Quad Sim Quad Band phone now being sold

[rfranzq]

Does the F160 have a touch screen??

The K160 does not.

[GadgetKen]

Yes it has a touch screen but I hardly use it. Easier just to use the keyboard for me (particularly since it's alphanumeric). They shipped the phone with a little stylus with a screw on cap.

[rfranzq]

On eBay, more kinds of quad band quad SIM phones are coming into view. [There is even at least one quad SIM dual band 900/1800 phone I have come across.] One is even priced at about $60, though this one is "Four SIM cards, Three standby" however that works. I suspect that 4 will be the limit [unlike razors] for phones. SIMs with multiple phone numbers are starting to become common and lessens the need for so many slots. Search eBay using the term 'four SIM' will find you a few of the $60 ones.

[PhotoJim]

Has anyone figured out how to do USSD commands on this phone? Every time I try, the phone tries to make a call to that number instead and I get a recording that the call cannot be completed.

I'm also puzzled on how to enter a + for international dialing.

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

Has anyone figured out how to do USSD commands on this phone? Every time I try, the phone tries to make a call to that number instead and I get a recording that the call cannot be completed.
I'm also puzzled on how to enter a + for international dialing.

I have a K160, but I think the software is similar [minus touchscreen].
Slim slot 3 and 4 do not do USSD commands. SIM slots one and two do.


For the '+", [and 'p' and 'w'], try the asterisk key [= '*'] multiple times. On my phone if you hold down the asterisk key it will lock the keyboard ALSO. to unlock, press the 'right software key' [is that its name?] and then the asterisk.

Having a Tru SIM in slot one seems to cause many reboots. Having it in two or 3 or 4 stops that behaviour. ATT and T-Mobile SIMs and [their MVNOs] do not seem to cause this issue. I have not played with any ekit SIMs in any of the slots----yet. May be when I have a trip out of the US planned I will start playing, otherwise the phone will be staying in the US and no need to play yet.

[GadgetKen]

The BP-4L pseudo-Nokia battery packs work fine in the F160. Ordered a 1500 mah pack from an ebay dealer in Hong Kong for only a couple of USD with shipping. Fits OK, but is very slightly thicker than the 2 1000 mah packs that came with the phone so the back cover is a snugger fit and it's also a bit heavier. Might order the 2150 mah packs I'm seeing on ebay now that I know the part number is correct. There's also external battery chargers that can take the battery packs directly.

On the ekit simple calling sim, recommend in sim slot 2(or slot 1 as the alternate). Seems to work best also if the US side is activated even if that part of the dual IMSI chip is not being used. I used it in Grand Cayman in the F160 with a Digicel Bermuda chip as backup. Needed *126*number# USSD number in Grand Cayman to dial out with ekit (no big deal since I just stored this in the sim card memory).

Do try loading some 320 by 240 pixel games, wallpapers or ebooks into the phone. Many work nicely. Ringtones also import nicely. Read some books this way (might spring for one of those Kindle 3g/wifi models in the next month or two; only reader I've seen with 3g international roaming...not just wifi).

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by GadgetKen

The BP-4L pseudo-Nokia battery packs work fine in the F160. Ordered a 1500 mah pack from an ebay dealer in Hong Kong for only a couple of USD with shipping. Fits OK, but is very slightly thicker than the 2 1000 mah packs that came with the phone so the back cover is a snugger fit and it's also a bit heavier. There's also external battery chargers that can take the battery packs directly.

I got one for my K160 today from HK. If you search ebay for 'Universal Battery chargers' there are some interesting ones. The ones kind of shaped like a turtle I got for $2 and it works on many different phone batteries. Then there are the ones that look like penguins. They are slow but thorough.

[PhotoJim]

Mine's the F-160, correct. And thanks for the help.

I've got (right now):
- eKit US/UK in SIM1
- eKit US in SIM2
- T-Mobile USA in SIM3
- Red Pocket Mobile in SIM4

I can't check my balance with Red Pocket (*777#) but it seems to work alright otherwise.

SIM slot 1 loses its mind every few hours ("No SIM") and I have to reset the phone. It may just be a seating problem. I reseated the SIM last night and we'll see if it's more reliable. If not I'll move the SIMs around and see if that improves anything.

It would be simpler if the phone worked about the same with any SIM slot, but there aren't exactly a lot of quad-SIM phones. It's certainly increasing my convenience.

I haven't tried GPRS yet - I'll have to do some configuration and that's low priority right now (I'm on holidays in San Diego).

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

I've got (right now):
- eKit US/UK in SIM1
- eKit US in SIM2
- T-Mobile USA in SIM3
- Red Pocket Mobile in SIM4

I can't check my balance with Red Pocket (*777#) but it seems to work alright otherwise.

I have not put ANY ekit SIMs in my K160 yet. I have two single number SIMple Calling SIMs that should not be an issue, but I wonder about the dual IMSI SIMs and their wanting a PIN number on startup. I have had no problems of mystery reboot whit the T-Mobile SIM is in slot 1. So that might be the slot that causes issues. [Mine has 8 sensors on that slot and not 6 like the other slots.] Yesterday, I had a Tru SIM in slot 4 and it would be blank rather than saying T-Mobile as in slots 1 & 2. Tru and H2O [using an XE Mobile SIM cause problems in slot 1. The XE Mobile SIM says XE Mobile when in slot 1 but AT&T when in slots 3 or 4. [When I do not mention a slot in the above sentences it is because I have not had the 'right' SIM in that slot to observe the behaviour.]

As multi-IMSI SIMs come into broader use, the usefulness of a 4 SIM phone will probably decrease. Let's hope they perfect the 4 SIM phone before they decide they are not needed any more.

[PhotoJim]

I have pins on almost all of my SIM - and no problem. The 5-digit pin code for the dual number eKit SIM works fine.

eKit shows T-Mobile, AT&T or Rogers for me when it's on one of those networks. T-Mobile always shows T-Mobile, even when roaming on Rogers. Red Pocket shows AT&T here in the US, and nothing in Canada since it won't roam in Canada.