Replacement Lumia 520 -- what have I overlooked?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Replacement Lumia 520 -- what have I overlooked?

toprob

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#181053 30-Sep-2015 17:38

I've picked up a second-hand Lumia 520 on Trademe, to replace my old damaged one. The seller insists that it was running on Spark, but my Spark sim doesn't work in it. It actually had a Telecom sim in it when it arrived in the mail this morning, so I have no reason to doubt the seller, and I did double-check with him.

So what else can be the problem? The phone is in good condition, certainly a lot better than my old one:) It recognises my sim, it just won't find the network. When I go to 'Access Point' it shows Telecom NZ as active, and Skinny as inactive -- just like my old one. However when I go to Mobile+SIM; SIM-settings: Network Selection it only shows Vodafone and 2 Degrees, which kinda suggests that this is not a Spark phone.

tripp

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#1397468 30-Sep-2015 17:44

can you put the IMEI number into the spark site to check?

https://www.spark.co.nz/shop/mobile/whyultramobile/joinultramobile/phonecompatibility.html

jonb

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#1397480 30-Sep-2015 18:11

There are two variants of the 520, one for 850MHz and one for 900MHZ, and both do 2100MHz 3G. It could be that the seller was only using it in an urban area and didn't notice the lack of 3G coverage elsewhere?
Are you in an urban area now?

toprob

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#1397483 30-Sep-2015 18:18

Ah, thanks for that, it is not compatible.
Does that mean that the seller can't have had it running on Spark? This seems to be an honest trader.
Seems a strange thing to lie about, when he could have just said if it was locked. The box says 'CV AU', which is obviously Australian, so maybe it's locked to an Australian carrier?
Anyway, back to the drawing board.

toprob

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#1397486 30-Sep-2015 18:23

jonb: There are two variants of the 520, one for 850MHz and one for 900MHZ, and both do 2100MHz 3G. It could be that the seller was only using it in an urban area and didn't notice the lack of 3G coverage elsewhere?
Are you in an urban area now?

Bingo, I am on Banks Peninsula, so maybe that's the issue.
The old phone says 850/1900/2100, but the new one says only 900/2100.
Could I use this here in NZ?

jonb

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#1397500 30-Sep-2015 18:42

toprob:
jonb: There are two variants of the 520, one for 850MHz and one for 900MHZ, and both do 2100MHz 3G. It could be that the seller was only using it in an urban area and didn't notice the lack of 3G coverage elsewhere?
Are you in an urban area now?

Bingo, I am on Banks Peninsula, so maybe that's the issue.
The old phone says 850/1900/2100, but the new one says only 900/2100.
Could I use this here in NZ?

If you're on Spark, then only on your day trips to Christchurch.. otherwise will be fine on voda/2 degrees.

2 degrees were selling the generic Australian version of the handset here, that could explain the AU on the packaging.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_Lumia_520#520_Variants

toprob

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#1397508 30-Sep-2015 18:47

jonb:
If you're on Spark, then only on your day trips to Christchurch.. otherwise will be fine on voda/2 degrees.

Cheers, might be cheapest to switch from Spark, I don't think I'll get another nice 520 for $40...

PS... although that would mean giving up Spotify for a while.

Hammerer

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#1397511 30-Sep-2015 18:53

toprob:
jonb:
If you're on Spark, then only on your day trips to Christchurch.. otherwise will be fine on voda/2 degrees.

Cheers, might be cheapest to switch from Spark, I don't think I'll get another nice 520 for $40...

PS... although that would mean giving up Spotify for a while.

They were on special for $75 for a while so there may be others willing to sell cheaply too.