International Use of Razr Maxx without prior US Account?

[silver6054]

Beyond your last question, the truth is that no one here (or at least no one that's posting) can answer those questions with 100% certainty in regards to the MAXX. Unless someone has actually done something, it's tough to say what will and won't work for sure. But I can toss out an educated guess based off previous global phones I've used on Verizon.

1. You should be able to bypass the initial Verizon activation screen and upgrade to ICS over WiFi since the update is pushed out by Motorola from their servers. After the ICS update, you should be able to use your GSM SIM (needs to be a micro SIM) in Peru. That said, there have been instances in the past where users have reported problems using unlocked global phones that had never been activated on Verizon. This may not apply to the MAXX since the SIM slot will already be unlocked (unlike previous Verizon devices that required a code or action from Verizon to unlock the device). So, I think you'd be fine, but there's a slim chance of problems.

Just to add (I agree with the above!): if you look in forums for Verizon global phones (the Droid 2 Global is one I am most familiar with, but I have seen it elsewhere), you will see posts of the type "Problems using SIM X..." where the phone is unlocked fine, but when they try a SIM from their provider, they can't get voice, or data, or SMS, or some combination of those. And often they borrow a SIM from a friend on a different carrier, and things work fine. Sometimes this is as simple as having to add the correct APN for data, but there have been cases where no explanation/solution was found apart from "that sim doesn't work with this phone!". The pain here is that no-one can/will help much, your local carrier will blame the strange phone from Verizon, and Verizon won't get involved as you are not their customer, not on their network etc. I think this is happening less with the more modern phones, but again, just to add a possible caution.

 

[bsweetness]

Just to add (I agree with the above!): if you look in forums for Verizon global phones (the Droid 2 Global is one I am most familiar with, but I have seen it elsewhere), you will see posts of the type "Problems using SIM X..." where the phone is unlocked fine, but when they try a SIM from their provider, they can't get voice, or data, or SMS, or some combination of those. And often they borrow a SIM from a friend on a different carrier, and things work fine. Sometimes this is as simple as having to add the correct APN for data, but there have been cases where no explanation/solution was found apart from "that sim doesn't work with this phone!". The pain here is that no-one can/will help much, your local carrier will blame the strange phone from Verizon, and Verizon won't get involved as you are not their customer, not on their network etc. I think this is happening less with the more modern phones, but again, just to add a possible caution.

Absolutely. As you mentioned, adding the appropriate APN information is often the fix for data, but there can be differences in a network that can make it incompatible with some phones. And unless another user has gone through the same thing and figured it out, you're entirely correct that you're not likely to find much help. The carriers don't have to offer any support for foreign devices, Verizon doesn't have to help someone who isn't a customer (and even if you are a Verizon customer, the extent of the help they're likely to give is to tell you to roam on your Verizon SIM card and not to use a foreign SIM card), and people online aren't likely to be familiar with the particular ins and outs of how the foreign carrier's network handles the particular phone you have. These problems are becoming less and less prevalent, but these are definitely things people should keep in mind when using a Verizon device internationally on a GSM network.

 

[nika_bego]

please help

Hi . Please help me. How can i get working motorola droid razr maxx with bad esn . Can it work on prepayd gsm network in europe ?
I just boght it from ebay :-( it is new in box but bad esn.

 

[nika_bego]

I'am new here. And plase sorry for bad english . If someone will help me i will send him good amount of money

 

[TisMyDroid]

Welcome to DF nika. We offer help for free on this site so no need to have to pay anyone. Sometimes we have the answers, sometimes we don't.

The bad esn means the phone is either still listed on someone's contract or it was stolen. It definitely cannot be activated on Verizon. I do not know if it can be activated with another carrier on a foreign sim or not.

Sent from my DROID RAZR Maxx using Droid Forums

 

[nika_bego]

Thank you for your reply. Please someone help me is where any way to get this phone work on foreign gsm ?

 

[bsweetness]

Hi . Please help me. How can i get working motorola droid razr maxx with bad esn . Can it work on prepayd gsm network in europe ?
I just boght it from ebay :-( it is new in box but bad esn.

If the phone is running the Ice Cream Sandwich update, you should be able to use the phone with a prepaid GSM SIM in Europe simply by turning off the device, putting your SIM card in, and then turning it on. In order to get mobile data access on the phone, you'll need to update the APN settings. What you update those settings to will be entirely dependent on the carrier you are using. You should just be able to do a Google search for APN and the name of your carrier.

 

[nika_bego]

Phone is running ics . Bed ESN is no problem for that ?

 

[nika_bego]

If the phone is running the Ice Cream Sandwich update, you should be able to use the phone with a prepaid GSM SIM in Europe simply by turning off the device, putting your SIM card in, and then turning it on. In order to get mobile data access on the phone, you'll need to update the APN settings. What you update those settings to will be entirely dependent on the carrier you are using. You should just be able to do a Google search for APN and the name of your carrier.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[bsweetness]

Phone is running ics . Bed ESN is no problem for that ?

While I can't say 100% for sure for the MAXX (since I've not tried it, nor have I seen anything online about someone who has), going off my experience with previous devices, the bad ESN should only impact the ability to activate the device on Verizon the in the United States. You should be able to use it on a GSM network in Europe without any issues. Again, this information is based off previous Verizon devices with GSM capabilities, but it should apply to the MAXX as well. The phone is flagged in Verizon's system, not in the systems of European carriers.

 

[nika_bego]

While I can't say 100% for sure for the MAXX (since I've not tried it, nor have I seen anything online about someone who has), going off my experience with previous devices, the bad ESN should only impact the ability to activate the device on Verizon the in the United States. You should be able to use it on a GSM network in Europe without any issues. Again, this information is based off previous Verizon devices with GSM capabilities, but it should apply to the MAXX as well. The phone is flagged in Verizon's system, not in the systems of European carriers.

Thenk you .

 

[TisMyDroid]

Thanks bsweetness. That is what I sort of thought but was not sure either. Nika, this thread will give great info on international sims with the razr. Start at page 3, post #26.

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-razr-maxx/212942-international-travel-razr-maxx-3.html

Sent from my DROID RAZR Maxx using Droid Forums

 

[nika_bego]

Thanks bsweetness. That is what I sort of thought but was not sure either. Nika, this thread will give great info on international sims with the razr. Start at page 3, post #26.

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-razr-maxx/212942-international-travel-razr-maxx-3.html

Sent from my DROID RAZR Maxx using Droid Forums

Thank you very much. As i notice phone wil work great ?


Has anyone the same probleb with bad esn phone ?

 

[nika_bego]

If anyone has the same problem please share your experiance, I hate forums in my country but this forum is awesome !!!!!

 

[helron]

TisMyDroid has just about everything covered for you.

1. With the ICS update, the SIM slot on the MAXX is not locked for GSM use, so yes, so with the Verizon version of the MAXX, it's unlocked no matter what. It will work in France with a SIM card and plan from a network there.

2. Yep. You can use it wherever there's WiFi.

3. No, you won't be getting the MAXX on a Verizon prepaid account. Verizon will require a post paid account that includes data access, which involves a 2-year contract if you don't already have one, in order to activate the MAXX

QUESTION: PLs, pls, say that the info above applies to DROID RAZR, too! May have need to attend wedding in Italy, and would like to know if Droid RAZR will accept Euro SIM card. If not, any suggestions? Thx!