Unlocked Nokia 8390 Not Working On Qatar Network

BigShark2001 · 13-05-2006, 10:09

Hello group!

I have a Nokia 8390 that was bought as part of an AT&T contract. I just paid $5 to have it unlocked and that seemed to work well. BUT... when I went to a local place and put in the SIM card it would not find the network. The network is GSM 900/1800 and the Nokia says the phone is "GSM/GPRS 1900" (is that a typo)

Is there anything you guys could think of that I need to do to my phone to insure it will work on their pre-paid network????

Thank you!!!!!!!!

**Effendi** · 13-05-2006, 10:33

That's not a typo, the Nokia 8390 is GSM 1900 only, you cannot use it with 900/1800 band, of course. It's a phone for America, not for the rest of the World...

BigShark2001 · 13-05-2006, 11:22

Thank you for the reply. This really helps me out. Damn, I have carried this phone around for 3 years in Germany (where it didn't work) and brought it with me to Qatar and it is not going to work!

Thank you again. Ths takes the mystery out of it for me and lets me get on with shopping for a new phone for my 6 month assignment.

Provided I buy a phone here, what should I look for so as to bring it back to the US and use there. I was looking at a Motorola razr. Should I buy one strait away or wait until I go back the the US? Is there a particular model I should look for to be able to use in the middle east and the US?

Thanks for you help. I have little experience in mobile interoperability and technology.

Bossman · 13-05-2006, 15:14

You want to buy a triband or quad band phone if you want to to work in the US. The Razr is quadband. The US bands are 850/1900. Cingular uses both bands in a lot of places. Tmobile is mostly 1900 and 850 roaming in a few places. The rest of the world that uses GSM outside North America uses 900/1800. The triband phones you will see over there are 900/1800/1900. So, if you buy a triband, it will work very well with tmobile here, and okay with cingular(depending on location). A quadband will work very well here and in the other countries that use GSM...It has all the GSM bands! You can buy it there or wait till you get here. Just make sure it's unlocked. There are lots of quad band phones out there (Check ebay). Just note that the triband phones you will see in the US will mostly be 850/1800/1900. Which will give you excellent coverage here, but okay coverage outside the US, because it does not have the 900 band.

BigShark2001 · 14-05-2006, 09:23

thank you for the info. I am searching around for phones now. Do you have an impression of the Motorola SLVR L6? I think this is what I am going to go with as it is much cheaper than the RAZR so I won't feel back with it gets a little scratched up. A currently converter was a feature I really want, which both phones have..

Bossman · 14-05-2006, 12:22

I heard the L6 is a pretty good triband phone. There is also the L7 which is quad band. On eBay, the L6 averages about a $80 less than the L7. What I usually do is use ebay to see how much they are going for then compare that to how much you can get it out there or whereever else.

Some L6 are also quadband. The new ones I believe. Like this one on ebay which I think is a very good price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BRAND-NEW-MOTOROLA-L6-...1QQcmdZViewItem

Here is a comparison from phone scoop.

http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/compare.p...B%5D=&id%5B%5D=

BigShark2001 · 15-05-2006, 12:59

final question: I decided to take the plunge and go with the Motorola Razor. Is $200 a good price or does anyone know of a better price?

Bossman · 15-05-2006, 14:26

That's about how much they(unlocked) are going for on ebay. IMHO, ebay usually have the best or at least very competitive deals. If you can get it for a price close to eBay's, I think it's a good deal.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Motorola-Razr-V3-B...1QQcmdZViewItem

Stu · 08-06-2006, 06:52

If he is Qatar, e-bay may not be as good a deal. I have not been in Qatar, but I live in Dubai. Dubai is a great place to buy unlocked phones. I think Qatar would be similar. I'll let you know in a little bit. I'm doing a status change on my visa and am running to Qatar to reenter the country on the new visa.

BigShark2001 · 08-06-2006, 07:06

Thanks Stu. I did go forward with the purchase of a Motorola V3 the other day and it is working great. I don't get to go into town much so I didn't have a lot of time to shop around there. eBay was fine enough because I wasn't in a hurry, but I would be interesting to see what deal the street here offers to compare. I paid $204US delivered.

My only comment is the crap service I received at the QTel shop purchasing a SIM card and a temp contract. They guy didn't explain anything about the contract other than to say for two months service it would be 200 Ryials all the while the local Arabs were pushing ahead of queue. Rude bastards!

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	(#1 (permalink))
BigShark2001 (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 5 Join Date: 13 May 2006	13-05-2006, 10:09 Hello group! I have a Nokia 8390 that was bought as part of an AT&T contract. I just paid $5 to have it unlocked and that seemed to work well. BUT... when I went to a local place and put in the SIM card it would not find the network. The network is GSM 900/1800 and the Nokia says the phone is "GSM/GPRS 1900" (is that a typo) Is there anything you guys could think of that I need to do to my phone to insure it will work on their pre-paid network???? Thank you!!!!!!!!

	(#2 (permalink))
Effendi (Offline) The great Dictator! Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,330 Join Date: 13 Jan 2004 Location: Genova & Sarzana Country:	13-05-2006, 10:33 That's not a typo, the Nokia 8390 is GSM 1900 only, you cannot use it with 900/1800 band, of course. It's a phone for America, not for the rest of the World... Working Prepaids: IT: Wind, Vodafone IT, UNO Mobile; SM: Prima; UK: 3, Virgin; INT: TravelSIM, Truphone. Deceased Prepaids: CZ: Oskar, Eurotel; SK: Orange; DE: E-Plus, Aldi, Simyo; GE: Geocell; AM: Armentel; PL: Heyah, Plus; LT: Tele2; LV: Amigo; EE: Elisa; UA: Kyivstar; NZ: Vodafone; INT: UM, UM+, ICQSim. GSM/3G Phones: Nokia E71, HTC Wildfire

	(#3 (permalink))
BigShark2001 (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 5 Join Date: 13 May 2006	13-05-2006, 11:22 Thank you for the reply. This really helps me out. Damn, I have carried this phone around for 3 years in Germany (where it didn't work) and brought it with me to Qatar and it is not going to work! Thank you again. Ths takes the mystery out of it for me and lets me get on with shopping for a new phone for my 6 month assignment. Provided I buy a phone here, what should I look for so as to bring it back to the US and use there. I was looking at a Motorola razr. Should I buy one strait away or wait until I go back the the US? Is there a particular model I should look for to be able to use in the middle east and the US? Thanks for you help. I have little experience in mobile interoperability and technology.

	(#4 (permalink))
Bossman (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,117 Join Date: 22 Apr 2005 Location: Chicago Country:	13-05-2006, 15:14 You want to buy a triband or quad band phone if you want to to work in the US. The Razr is quadband. The US bands are 850/1900. Cingular uses both bands in a lot of places. Tmobile is mostly 1900 and 850 roaming in a few places. The rest of the world that uses GSM outside North America uses 900/1800. The triband phones you will see over there are 900/1800/1900. So, if you buy a triband, it will work very well with tmobile here, and okay with cingular(depending on location). A quadband will work very well here and in the other countries that use GSM...It has all the GSM bands! You can buy it there or wait till you get here. Just make sure it's unlocked. There are lots of quad band phones out there (Check ebay). Just note that the triband phones you will see in the US will mostly be 850/1800/1900. Which will give you excellent coverage here, but okay coverage outside the US, because it does not have the 900 band. Phones: Iphone4, HTC Inspire, Nokia E63, BB Curve 8310 Sim cards: AT&T (Contract), Tmobile USA, Virgin UK, TelnaMobile, Ekit

	(#5 (permalink))
BigShark2001 (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 5 Join Date: 13 May 2006	14-05-2006, 09:23 thank you for the info. I am searching around for phones now. Do you have an impression of the Motorola SLVR L6? I think this is what I am going to go with as it is much cheaper than the RAZR so I won't feel back with it gets a little scratched up. A currently converter was a feature I really want, which both phones have..

	(#6 (permalink))
Bossman (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,117 Join Date: 22 Apr 2005 Location: Chicago Country:	14-05-2006, 12:22 I heard the L6 is a pretty good triband phone. There is also the L7 which is quad band. On eBay, the L6 averages about a $80 less than the L7. What I usually do is use ebay to see how much they are going for then compare that to how much you can get it out there or whereever else. Some L6 are also quadband. The new ones I believe. Like this one on ebay which I think is a very good price. http://cgi.ebay.com/BRAND-NEW-MOTOROLA-L6-...1QQcmdZViewItem Here is a comparison from phone scoop. http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/compare.p...B%5D=&id%5B%5D= Phones: Iphone4, HTC Inspire, Nokia E63, BB Curve 8310 Sim cards: AT&T (Contract), Tmobile USA, Virgin UK, TelnaMobile, Ekit

	(#7 (permalink))
BigShark2001 (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 5 Join Date: 13 May 2006	15-05-2006, 12:59 final question: I decided to take the plunge and go with the Motorola Razor. Is $200 a good price or does anyone know of a better price?

	(#8 (permalink))
Bossman (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,117 Join Date: 22 Apr 2005 Location: Chicago Country:	15-05-2006, 14:26 That's about how much they(unlocked) are going for on ebay. IMHO, ebay usually have the best or at least very competitive deals. If you can get it for a price close to eBay's, I think it's a good deal. http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Motorola-Razr-V3-B...1QQcmdZViewItem Phones: Iphone4, HTC Inspire, Nokia E63, BB Curve 8310 Sim cards: AT&T (Contract), Tmobile USA, Virgin UK, TelnaMobile, Ekit

	(#9 (permalink))
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 886 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Dubai (& Detroit) Country:	08-06-2006, 06:52 If he is Qatar, e-bay may not be as good a deal. I have not been in Qatar, but I live in Dubai. Dubai is a great place to buy unlocked phones. I think Qatar would be similar. I'll let you know in a little bit. I'm doing a status change on my visa and am running to Qatar to reenter the country on the new visa.

	(#10 (permalink))
BigShark2001 (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 5 Join Date: 13 May 2006	08-06-2006, 07:06 Thanks Stu. I did go forward with the purchase of a Motorola V3 the other day and it is working great. I don't get to go into town much so I didn't have a lot of time to shop around there. eBay was fine enough because I wasn't in a hurry, but I would be interesting to see what deal the street here offers to compare. I paid $204US delivered. My only comment is the crap service I received at the QTel shop purchasing a SIM card and a temp contract. They guy didn't explain anything about the contract other than to say for two months service it would be 200 Ryials all the while the local Arabs were pushing ahead of queue. Rude bastards!