanese universal" right (just ROM maybe)? No problems with different (English) ROM versions including WM6 - hence the "universal" =) There's just no replacement for this brick!
* edit: as long as they have a 2100 MHz WCDMA network :|
Any etra work needed?
I'm just calling back this thread from the ghosts to ask whether any extra steps are needed to use my Universal in Japan. I've seen a patch for the Hermes to use the Softbank AP, but I wonder: Shouldn't the Universal work straight out of the box if I pop in the Softbank card? Is it just because the AP password is hardcoded into the Japanese ROM? Speaking of which: What is the latest native Japanese (Softbank) WM5 ROM? The search didn't reveal anything. What kind of services will I miss if I just leave a Japanese enabled English WM5 ROM on the device? Would be great if someone could enlighten me a bit.
Well a friend of myne returned to lithuania for a few days and he gave me his old T-Mobile (HTC Sapphire MyTouch 3G) phone as he didn't need it anymore. But we don't have T-Mobile here and when i try to boot it up it asks me to login with a google account and i can't do anything since no T-Mobile , means no internet connection can't login. I tried fastboot but it says "not allow" adb woun't work since i can't enable debugging , not can i mount the damn sd card.
Is it still possible to do anything with it or should i trash it ?
Don't trash it!!
Get a local SIM with data (just pay as you go), try to find one with data where you pay by the megabyte. Then at the google sign in screen, press menu and enter the apn for your network. You will then be able to sign in.
I'v actually tried two local sims , trying to enter the APN just doesn't let me save
if i press save what i typed just disapear, and it does not let me connect.
Tried hot-swapping the T-Mobile sim that came with the phone to no avail
Funny how people are quick to throw $400 phones away because they cant find a "simple" answer.
You can either find a cell company that uses Tmobiles networks, we have a few here in florida... Or you can get an unlock code through many a website or ebay emailed to you and use it on any company that uses a sim and the same baseband frequencies.... ATT, Virgin mobile etc....
Or you can send it to me to use as a development phone lol J/K ... maybe ;P
We got 3 providers here none of which have anything to do with T-Mobile (2 of which i already tried)
And i can't really find any way (as far as i read) to access it without getting past the google screen and enabling adb
Maybe a gold card would work ? but doesn't hat require enabling "unknown sources"
which again i can't do without getting past the damn google screen :|
(i'm not in USA btw , i'm in Lithuania (small european country))
Coldberg said:
We got 3 providers here none of which have anything to do with T-Mobile (2 of which i already tried)
And i can't really find any way (as far as i read) to access it without getting past the google screen and enabling adb
Maybe a gold card would work ? but doesn't hat require enabling "unknown sources"
which again i can't do without getting past the damn google screen :|
(i'm not in USA btw , i'm in Lithuania (small european country))
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol, I know your not in the US. But you do have at least one GSM carrier right? one that uses sim cards? If so, you need to unlock the phone with a code given from ebay or one of the many sites.
Using a gold card is not going to help you. Rooting it would help you get past the sign in screen, but using a gold card can just brick it anyway.
We have 3 carries that use sim cards but none of them worked , tried all of them
all had data plans but apn just doesn't work at all on them
and i'm kind of weary of those unlock codes since i can just pay money and get a bogus code
Coldberg said:
We have 3 carries that use sim cards but none of them worked , tried all of them
all had data plans but apn just doesn't work at all on them
and i'm kind of weary of those unlock codes since i can just pay money and get a bogus code
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They arent going to work unless you unlock the phone.
And thats why you dont buy a code from sme random person. You find a respectable seller on ebay or research a site.
I suggest ebay the best because they will email the code to you and give you instructions.
Again, the reason they didnt work is because the phone is locked to only using tmobile.
Once unlocked it can work on any sin card using carrier, but some take some extra settings.
can you guys recommend a good unlock code seller ? is it possible to get it for 10$ or less?
Just wondering if anyone knows how I might disable the motoblur sim lock when I change the sim cards in my phone (or at least the requirement to connect to the internet to check the password).
I originally started out with the Australian Optus 2.2 ROM, which allowed me to change SIMs when I went overseas without having to connect and check the password (though I did have to enter it). I'm now running the Brazil 2.3.6 Retail ROM (which is MUCH MUCH MUCH better than the old 2.2 version, and seemingly faster and smoother than the community ROMs I've tried). That said, I'm now having issues when I go overseas...
I've just had to use another phone to activate a prepaid simcard and get an internet connection working while I'm on holidays overseas in order to use my own phone. I could have done this perfectly well on my own phone, but it locked me out ("sim card removed or changed") until I could connect to the internet on it. I'm looking to avoid this situation in future as I won't always have a spare phone and/or the ability to get a reasonably priced data plan. Is there any way to disable this "feature" of Motoblur?
For anyone who's wondering, the issue comes about as many prepaid cards are bought empty, and then require a call to activate, load with credit, set up a data plan on etc. Can't do this when the phone is refusing to allow you to do anything until you connect to the internet and reactivate the phone...