Considering to buy a Vaio Z WWAN question

Hi,

As the title says - im considering buying a Vaio Z from the US.
But since I live in Denmark (europe) and would very much like to use the build-in broadboard, i have my doubts that this will work?

Do the build-in card also support the european WWAN network, can it be unlocked from sprint or can the card be replaced?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Edit: the title should be "Considering".. sorry hehe

 

If you are using GSM in Denmark then Sprint wont work for you. Sprint uses CDMA for voice calls and another data protocols for Internet, it's not the same UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA that runs on GSM networks.

 

Starting with the 600 series, Z's have GOBI, which means it's capable of doing both GSM and CDMA. In the US however, the GSM part is disabled, allowing only Verizon use. There isnt even a place to insert a sim card. You can modify this with a few software tweaks and soldering in a $1 part this will hold the sim card.

In Europe however, the Z's come with the GSM enabled. You should be able to simply insert your sim card and be ready to use whatever WWAN provider you have.

I'm not sure if the older 500 series has GOBI.

 

Even then, the new Z600's are using Verizon now, and so you're still stuck with a CDMA modem in your machine.

 

Well it depends on how ambitious and handy you are with a soldering iron. The same process used at the link below can also be used on the Z to enable GSM.

http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/sony-vaio-p-hsdpa-mod/

 

I found something related to GOBI in install/uninstall list and I uninstalled it. I dont think that my Z610Y contains HSDPA, any idea how to confirm that? Other than device manager since nothing listed under network adapters but WiFi and Ethernet.

 

Hmm, it should according to Sony's press release: http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_room/consumer/computer_peripheral/release/39352.html

When you bought your Z, which WWAN provider was available. Sprint or Verizon? If Sprint, then you probably don't have Gobi. If Verizon, then you should have Gobi, only the best part about it will have been disabled by Sony...

 

Thanks a lot for your replies!

this is the one i'm looking at: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...3214&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab=Watching
It does not appear to have GOBI?

 

May be it would worth your while to look on ebay UK and see if any buyers will ship out to you in Denmark. It might be worthwhile to put a best offer on a few that are on for sale in the UK. Being in the EU you won't pay any customs and you will have built in HSDPA and you know that you will have no problems with that.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sony-VAIO-Z11WN-B-Laptop-13-1-1-5KG-Vista-XP_W0QQitemZ300304370496QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Laptops_EH?hash=item300304370496&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

With customs on the model you're looking at how much would you end up paying?

 

Well i would save around 1800 USD if i brought a US model.. the prices for the danish model is insane hehe..

Right now i am considering to buy the japaneese model from conics.net - the custom paint-job for the cover is quite cool, and as I understood, the japaneese model's bulid-in HSDPA can easily be used in europe?

 

Hello thisisCP,

so if I have the Gobi2000 cdma locked with verizon do you think the gsm is clear in order to use any European sim card ?
I did already the HSDPA board modification and I have the simslot but few month ago I replaced the verizon locked gobi2000 with the GTM382E ,

kindly advise

best regards