Help, N3650 from Phil. won't work in U.S.A

[Stebantot]

Hi guys, need help. I own a N3650 which I have been using for a long time, about 2 years, in the Philippines. It was already openline when I bought it, tested it with all service providers in the Philippines and it accepted them all.

Arrived here in the U.S two weeks ago; I tried out my wifes sim from cingular on my phone and it won't work. What happens is it would load normaly, with all the intros, but when it reaches the main screen it just hangs and won't function. I think that it accepts the sim because it does not say wrong network or sim, it just hungs when it reaches the main screen.

[yuppo]

I think the 3650 is only dual band, you need a tri band phone in the U.S.

[erwincap]

Nokia 3650 is a triband phone.

what software version you got?
have you tried updating the software.
I have a version 4.17 software. ( to get software version press *#0000# on your keypad)

[Stebantot]

I have version 2.5, where can I have my phones firmware updated, I live in the carson area. And how much would it cost?

[fnvillafuerte]

Stebantot, maybe your provider there in US is using GSM850 band. The 3650 is triband but the frequency it covers are GSM 900/1800/1900 Mhz only. Sorry to say but your 3650 is just a piece of junk in your area, better ship it back to the Philippines so it can be used by your relatives.

[fnvillafuerte]

...another thing stebantot, I suggest you purchase a Nokia 6620, its a tri-band 850/1900/1800 Mhz which is designed by nokia for release in USA market.

[rothmanns]

hmmm, i agree... try a firmware upgrade..... even if cingular uses 850mhz... it should not make the phone freeze.... try a hard reset first... maybe that will help....

[tzeonn]

3650 might no work in US, since it uses 900mhz, US uses 850 mhz. unless u are in an area that uses the 1900 freq, else u cant use it.

[smpballa240]

Hey I live in the U.S. and am also the proud owner of a 3650, so I might be able to help you out.

First of all, your phone might be locked to the old service, I know mine is to t-mobile, so you might have to unlock it. Don't ask me how, I have no clue, but that's what this forum's about, so someone here is sure to know.

Second, you might have a problem since only 3650's intended for U.S. use run the 850 band. You might be lucky though and live in an area with 1900 band tho, like tzeonn said, or have a U.S. oriented model, though i doubt it.

If nothing else, you should contact Nokia through their site or an e-mail to find out where the nearest Nokia Service Center is. You leave your phone with them for a few days and they'll flash it with new firmware, free of charge - 2.5's a pretty old version (of course it's what I'm running, but that's cause I'm way to damn lazy to go get it flashed).

Good luck.

[fnvillafuerte]

Flashing your fone with newer firmware version will not do you any good if the problem is the frequency used by your GSM provider. Triband capability of a fone is a hardware thing, firmware upgrade will not help. As I stated on my post above, the 3650 is a triband 900/1800/1900 fone so if your area is being served by a 850mhz GSM provider, there is no way that your 3650 will work in that area, you have to move somewhere where 1900mhz is available. Incidentally, 900 and 1800 is not used in the USA. Do not upgrade your 3650's firmware if your intension is to make it usable in a 850mhz area, else you'll be dissapointed.