Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

Voicestream roaming + VP

Is there a way to turn off roaming on the Visorphone? I'd like to since my Voicestream service is now inexplicably roaming.

Ever since I changed phones (last VP died), my old SIM card in this used VP connects to the network as roaming, even though I'm in my area.

And of course Voicestream tech support was completely inept. "Uh, it's your SIM card. Get a new one."

Anyone?

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Posts: 413

what do you mean 'turn off roaming'? are you in a different contry using 900 mhz? or are you in an analog area? if it's the latter, then that's impossible because the VP only works on GSM 900/1900 frequencies.

If you're in a different country and you do not want roaming, you can call VS to have them disable international roaming.

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

To roam, or not to roam...

No, I'm in the US, in my original calling area. This area was never roaming before! I'm in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, well in the coverage map. That's why I'm so confused.

So I shouldn't be in analog mode at all.

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Posts: 413

is DFW your home area? If not, then you'll be technically roaming. But if you have a vs/tmobile nationwide plan, then it doesn't matter.

The VP is not capable of analog, so don't worry about that.

What is your question/issue/concern???

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

Crossed wires

Hmmm, there seems to be a miscommunication (my fault).

First of all, yes DFW is my area. It's the area I signed up in and I haven't moved recently. I've been in a 50 mile radius around DFW in the last week when this started and I've been roaming the whole time.

My concern is simply this: why is the phone now roaming when it wasn't before?

You're right, it's not costing me anything. Both tech support people pointed that out in lieu of any form of troubleshooting, which I found kind of ludicrous. It's like free publications that companies try to give to you ("No thanks, I don't really want your mag." "But, it's free!"). It's missing the point. The point is -- something has changed, and they're basically saying, "you're not paying for the inconvenience, so what do you care?"

Except that there is a slight inconvenience. Accessing voicemail while roaming can't be done. I have to dial the land line to get on. Also, I'm not sure but I think caller ID doesn't work in roaming either.

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Registered: May 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 78

Hey

Hey, Im also from the Dallas Ft Worth area and have a VoiceStream cell phone (VisorPhone that is ) and it also shows roaming in Dallas. So I cotacted support and that issue is a well known issue and VoiceStream in Dallas is doing all they can to fix the problem. It happens to be that not all VoiceStream cell phones in Dallas, but only a couple have this problem and we are the lucky ones I guess . But at least VoiceStream is solving the problem and hopefully soon, the roaming issue will go away.

Cya Lata.

Jonathan

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

Thanks!

Hey, this is the best info I've heard yet! Now why couldn't Voicestream tell me that?

Thanks!

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Rob Lund
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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Posts: 413

You might want to request them to send a SIM update to update your sim's info... something could be crossed in there... just a thought

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Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Melbourne, FL
Posts: 42

I am in Melbourne, FL and I also have the same issue!

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

>>>>> Important Udpate <<<<<

Hey folks, I went to my local Voicestream (T-Mobile) store and tried one more time.

They guy there wasn't a whole lot of help. For starters, he'd never seen or heard of a Visorphone before. Can't fault him for that though.

Anyway, he replaced my SIM card and didn't charge me for it (yeah!). It behaved the same way. He said that SIM cards can't be programmed in the store -- they are all supposed to be the same when they get them. But he did let slip that "maybe these two new SIM cards were the latest versions." Hmmm? He also said that he had an old SIM in his phone.

So, naturally I asked him if I could try his SIM card and he try mine. Voila, his card in my phone worked without roaming. Incidentally, his card and my original card (the one that came with my Visorphone) both connected to the network under the name "VStream." These two newer roaming cards I've tried both connect to "VoiceStream." Coincidence? I think not.

So, I called up tech support again. They shed some more light on the situation. Turns out that the original SIM card I had was a "220" card and these latest two are "260" cards. These aer apparently part of the ID numbers on the cards. My latest card looks like this:

260X
XXXX
XXXX
XXX

Tech support said that if I could get my hands on an older 220 card, the phone would likely stop roaming in my area. However, she said that due to all the network changes with the T-Mobile takeover, it might just correct itself.

Whichever the case, this sure seems like a case of updated firmware (the 260 SIM cards) not working with older hardware (our Visorphones).

Could all of you with this roaming problem please check your SIM cards and tell me if they are 260s or not?

Thanks!

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Rob Lund
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Registered: May 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 78

Great Info

Thanks a lot for that info. Its more than I could have asked for.

Yes my SIM card starts with 260 so thats prob why my VPhone shows roaming. Its kinda weird that the older versions dont have the problem but the newer versions do?

One other thing though. In New York City and Baltimore, Maryland my SIM card never had this roaming issue? So maybe its just the SIM cards that are in the Southern USA? Maybe?

Although it doesent really matter for me about the roaming since my plan is roaming free, its still real annoying to see it say that. Hopefully the situation will fix itself, or I just find an older SIM card. Cya lata.

Jonathan

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

Hmmm...

Hey, Jonathan, have you always had the same SIM card? Did you replace it and then it started roaming? Just curious as to your situation.

Thanks,

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Rob Lund
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Registered: May 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 78

I started with 1 SIM card that had the same situation, but I accidentally fried it by stupidly putting in the wrong unlock code 10 times . So then when I got the new SIM card that I currently have, I was hoping the situation would go away, but unfortunatly it did not. Cya lata. If you want you can IM me at YoYoman412 and we can discuss it over that. Cya

Jonathan

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 28

I am a new VisorPhone owner, and had the same problem as you folks do. Constant roaming indication with my VoiceStream service. I also have a 260 SIM card. I ran across a link to an update to the VisorPhone on the Handspring developer site. It claims mostly third party SMS support and some data call issues. Guess what, it also fixed my roaming indication problem. Give it a try. You can find here: http://www.handspring.com/developers/app_dev_ctr.jhtml

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

Interesting!

Hey, good find, johnking. I didn't even think of going that route. I did the update, but unfortunately nothing changed. I turned off and back on my phone. Still no luck.

Do you know if the Phone app version changes? After the update, mine still says v 1.0.

Just out of curiosity, what is the exact name of the network on your phone? Like mine says "VoiceStream." It used to be "VStream."

What part of the country are you in? This could still be a location issue.

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 28

About Phone now shows: Phone v. 1.0.1, with a build date of June 14 2001 16:07:03. It was reading VoiceStream before the update, but kept alternating between that and Roaming. All my calls in the history list showed Roaming: Yes. Now I just get a solid VoiceStream, with no Roaming showing up at all. I am in the Indianapolis, Indiana area.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

No more roaming!

Oops, major "DUH!" for me. I didn't realize this was a flash updater. I hadn't ran the flash program yet.

Now my Visorphone is no longer roaming! Yeah!

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Rob Lund
The Rob Pages
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Registered: May 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 78

THANK YOU

You are a miracle. I worked! Why couldnt Handspring tell me about this updater. I didnt even know a VisorPhone could be updated. Thank you thank you thank you.

Jonathan

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