Abroad with no signal?????????

[DroidX101]

I just went from the Bionic to the DInc2 because of it being global, and now I'm in Singapore and I get no service whatsoever! Why? Can anyone help me with this. I can't even call verizon to ask them. All I can use is wifi. I have my data set to off to advoid the charges but the network is set to "Global". If this is a global phone, why isn't it not working? Thanks in advance!

 

[Droid Firefighter]

Did you get the sim card unlock code from Verizon? You need that prior to leaving the states. You will have to call them via land line to get it.

This post is Incredible 2

 

[goffredo]

First, when you bought your phone, it came with a Verizon-branded Vodafone SIM installed in the SIM slot (underneath the battery). When you are out of Verizon's CDMA coverage in the United States, and your phone gets switched (more on this in a sec) to Global Mode, that basically means "use the SIM card for voice and data". The phone comes locked to the Vodafone SIM, and as long as you want to use that SIM, you do not need to get a SIM unlock code from Verizon. You do, however, need to call Verizon International Services to enable the Vodafone SIM. You can call collect, 24/7, to +1 (908) 559-4899.

The advantage of using the preinstalled Vodafone SIM is that you keep your US phone number, and any costs you incur "conveniently" appear on your Verizon bill. The disadvantage is that it's ridiculously expensive data & voice rates. It will cost you $2.89 per minute to make calls from Singapore, and something like $5 per megabyte of data usage (I use about 350 megs of data per day working as a remote software developer). See here. Verizon hopes you don't realize you have alternatives, but you do.

If you would like to use an alternative non-Verizon/Vodafone SIM, you can. You need to call Verizon International Services, get and apply the SIM Unlock Code to your phone (I suggest you keep them on the line and walk you through it, it is non-intuitive), and then buy a SIM from a local cellular service provider where you are staying. See here. Caveat: You must be a Verizon customer in good standing for a minimum of 6 months before the will give you the SIM unlock code.

To use the SIM card (either the built-in one, or one you acquire & install), you need to switch it to GSM mode, and optionally tweak your cellular data settings:

• Menu : Settings : Call : Preferred Network, set it to "Global Mode"

• Menu : Settings : Wireless & Networks : Mobile Network
  • If you want to use the cellular data service, you want to enable this checkbox, and then go into Mobile Networks : GSM/UTMS Options, and set up your APN and your network operator.
  • If you do NOT want to use cellular data service, keep this off

Here is a pleasant surprise to all of this. If you are exclusively using the cellular service of a third-party SIM card (such as you would be living in Singapore for 3 months and using a Singaporean SIM), then there's really no point keeping your Verizon voice/data plan active at the same time, since it's not possible for you to use it. Verizon lets you freeze your plan so that you don't have to pay for your service, with one caveat: the interval during which your plan is frozen doesn't count toward your once-a-year-upgrade deal; it pushes that date out respectively. I had to speak to a few reps and get transferred to International Services before I was able to freeze my plan in this fashion, but once I got someone who know what they were talking about, it sounded like they do it quite often.

That's it -- it should work. Good luck.

 

[Billmelater]

Thanks - this is the most concise explanation I've seen.

 

[silver6054]

Thanks - this is the most concise explanation I've seen.

Did you call Verizon Global before you left the country? The Vodafone SIM is not activated by default, you need to ask them to do so. So, for international stuff, you need to call Verizon, either to get them to activate the SIM or to get the unlock code to use a local SIM. I think that they should be able to activate it with you out the country. They usually say you need to do a *228 before leaving, but I suspect this matters more for international CDMA rather than GSM.

And yes, they do take collect calls.

 

[celtic11]

First, when you bought your phone, it came with a Verizon-branded Vodaphone SIM installed in the SIM slot (underneath the battery). When you are out of Verizon's CDMA coverage in the United States, and your phone gets switched (more on this in a sec) to Global Mode, that basically means "use the SIM card for voice and data". The phone comes locked to the Vodaphone SIM, and as long as you want to use that SIM, you do not need to get a SIM unlock code from Verizon.

The advantage of using the preinstalled Vodaphone SIM is that you keep your US phone number, and any costs you incur "conveniently" appear on your Verizon bill. The disadvantage is that it's ridiculously expensive data & voice rates. It will cost you $2.89 per minute to make calls from Singapore, and something like $5 per megabyte of data usage (I use about 350 megs of data per day working as a remote software developer). See here. Verizon hopes you don't realize you have alternatives, but you do.

If you would like to use an alternative non-Verizon/Vodaphone SIM, you can. You need to call Verizon International Services 24/7 at (908) 559-4899 (i think they take collect calls), get and apply the SIM Unlock Code to your phone, and then buy a SIM from a local cellular service provider where you are staying. See here. Caveat: You must be a Verizon customer in good standing for a minimum of 6 months before the will give you the SIM unlock code.

To use the SIM card (either the built-in one, or one you acquire & install), you need to switch it to GSM mode, and optionally tweak your cellular data settings:

Menu : Settings : Call : Preferred Network, set it to "Global Mode"
Menu : Settings : Wireless & Networks : Mobile Network
If you want to use the cellular data service, you want to enable this checkbox, and then go into Mobile Networks : GSM/UTMS Options, and set up your APN and your network operator.
If you do NOT want to use cellular data service, keep this off

That's it -- it should work. Good luck.

Posts like this are the reason I am on this forum. Very informative and easy to follow. I don't know if ill ever leave the country with my phone but its good to know how. Thank you.

Sent from my DROID3 using DroidForums

 

[goffredo]

Thanks guys. I've seen questions of this nature fly around before and wanted to take the time to answer it comprehensively. There's not much info out there on this stuff. I also added a paragraph about freezing your plan to my original post, which I had forgotten to mention until just now.

 

[DroidX101]

First, when you bought your phone, it came with a Verizon-branded Vodafone SIM installed in the SIM slot (underneath the battery). When you are out of Verizon's CDMA coverage in the United States, and your phone gets switched (more on this in a sec) to Global Mode, that basically means "use the SIM card for voice and data". The phone comes locked to the Vodafone SIM, and as long as you want to use that SIM, you do not need to get a SIM unlock code from Verizon. You do, however, need to call Verizon International Services to enable the Vodafone SIM. You can call collect, 24/7, to +1 (908) 559-4899.

The advantage of using the preinstalled Vodafone SIM is that you keep your US phone number, and any costs you incur "conveniently" appear on your Verizon bill. The disadvantage is that it's ridiculously expensive data & voice rates. It will cost you $2.89 per minute to make calls from Singapore, and something like $5 per megabyte of data usage (I use about 350 megs of data per day working as a remote software developer). See here. Verizon hopes you don't realize you have alternatives, but you do.

If you would like to use an alternative non-Verizon/Vodafone SIM, you can. You need to call Verizon International Services, get and apply the SIM Unlock Code to your phone (I suggest you keep them on the line and walk you through it, it is non-intuitive), and then buy a SIM from a local cellular service provider where you are staying. See here. Caveat: You must be a Verizon customer in good standing for a minimum of 6 months before the will give you the SIM unlock code.

To use the SIM card (either the built-in one, or one you acquire & install), you need to switch it to GSM mode, and optionally tweak your cellular data settings:

• Menu : Settings : Call : Preferred Network, set it to "Global Mode"

• Menu : Settings : Wireless & Networks : Mobile Network
  • If you want to use the cellular data service, you want to enable this checkbox, and then go into Mobile Networks : GSM/UTMS Options, and set up your APN and your network operator.
  • If you do NOT want to use cellular data service, keep this off

Here is a pleasant surprise to all of this. If you are exclusively using the cellular service of a third-party SIM card (such as you would be living in Singapore for 3 months and using a Singaporean SIM), then there's really no point keeping your Verizon voice/data plan active at the same time, since it's not possible for you to use it. Verizon lets you freeze your plan so that you don't have to pay for your service, with one caveat: the interval during which your plan is frozen doesn't count toward your once-a-year-upgrade deal; it pushes that date out respectively. I had to speak to a few reps and get transferred to International Services before I was able to freeze my plan in this fashion, but once I got someone who know what they were talking about, it sounded like they do it quite often.

That's it -- it should work. Good luck.

Thank you very much. This is my first time overseas, and it's been driving me crazy. I'll try to do this as soon as I can. Lots of good info....thank you very much again.

 

[DroidX101]

Did you call Verizon Global before you left the country? The Vodafone SIM is not activated by default, you need to ask them to do so. So, for international stuff, you need to call Verizon, either to get them to activate the SIM or to get the unlock code to use a local SIM. I think that they should be able to activate it with you out the country. They usually say you need to do a *228 before leaving, but I suspect this matters more for international CDMA rather than GSM.

And yes, they do take collect calls.

I tried to when I added the new line. Ok, here's a little more detail.......Old Altell account, returned within 30 days..they tried to hang me with 1200$ for a "previous bill" of some sort (that I have never had), the monthy bill + 350 per line (2) to disconnect. WRONG!!!! So Verizon and Altell merged so this went to verizon collection. I talked to a lady the other day and she said that it doesn't make any sence why that bill was so high. We agreed that I pay "X" amount and I could get my new line..... Ok, amount was paid, and they submitted for me to have a new line. GREAT!!!
Now after like 2 days I go to add Internation Dial on my phone and they said that I couldn't do it because of either my credit (Which isn't real bad, but not the best) or that Altell account that was paid. So now I got the phone, then had to leave like 3 days later....now I can't get any service whats so ever. But I'll try the unlock thing and see if I that dont work.....

Thanks for yall help, and yes this is why I like forums because so many good people out there that's way smarter or more experanced that I.

 

[silver6054]

I tried to when I added the new line. Ok, here's a little more detail.......Old Altell account, returned within 30 days..they tried to hang me with 1200$ for a "previous bill" of some sort (that I have never had), the monthy bill + 350 per line (2) to disconnect. WRONG!!!! So Verizon and Altell merged so this went to verizon collection. I talked to a lady the other day and she said that it doesn't make any sence why that bill was so high. We agreed that I pay "X" amount and I could get my new line..... Ok, amount was paid, and they submitted for me to have a new line. GREAT!!!
Now after like 2 days I go to add Internation Dial on my phone and they said that I couldn't do it because of either my credit (Which isn't real bad, but not the best) or that Altell account that was paid. So now I got the phone, then had to leave like 3 days later....now I can't get any service whats so ever. But I'll try the unlock thing and see if I that dont work.....

Thanks for yall help, and yes this is why I like forums because so many good people out there that's way smarter or more experanced that I.

OK, let us know! Now we know more of the story, there might be some issues. If they have reservations about your credit, they may well not activate the SIM, as you can roll up a ton of charges roaming internationally, once you exceed whatever MB threshold you buy. But hopefully they will! In the worst case, they can also refuse to unlock the phone if they view your account as not in good standing. If that happens, and again let's hope not, buy a GSM phone locally. You are in Singapore so there are probably great phones there that we never get to see in the US.....

 

[JoeyJ]

I made the mistake of not calling Verizon when i went to Brazil for 2 months now Saturday I'm going to China and will definitely call. When in Brazil my gf called Verizon and they said there is an update they send your phone for the international plan. Would this make me lose root and also would this be a change that would cause me to lose unlimited data?

Sent from my ADR6350 using DroidForums

 

[silver6054]

I made the mistake of not calling Verizon when i went to Brazil for 2 months now Saturday I'm going to China and will definitely call. When in Brazil my gf called Verizon and they said there is an update they send your phone for the international plan. Would this make me lose root and also would this be a change that would cause me to lose unlimited data?

Sent from my ADR6350 using DroidForums

Any international plan is (mainly) independent of the domestic plan, so it shouldn't impact your unlimited (domestic) data. Don't know about the update, depends if it really is an update to GB, or more something like a push of an international PRL for CDMA roaming.

 

[DroidX101]

Ok, new update, called Verizon last night, got the unlock code, went and bought a prepaid SingTel SIM, so thank yall very much! Now when on wifi, my Yahoo & Gmail isn't syncing....any ideas...worked fine before Also my corp email syncs so I dunno what's up.

 

[goffredo]

... Now when on wifi, my Yahoo & Gmail isn't syncing....any ideas...worked fine before Also my corp email syncs so I dunno what's up.

Glad you got it sorted it out!

Sounds like your phone wants you to stop messing around and get to work.

Seriously though, I don't know. You say "when on wifi" so I'm curious if you have a cellular data plan and have had success with Yahoo/gmail over that.

 

[DroidX101]

Glad you got it sorted it out!

Sounds like your phone wants you to stop messing around and get to work.

Seriously though, I don't know. You say "when on wifi" so I'm curious if you have a cellular data plan and have had success with Yahoo/gmail over that.

Hahaha. Good one. Ur probably right. But I've tried putting in my old SIM (as it was working before the SIM swap) and neither gmail or tail still not working. Both accounts say login failed. I downloaded the app and it works so good enough for me.