GSM but not GPRS? International network problem.
 

Hi all, I posted this yesterday in the 7100 forum, no luck so far and I'm getting desperate for help.

I'm traveling through Asia on a tsunami-relief project. In Indonesia (Banda Aceh, nothernmost tip of Sumatra), I am connected to the Matrix network and getting GSM coverage only, no GPRS. Other people here who are using T-Mobile Blackberries are getting GPRS on the same network.

According to Cingular's coverage map I should be able to get GPRS through the Telkomsel network, but I get SOS only when I connect to it, even though the coverage map indicates good coverage here.

Anything I can do to get GPRS or am I stuck? Thanks very much for your help - getting internet access out here is a huge pain!

Wirelessly posted (7290: BlackBerry7290/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I'm going to try and help you if I can ......

First off chances are if other people in your area are able to get GPRS Preffered signal in your area then you should be able to as well.

Wirelessly posted (7290: BlackBerry7290/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I believe you would be able to get internet over SMS , there are services out there that can send HTML Text to your SMS number.

For starters ...... .
You automaticaly have access to ODA Wich I believe the number is 444 .

And you can send E-Mail by using SMS number 500 .

You can only send E-Mail from what I can tell at this point.

You need to put the persons E-Mail adress in the begining of the message followed by A single space and then from what I remember iether "send to 500" or your message.

Idunno try iether way.

There are more things you can do with On Demand Allerts.

XDS - HUH?

If you are on GSM only, you have SMS and voice only. Forget the Internet and e-mail.

Bajwe - I would bet that the Cingular roaming agreement is not set up properly. I have used T-Mobile several times in Indonesia on Telkomsel. I think you have to call Cingular international support to find out what the deal is.

Wirelessly posted (7280: BlackBerry7280/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 UP.Link/5.1.2.9)

NJB, if I understand correctly, XDS is saying that there are services that would allow one to send email and get html over SMS.

Wirelessly posted (7280: BlackBerry7280/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 UP.Link/5.1.2.9)

NJB, if I understand correctly, XDS is saying that there are services that would allow one to send email and get html over SMS.

Thanks NJB -- I'll get in touch with Cingular.

Update on this: I spent a looooong time on the phone with Cingular, who couldn't figure out why:

1) My BB was automatically connecting to the Matrix network, which Cingular doesn't have a roaming agreement with.
2) Why I was only getting an SOS signal from Telkomsel, even in areas of good coverage (I checked this with locals using Telkomsel phones).


This generated a trouble ticket, which I haven't heard back yet about. Thanks all for your help.

For what it's worth, I had the same problem (T-Mobile US/Maxis Mobile in Malaysia) in Kuala Lumpur. GPRS out by the airport, but downtown only on GSM. Very frustrating. Clearly a local provider problem, but it never got solved.

I have a 7290 on TMO and had this problem while in Jamaica (i'm here half the year). After lengthy monthly talks with the local providers engineers and with TMO Data Services i realised that in Jamaica where they have more than one GSM provider(which i suspect is the same where you are), one or more of the providers may not be using proper filters on their networks thus the signals spill over into the other networks system and then the roaming units can't lock on properly to the intended network. TMO (in their frustrations) released all restrictions on my unit to lock onto a foreign tower. Bam, when they did this while i was on the phone with them i was able to finally get GPRS service.

Even though local providers still haven't properly filtered their systems i'm able to lock onto anyone of them even though one of them doesn't even have a roaming agreement with TMO. I haven't been billed for roaming at all since they did this. Whatever they did they really opened up my unit by taking off all the restrictions. Don't know if your provider will do the same but that could be the crux of your problem.