answering my own question for posterity:as in:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1391740&page=2
i can't get the regulatory domain setting to stick - it's on 11, i need 13. that thread says that the phone is sniffing the sim card and determining the country from there.
anyway - the cure on that thread is too complicated for me the novice - andr4e, or anyone, would you have a remedy for me?
cheers / sbasiba.