dopod 838 Pro not working with Telstra SIM

[bradjfowler]

Hi,

I am having an absolute nightmare trying to get my brand new 838 to recognise GSM with a Telstra SIM.

It doesn't even ask for a pin, which leads me to think it's not even recognising there's a SIM in there. I can't get into phone setup options and on a very rare occasion (2 out of about 50) it goes to the pin entry on the phone screen and says it's an unrecognised SIM error. So I call telstra because the dopod customer service guys is apparently on hols until the 7th Jan.

First, they told me my old 2G SIM wouldn't work, so off I pop and get a NextG one. No dice..

Then I finally (after15 hours) got an activation for the aussie member's area at dopod and found out you have to put this netwiz.dat in the my documents folder of the device, so I do. No dice..

So I download the ROM update, even though it says the phone is already that version. No dice..

Then, another telstra tecchie says that even though my phone contract is with them, they don't support the handset so they basically don't want a bar of it, but they did tell me that as far as they know, all dopod are locked to 3. I have used the add/remove option to delete the 3 smartphone program from the device but, you guessed it. No dice..

Has anyone else had this problem, or is anyone able to offer some advice? I'm about to throw the damn thing against a wall in frustration. :mad:

Thanks

[mikechannon]

Not much help I know but you are not alone:

Might be something in these?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=280953&highlight=telstra (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=280953&highlight=telstra)

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=275303&highlight=telstra (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=275303&highlight=telstra)


Mike

[bradjfowler]

Thanks.

I've tried flashing the older ROM to bring the bootloader back to 1.04, but I get a vendor error.

Here's a readout of the checkimage command:
USB>checkimage
IPL CRC checksum = 0x14F034AA

SPL CRC checksum = 0x9382C208

CE CRC checksum = 0xA08CDD91

ExtROM CRC checksum = 0xB5A1BAF9

Radio Image CRC checksum = Checksum: Wait interpreter timeout
0x0

[jasjamming]

Dopod 838pro's bought from 3 stores in australia are locked (via the radio) to the 3 network. removing the '3' apps wont do the trick. therefore it wont recognise any other sim, e.g. telstra, vodafone or optus.

the only Hermes device sold in Australia that is not locked to any network is the Imate JASJAM.

to unlock your dopod 838pro to use with Telstra you will have to (at your own risk) unlock it (see the wiki for info) - but this may void your waranty.

[bradjfowler]

I have tried flashing the ROM with version 23 and also 30 of dopod and also with a jasjam ROM. I keep getting a vendor error, even with the dopod ones.

The phone was purchased from a company called corporate express, not from 3, so I can't see why it should be locked.

Can anyone offer some advice on the flashing issue?

[mikechannon]

I have tried flashing the ROM with version 23 and also 30 of dopod and also with a jasjam ROM. I keep getting a vendor error, even with the dopod ones.

The phone was purchased from a company called corporate express, not from 3, so I can't see why it should be locked.

Can anyone offer some advice on the flashing issue?

This is not my field so this may be inappropriate for you, there is reference to the vendor error on this page - have you seen it??

http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=Hermes_Upgrades

Mike

[jasjamming]

I have tried flashing the ROM with version 23 and also 30 of dopod and also with a jasjam ROM. I keep getting a vendor error, even with the dopod ones.

The phone was purchased from a company called corporate express, not from 3, so I can't see why it should be locked.

Can anyone offer some advice on the flashing issue?

from what I know, dopod 838pro are sold exclusively by 3 Australia (and other licensed resellers in collaboration with 3)

Imate jasjams are sold by telstra (and other licenses resellers such as computer world)

Have you got a friend with a 3 USIM? If so, best is to try to see if your dopod recognises the sim first.

if it doesnt, then there is something else wrong with the device.

In regards to flashing, it all depends on the bootloader you have. if you have 1.04 then you can flash any of the roms. but if you flash a rom with a bootloader 1.06 or higher, then you cannot flash to a rom with a different CID. you might want to CID unlock your device. Please viist the wiki and also visit the STICKY thread in the upgrading section of thes forum which presents a tutorial.

Cheers,
Ronny

[icemantwilight]

Considering you haven't got any sim to work in your phone, perhaps it's faulty?

I know some older GSM sim's wont work in 3g phones. Mine is 2 years old and works fine however. If it's not recognising the sim and giving you a clear error about being locked, I'd suggest you send it back for repair.

I was also told by 3 that the phones are not locked but you must buy them with some kind of contract due to their low price.

[sol95]

Dopod 838pro's bought from 3 stores in australia are locked (via the radio) to the 3 network. removing the '3' apps wont do the trick. therefore it wont recognise any other sim, e.g. telstra, vodafone or optus.

the only Hermes device sold in Australia that is not locked to any network is the Imate JASJAM.

to unlock your dopod 838pro to use with Telstra you will have to (at your own risk) unlock it (see the wiki for info) - but this may void your waranty.

This is untrue

I have the Dopod 838 Pro bought from a 3 store and Optus/Virgin Mobile/Vodafone SIMs work perfectly fine

[jasjamming]

you learn something new everyday.
:)

[Da_Blitz]

I have the jasjam that i got throgh telstra, they will always tell you you need a next G sim card even when you dont. i am using a 3 year old sim in it and it works fine

however i dont get UTMS at all (not so bad considering how much it costs)

if i remeber correcttly it had to do with them chaninging voltages about 5 years ago that meant you could fry your sim

[bradjfowler]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I'm going to try unlocking it with IMEI-check and see how I go. If it still doesn't work, I'm sending it back.

[KevinBaker]

Dunno why you're bothering paying to unlock; you can unlock the DoPod 838 Pro free with pofs tool (as you can downgrade - you're having problems, but you have not tried to fix them?).

The first batch of DoPods delivered to Three were not simlocked, later batches are.

[walshieau]

Dopod 838pro's bought from 3 stores in australia are locked (via the radio) to the 3 network. removing the '3' apps wont do the trick. therefore it wont recognise any other sim, e.g. telstra, vodafone or optus.

the only Hermes device sold in Australia that is not locked to any network is the Imate JASJAM.

to unlock your dopod 838pro to use with Telstra you will have to (at your own risk) unlock it (see the wiki for info) - but this may void your waranty.

incorrect... i bought my dopod 838 Pro from Expansys AU and is unlocked running a telstra sim and also a vodafone sim...

[sol95]

Dunno why you're bothering paying to unlock; you can unlock the DoPod 838 Pro free with pofs tool (as you can downgrade - you're having problems, but you have not tried to fix them?).

The first batch of DoPods delivered to Three were not simlocked, later batches are.

Do you have any information that the later batch are simlocked, or just your assumption? Because my Dopod 838Pro is from the latest batch (with latest firmware) and is unlocked...

It's more likely that all the Dopods, irrespective of which batch they're from, are all not locked to any telco.

[sol95]

incorrect... i bought my dopod 838 Pro from Expansys AU and is unlocked running a telstra sim and also a vodafone sim...

HEHE

I'd be mighty upset if I bought a phone outright from a non three (or any other telco) dealer and it was locked!

I think the reference was to Dopods sold through three...but the point still stands as they seem to be unlocked.

[KevinBaker]

Do you have any information that the later batch are simlocked, or just your assumption? Because my Dopod 838Pro is from the latest batch (with latest firmware) and is unlocked...

It's more likely that all the Dopods, irrespective of which batch they're from, are all not locked to any telco.
Its my information from someone who owns and runs a Three shop, and is very much in with the developments (i.e. not just a bum who owns a shop, he works with them in a higher level too). Apparently it was a problem with the distro, and they were meant to be locked, and it would be rectified in the second batch shipped to Three.

[OdeeanRDeathshead]

I too have a dopod 838 from three and it works with all other carriers sims. Maybe the problem is that the dodpod has its band set to umts exclusively and unless you use the registry hack mentioned in the wiki (or by secureGSM) the band tab will not appear to allow changing to other bands. This is a problem for all user's of three because their network is limited and the phone can't go into roaming mode without the band setting modifications.

[Rambler76]

OdeeanRDeathshead is correct.

the latest Aus 1.30 firmware hides the network bands.

use the reg hack to unhide it and set it to auto and auto.

[bradjfowler]

Thanks for all the feedback folks.

The helpful gents at IMEI-Check inform me that the radio is buggered, which is why nothing will flash and I can't sort the phone out. I'm sending it back to the store for a new one which will hopefully work as designed out of the box.

Will keep you posted.

[jcrayon]

the only Hermes device sold in Australia that is not locked to any network is the Imate JASJAM.

This is not true. I purchased a Dopod838Pro from Techoni that was unlocked out of the box. It came with ROM 1.30.707.4 which I was quite happy about.

I pulled my 2 year old Optus SIM out of my Nokia, stuck it into the Dopod, and everything worked happily.

Cheers,
JC

[jasjamming]

hi guys,

I was implicitely referring to the dopod's sold by 3 Australia, especially from their second batch of phones (they sold their first batch in a couple days). A friend of mine has one bought in december and its locked to 3.

Cheers,

[sol95]

I got 2 (one for me and one for my wife) in december from the 2nd batch and they're not locked

[senergy]

Just for your information,
Vodafone Australia now sell Dopod 838 pro's. I'm picking mine up this afternoon.
Ive used the Telstra JasJam and 3's Dopod 838 pro so it will be interesting to see what customisation they have done and if it is locked in any way.

[jasjamming]

I got 2 (one for me and one for my wife) in december from the 2nd batch and they're not locked

now this is strange.

an intermittent network lock. its like a door prize.