E172 in Australia

[Prof.Merlin]

So i called 4 ppl yesterday to make sure that the e172 is not network blocked.

I am planning on using the e172 in australia in december.

Can somebody please tell me what i have to do to get it to work overseas, i will purchase a local sim card when i am there but need to know what to do, apn settings, software changes etc.

Thanks

 

[Tun@]

If your looking for just some short term prepaid
Vodafone Australia does'nt do Prepaid 3G without contract unless its changed in the last few weeks.

For prepaid what i found was 2 options
1) Optus - activate prepaid sim with above $40 on a "Turbo cap Plan"
$50 will give you 500Mb data,this service was ok in some places and a pain in others.It does work on 2100Mhz tho.
I used my E272 on this OK,Settings were same as here re *99# and "internet"
This is not using VC software tho..I had already installed Haewai's Mobile Partner software so differant configs could be entered if needed.

2) Telstra's Next G probably the best coverage in Oz,have now offered prepaid 3G ,this starter pack includes a 3G modem that'll work on 850Mhz.
I found this the better option - was $150 for the starter pack(3G modem) and $50 for 600Mb data.
This would also roam on 2100Mhz but only 2G/GPRS in New Zealand

edit: heres some links
Optus turbo charge - http://personal.optus.com.au/web/oc...obile/prepaidmobile/turbocharge&site=personal

Telstra's Next G
http://www.telstra.com.au/telstraprepaidplus/broadband/prepaidwireless.html

Prepaid over that way ain't as easy as this side.....maybe if your on contract with VC it maybe just as cheap to enable roaming for your data.

 

[Prof.Merlin]

Many thanks for the info.

Strange thing is that as far as i know, vodacom is not allowed to network lock the cards anymore...am i correct?

If i put any other sim other than vodacom into it, it asks for my sim pin and thereafter it says please insert correct sim card.

 

[Tun@]

Far as i know its the VC software that is the problem there(Won't let you use anything other than a Vodacom/Vodafone branded sim)

With my E272 bought from Vodacom i just overwrote the software with Huawei Mobile Partner and i can use Vodacom,Mtn or Optus in Oz no problem.

I'm not familiar with that E172 and Huawei's site has no download under the E172 but it does under the E170.
At a guess i'd say the top download is what your looking for
http://www.huawei.com/mobileweb/en/doc/list.do?type=-1&id=3441

 

[Yotch]

The 3 network in Australia has apparently recently launched some very cost effective prepaid options. They also offer rollover and 1 year data bundles - products that our local networks are unwilling to provide.

The first is $15 for 500MB of data, the second is $29 for 2GB, the third costs $49 for 4GB and all three come with a 30 day expiry – and a rollover option I’ll explain in a moment.

The fourth package costs $149, gives you 12GB, and gives you 365 days to use it in, a boon for Internet users that don’t want the hassle of a contract or the need to top up just because existing download credit has expired, and it comes at a price that’s definitely reasonable.

The other changer of games is the rollover option. Although hidden in the fine print, this should be being broadcast front and centre, as it offers, according to 3: “Included data rolls over each month with recharge prior to original data expiry. Max of 15GB may be accumulated.”

That’s a great incentive to top up again before the month is out whether you’ve used your allocation or not, should prove popular, and prevents data and money wastage.

Source: http://www.itwire.com/content/view/21614/1103/1/1/

Telstra's Next G network operates on 850MHz which the E172 presumably does not support.

Three prepaid mobile broadband web page ...
http://www.three.com.au/cs/ContentS...usinessVideoCallingTemplate&cid=1221530707570
Getting started with your own modem ...
http://www.three.com.au/cs/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=Three/Page/ThreeLayout&cid=1221530704748

 

[Prof.Merlin]

Okay well my boss is in australia now and the modem dont wanna work on the networks there.

Vodafone only provides contracts and that is probably the only network it will run on.

Does that mean it is network locked? How do i get the original E172 software for it?