Confused about GPRS

[yarx]

Can someone help, I'm confused about how GPRS works.

The situation is, I have a XDA on the O2 network. GPRS works fine in the UK.

I recently went to HK, and it didn't work.

Before I went to HK, I phoned the O2 help line and asked them specifically if I need to make any changes, they said 'NO', it should work without any changes similar to GSM international roaming.

By looking around this forum, its seems to me that information given to me is wrong.

Would it be correct to say that if I take my XDA to another country for a short trip, I need to set up the GPRS dial up to connect to whatever GPRS provider that exist in that country?

In other words, GPRS is not seemless like roaming GSM?

[vpreHoose]

With GSM roaming it uses the SS7 network which all netorks connect to.
GPRS roaming never specified the mechanism to carry roaming traffic (as it was IP and not suitable for carrying over SS7).

Consequently there are about 4 public GRX networks that carry GPRS roaming traffic. For seemless GPRS roaming every operator has to connect to all 4.

O2 only has GPRS roaming agreements with a few operators in a few countries. For instance in France there is only a roaming agreement with SFR, so GPRS does work fine, without any changes in config on SFR only. GPRS roaming to O2 will not work on the other two networks.

O2 may have a GPRS roaming agreement with one operator in HK.

Vodafone will ONLY GPRS roam with other Vodafone group companies.

[Anonymous]

O2 UK do, indeed, have one agreement for GPRS roaming in Hong Kong. They were correct in saying no settings need changing - you are not connecting to the Hong Kong GGSN, after all.

Did you ask that all international roaming bars be lifted and reboot the unit at least 24 hours in advance of leaving the country?