GPRS but no GSM on G1

S

Shadow of my soul.

New member
Hi guys,

I swapped my Touch HD for a G1 today (although I actually still have both phones at the moment), put my SIM in it, but it wouldn't register on the Orange network (UK).

The phone has been unlocked and it even lets me register my Google account over GPRS (after I restored factory defaults). I can get on websites and receive email, but I can't make phone calls or sent SMS messages. When I search for GSM operators, sometimes it says it cannot search, but usually it comes up with the list. When I select Orange, it tries to connect but tells me "Your SIM card does not allow a connection to this network.".

I've called Orange and told them I've got a new handset and told them what problem I'm having and they sent a SIM update through. After the phone call I immediately pulled the battery out of my Touch HD and put the SIM into the G1 and booted it up. I've not received the SIM update on the G1. I did ask the guy whether the SIM update would be sent over the GSM network and therefore not work, but he said that it wasn't necessary to be connected.

Any ideas? Does it sound like the G1 has a hardware fault? I can still give the G1 back if necessary.

Thanks for your time.
 
Does the SIM work in your old phone still?

In order to use GPRS, it has to register on the network. So this seems really weird. Are you sure it's not using WiFi? You can check by viewing the icons next to the clock. If one has a G on it then it's using GPRS.

SIM updates are sent using SMS messages, so your SIM needs to be in your other phone (as that works) to receive it. The SIM update applies to the SIM card, not the phone.

On newer phones, there is no indication at all when you receive a SIM update. On older phones it came through as a garbled text message with some text saying to delete it. So, if you want the SIM update, simply put your SIM card in your old phone and turn it on for a few minutes.

I have to say, it's really really weird you can use GPRS but not GSM stuff.
 
Hi extorian,

Nope, WiFi is off. I couldn't use WiFi during the Google registration after the factory default reset but it still went through and synced all my calendar and contacts information. However, I don't get the G icon like I do on the PAYG t-mobile sim that I have.

When I use the t-mobile sim, I connect to the GSM network and I get the G, but I can't make any calls or use the Internet (the up arrow lights up on the G symbol but the down arrow doesn't). As far as I know you dial 150 to check your credit but it won't even call that.

Do you think reflashing would help, or does it sound like a hardware problem?

Edit: Oh, and yes the SIM still works in my Touch HD.

Edit 2: I just put the SIM in my Touch HD and received the SIM update, put the SIM back in the G1 and go to search for networks and it says "Error while searching for networks."
 
Reflashing may help if you're running a custom firmware (like Cyanogen Mod). Some ROMs are specific to a given locale (i.e. the UK) too. So it may be worth checking. I believe Cyanogen Mod is fine anywhere that uses GSM.
 
I'm not running any custom firmware. I probably shouldn't reflash it since if it's broken I'll take it back to the shop and perhaps suggest to him to try it. I don't want to be liable for bricking it!

Thanks for your help - hopefully I'll find an Android device that works

While I'm here, what other Android devices are there that have slide out keyboards like the G1?
 
You may have heard of the Motorola Droid - this is called the Motorola Milestone in the UK, and is currently (in my opinion) the only other Android phone with a keyboard that's worth considering. There are others, but they're really horrible ones.

I don't think it's available on contract yet in the UK (Vodafone was getting it I think in a month or so? Or was it T-Mobile?), but you can buy it new or used from the usual places (expansys.com for new, Amazon, eBay).

The Milestone has a number of advantages over the G1 - bigger screen, Android 2.0 (which is being upgraded to 2.1 any minute) as opposed to 1.6, faster processor, more memory (something the G1 really lacks), bigger slide-out keyboard.

If you want to wait, there's an "enterprise version" of the Nexus One (Google's flagship Android phone) called the Nexus Two or Motorola Shadow which has a rumoured release date of April to June 2010, and it has a keyboard. It'll be expensive, of course, but a 4.3" screen is just so phwaw!
 
Have you checked to see if your phone is set for "WCDMA ONLY"? If you are on "WCDMA ONLY" GSM will not (or should not) work. I get into this menu using a "testing" shortcut created by Bettercut, but someone here must know how to get at it directly. (Is Anycut still for free?) Once you selected "GSM ONLY" or "WCDMA PREFERRED", back out to your home screen and wait a minute to see if GSM comes on. Also, have you tried getting a new SIM? Not just an update?
 
Downloading Any Cut from the market and using it to make a short cut using "Activity" to "Select Phone Info", then
pressing that new shortcut on the desktop and selecting from the drop down list to "GSM only" or "WCDMA preferred" is the only way I know too.

Good call on that one - "WCDMA only" fits the symptoms and would explain why only data can be accessed. However, I would have thought a full factory reset would have fixed that?
 
I tried using Any Cut, got to the menu with high hopes but alas, it was set to WCDMA preferred already.
Looks like it's dead. Ah well, I'll just be forced to splash out on a better one
Thanks for all your help guys!
 
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