Unable to see T-mobile network with Pay As You Go SIM

[neilius]

Greetings all,

I'm having the following issue with a Qtek 1020 I just purchased from Microdirect, sold as SIM unlocked. The phone just doesn't find the network when I turn it on with my Pay As You Go T-mobile SIM. No error message pops up, nothing asks me for an unlock code etc, I just get the message 'No Service' under Connectivity when I select the aerial icon at the top of the screen. When I go to Phone Settings I can see listed under 'other networks' O2 and Vodafone, but no T-mobile. I've tried changing GSM bands in the bootloader and listing networks but to no avail (I switched through 900, 1900 and 900/1800). I have also tried the unlocking tools around this site with no success. I know the SIM works as it asks for my PIN when I switch on and I can also browse through contacts stored on it. I'm wondering if anyone here has any ideas as I'm all out.

Information about my Qtek:

Qtek 1020
ROM version: 4.02.04 ENG
ROM date: 8/24/05
Radio version: A.33.02
Protocol version: 1.3.3
Model No: PW10B1

Please don't let me pull any more hair out :x

Thanks and warm regards,

Neil. :)

[mark_e]

Hi,

Just wanted to let you know you're not alone! I too bought the 1020 from Microdirect and have the same problem. I've tried my t-mobile pay as you go SIM in an i-mate pda2k and it worked straight away. That made me think the 1020 was restricted to o2/vodafone. If its an unlocked PDA why do Microdirect say it won't work with Orange? Where I work we successfully unlocked an XDA and used an Orange SIM, but that was a couple of years ago.

I've e-mailed qtek but have had no response yet.

I've tried the xda developers ROM and while it is cool I still get the problem with the t-mobile SIM, although it says No Signal as opposed to No Service. I was going to try the GSM modes on the bootloader but notice you've tried that already so I won't bother.

If I get any further I'll post back asap.

Mark

[neilius]

Thanks for your reply Mark and now I can rest knowing I'm not the only one having trouble! I too tried the developer's ROM with no luck, although it was nice to play with the extra applications. Funny how Microdirect stated that it was compatable with T-Mobile, when it seems that it is not. I tried my sister's T-Mobile contract SIM and it doesn't work either, but my mum's Vodafone SIM works fine as well as my dad's Pay As You Go Vodafone SIM. It seems like this device is locked out of T-Mobile.

Regards,

Neil.

[mark_e]

Microdirect have backtracked on the unlocked claim.

See link below for their comments.

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=11864&GroupID=1162

Oh well!

[neilius]

Yep I saw that. I decided to keep the PDA because it was such a good deal and I'm trying to go for a cheap contract with Vodafone. Check out http://www.mobilephonesdirect.co.uk/phonenetwork-84-1-Nokia_1100_on_Vodafone.html - £8 per month for the first 6 months then £16 afterwards. You get 1000 off-peak minutes per month to landlines and other Vodafone users as well as 250 TXTs plus £110 cash back after 6 months!! Sounds like a bargain to me, let's hope I pass the credit check!

Neil.

[neeyik]

I was about to ask the very same question myself. I'm somewhat annoyed that Microdirect never even bothered to apologise or correct the mistake directly when I presented this problem to them last week - their response was to simply "return the item". For a Pocket PC PDA though, it's nice and cheap so like others, I'll keep mine and buy the cheapest possible Vodafone PAYG system that I can.

[neilius]

Well my Vodafone contract was approved and I immediately put the SIM into my Qtek 1020 whilst leaving the bundled Nokia phone unopened. All is well, I set up GPRS etc and my handy new PDA just got handier. Now I can sell this Nokia 1101 phone as it's SIM unlocked... might get 20 quid for it or something!

Regards,

Neil.

[neilius]

Okay well here's another damn issue with this thing... After a couple of weeks happy usage, the SD card slot decides to spit out anything I put into it - it just won't hold a card no matter what. I didn't force the mechanism at all or insert a card too forcefully - it just popped out one day and wouldn't go back in. I've written to Microdirect requesting an RMA, they replied thinking I was requesting an RMA for an SD card so I had to correct them and let them know it's actually the card slot in the 1020 that seems to have developed a fault of some kind. Just wondering if anyone else has ever had an issue with the card slot on their wallaby, so maybe we can say they are notoriously weak or something, or perhaps I was just unlucky.

Regards,

Neil.

[neilius]

Update: My replacement 1020 arrived today and all is well, well done to MicroDirect.

Rgds,

Neil.