Blackberry 8530 not working in Brazil - no voice, no texts, not data plan - nothing - help!

[tvannie]

Blackberry 8530 is not working in Sao Paulo, Brazil... can't call out, no incoming calls/texts, data plan working... can someone please help?  Frustrating, because before I left on this trip, I specifically upgraded phone to what Verizon said I needed to be able to use phone and have internet access on my phone (Blackberry + international data plan)... and nothing is working.  I emailed tech support 2 days ago, and no response.  Any advice is much appreciated!  Will send cookies when I get back to states.  🙂  Will be here 8 more days... really need phone.  Thanks in advance!  Ann

[StreetDocRN]

Hi,

It sounds like you set everything up before you left for your trip, international calling plan, right equipment, etc.  The only think I can think of right off hand is your settings on your device.  Check in Options>Mobile Network.  Make sure your settings are as follows:  Data Services and While Roaming to ON.  Network Selection Mode to Automatic and Network Technology to Global.  Make sure you save those settings and remember to reverse the Network Technology back to 1XEV when you return home.  Hope this helps.

Doc

[tvannie]

In Options / Mobile Netword, there is no option to set "Network Technology" to Global... there's no "Network Technology" option at all.  Is it possible this phone I was given (Blackberry 8530) is not global capable? (needless to say, that would be frustrating, as I upgraded to this BB for the purpose of this trip, and upon the recommendation of Verizon)....

[Spiral]

---

tvannie wrote:

Blackberry 8530 is not working in Sao Paulo, Brazil... can't call out, no incoming calls/texts, data plan working... can someone please help?  Frustrating, because before I left on this trip, I specifically upgraded phone to what Verizon said I needed to be able to use phone and have internet access on my phone (Blackberry + international data plan)... and nothing is working.  I emailed tech support 2 days ago, and no response.  Any advice is much appreciated!  Will send cookies when I get back to states.  🙂  Will be here 8 more days... really need phone.  Thanks in advance!  Ann

---

Brazil operates a GSM/UMTS type network so the 8530 phone (CDMA only) will not work.  What you need is a Blackberry 8830, 9630, 9550 or 9650 model phone (CDMA/GSM) or one of the Droid 'world' phones.

Sorry we could not help further.

[Jax_Omen]

When did you get the phone for the trip to Brazil? Until 1/1/2011, Brazil DID have a CDMA network you could roam on, and the phone would have worked there. This year, it's GSM-only, and your phone is not a global phone, it only has a CDMA radio. None of the Curve phones are global.

[tvannie]

I got it about a week ago upon the suggestion of Verizon.  That's just great they fixed me up with a so-called "global" phone that isn't global.  Nice.  Alone in Brazil without a phone.  Thanks, Verizon.... 

[Jax_Omen]

That sucks. Do you like the phone otherwise? Can you get a local prepaid phone to use while you're there? Hope it works out!

[willzzz99]

What happened was the CSR was definetly wrong and didn't READ the LATEST data from the VZW network webpage. Verizon is a GSMA global forum member and receieves network settings data periodically from all the global carriers and also publishes their own network settings for global carriers. Next time read up on the VZW website and hopefully you get a KNOWLEDABLE SALES/SUPPORT REP. Sign, I hate it when everything works its suppose to but the sales rep sold the customer the WRONG PHONE!