VPC-Z2 Mobile Broadband - where is Verizon?

I've signed up for and had Verizon on the internal mobile broadband of the previous Z series for over 3 years now.

I just got the Z2 and boom .... they fricken reverted to AT&T ? Seriously? What mental midget made that business decision? Haven't they heard that the entire country hates AT&T and that the service sucks?

Lets drop Verizon for AT&T and Sprint ....

So i paid extra to have this mobile option installed. Is there any way I can still use Verizon mobile broadband or am i going to have to cancel my plan?

Thanks.

-NB-

 

With the Z1, X, P and probably other models you could change the firmware/carrier on the GOBI card using Sony One Click Internet. I am not sure if it works for the new Z2... but it is worth a shot. It actually might work for the new Z2 because there is an update feature as part of the app.

http://computercowboy.com/Downloads/SonyOneClickInternet.exe

Download that, install it, run the self update, then see if it recognizes your GOBI, if it does you can change firmware/carrier.

 

Get an European version and use any carrier you want )) Can't believe they "did it again" with you guys

 

ComputerCowboy has a point. If this can be done, easy switch.

Good news is that the WWAN adapter is swappable too. Might need to run a different version of the Smart Network app tho. I imagine the VZ Access and SmartWi from the Z1 would work fine.

 

I am very interested in swapping to Verizon as well. AT&T & Sprint suck.

Someone mentioned European Z2. How do you go about purchasing one? I will return the one I have if this is possible and I can get Verizon on it.

Any help would be appreciated. $4400 for a laptop that corners you to a certain carrier is insane. Sony really screwed up this time.

 

@NotebookBurger Sony VAIO Z VPCZ21DGX/B 13.1 inch Laptop i7-2620M 2.7GHz 4GB 256GB HDD Blu-Ray

If you look @ the specs Verizon is included as well as ATT/SPRINT..but as you say it is not...

 

Got this yesterday. I gave up and subscribed to Sprint. I know its going to suck. Thanks Sony

I'm sorry to inform you that your VAIO is shipped with the Embedded Mobile Broadband (WWAN) module and it can not be removed. The Embedded mobile broadband module supports only the AT&T or Sprint connection. The Embedded mobile broadband module can not be used with the Verizon service.

If you want the issue to be escalated, you must initiate the call to our telephone staff to obtain the assistance you have requested. If you feel that your situation is not being properly addressed by your customer service agent, you may ask that your conversation be escalated to the next level of support.

Thank you for choosing Sony.

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The Sony Email Response Team
C6LR
Harry

 

hey did you know can you get the 4g speed or you stuck on 3g?

i'm wating for my CTO laptop and it will take about 2 more week to get here

thanks

 

Shenanigans. The Gobi card is replaceable. Check my vivisection thread.

I tried uploading the Verizon firmware to the existing card, but didn't have any luck. The card supports Verizon, it's just not enabled.

I may try to transplant the WWAN card from my Z1. Should work in theory, but I'm not sure how it will play with the smart network bits. Might need to use the SmartWi app from the Z1 also.

No WiMAX on the Gobi card although it supports lower-end HSDPA for ATT. You get EDVO-A with Sprint. The current card is squarely 3G only.

I'm not aware of any embedded cards that support LTE (Verizon), WiMax (Sprint) or HSDPA+ (ATT). These will likely be available towards the end of the year.

Intel has had a WiMax card that sits with the normal WiFi stuff for a long time. Not sure if it supports Sprint or Clear for data.

 

thanks,

so what is the different between gobi2k and gobi3k then? what is the max speed for the gobi2k? and what is the spec for 3k?

i once read on engadget about gobi3k being support verizon LTE seem like the cake is a lie : (

 

4G from Sprint?

 

dude sprint is the first company in USA that has 4G advertised, it is WIMAX. but i think above poster already clarified that the modem does not support this tech.

also sprint is only one last company in USA that has truly unlimited/non-monitor 4G so you can torrent all day long with out any cap

 

Yes but embedded Sprint is 3G. And Sprint coverage sucks.

 

too bad then, so if someone can tell me the different of gobi2000 and gobi3000 then?

 

This may have already been covered, but can't one just buy a verizon air card and plug it into the side of the computer? Fairly annoyed I am going to have to do this since I paid extra for mobile broadband installed ... but Sony conveniently left it vague as to whether Verizon would work or not, prior to purchase.

 

there is no express slot on Z21, i donot want to add junk to my USB port

 

Google is your friend

Qualcomm Document Center - Gobi 3000 Product Sheet

 

This may help some poor down the road. If you buy your Z2 with mobile broadband and Sony does not send the MEID to Sprint (for example) your device will not activate on Sprints system. It will not recognize the device.

All the moron's at Sprint kept telling me its a Sony problem. After 2 days of being a ping pong ball I called the President of Sprint (not really the President, but someone way up the food chain). He found someone who could help.

Apparently there is a form that Sony is supposed to send to Sprint with the ESN of the device. If they don't send the form, your device will not work.

I get to wait 3 more days to see if this solves the problem.

 

Does anyone know if it might be possible to substitute the Intel 6250 with WiMax for the 6230???

 

Yes, but your Smart Network app wouldn't work. No huge loss

 

Other than that, would you expect any other software issues? Hardware issues? (Antennas???)

Would it void the warranty?

Is it easy to get inside to do this?

 

Shouldn't have antenna problems

Possibly

Not the easiest

 

It looks like Sony Japan now has a WiMax option for the Z2.

 

^
Japan has had the WiMAX option (Intel 6250) since the original pre-order period. What's new is the LTE option.

 

Does anyone know which version this is? 6250-622AGX or 6250-622ANX? I don't know what the difference is.

 

Bump? Anyone?

 

Almost certainly the ANX, I just looked up the product brief on the Intel site

622ANXHMW - Supports 802.16e and 802.11a/b/g/n in a PCIe Half Mini Card form factor
622AGXHRU - For Russia only. Supports 802.16e and 802.11a/b/g in a PCIe Half Mini Card form factor

This is from the top of page 4, check it out
http://www.intel.com/content/dam/doc/product-brief/centrino-advanced-n-wimax-6250-brief.pdf

 

Got it. Thanks!

 

hey did you sign up with sprint? do they require 2yr contact?

 

Haven't got it yet. Next week. I'm currently with AT&T and will probably use their 3G plan until it proves either too slow or too expensive. Then I'll think about upgrading to the 6250 card and go with either Clear or Sprint.

 

Yes they do..

 

How to get the best AT&T 3G data plan for your laptop.

 

interesting there,

i went to both ATT and sprint store yesterday to get my WWAN working.

sprint require 2 yr contact for $59.99/5GB or $49.99 if you have cell phone plan with them. on ATT however even worse they only have 200MB/$35 with no contact or 3GB with one year contact for $49.99.

so for now i will just wait for any firmware hack so i can sign up with verizon : ((

 

Gee those are some exxy prices . Here in Australia, i'm planning on going on a 500MB/$5 plan (no contract) when I get my SA.

 

I'm wondering if I can just move my SIM card over from my cellphone to my laptop...

OT but I really hope AT&T's merger with T-Mobile fails, and AT&T collapses as a result of that failure. That company is really poorly managed, with a terrible corporate culture.

 

did you read my article? I described a way to get 2GB for $35 a month no contract, and $10 per GB if you go over...
It is not exactly a deal but it is pretty good these days.

 

I could not get the EM680/Gobi3000 to activate on Sprints system.

Sprint customer service is the worst. They had an open ticket for more than 10 days. Not once did they call me back and never got the problem resolved. So I cancelled the account and activated with AT&T. And just as I thought, AT&T service area sucks.

Hopefully someone can get this thing hacked to work with Verizon. And hopefully soon.

 

If you don't mind my asking... how much are you paying for AT&T and how much data are you getting.

I personally hate AT&T, but I love the freedom that you get with SIM cards. I have one data SIM and I can put it in any of my three computers.

 

The DOJ lawsuit makes it unlikely (but not completely impossible) that AT&T can complete the merger anytime soon. If the deal doesn't go through, AT&T owes Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile's parent) about $3 billion.

 

It'll go through. ATT will concede on some points and the DOJ will accept it eventually.

 

DT has aired the possibility of selling off some assets as a condition for approval and AT&T has quite a bit of political support for the merger. On the other hand, from a pure, traditional antitrust analysis, it doesn't look too good.

 

I dont know exactly. But I think its around $60/mo based on 5G.

The Huawei people know the EM680 will work with Verizon. But I think there is some contractual stuff keeping them from letting the cat out of the bag. But I'm still working on them.

 

I would never knowingly buy any component from Huawei.

Pentagon fears listening posts from China - Washington Times

 

Wonderful. I need to rip this thing out now.

 

So you think IBM never had ties to US military?

 

or the Nazis for that matter

 

Yeah you're right. No difference between the US Military and Chinese Military

 

hey CC, your Z1 has sim card slot too? where is it i cannot find it on mine

thanks

 

if you have WWAN then it is behind the battery, right about in line with where the "ASSIST" button is.

 

Can anyone tell me if the slot that takes the 3g cards is present on the canadian version on the Z2? They do not sell it with the broadband option but if there is a slot perhaps it can be added?
Thanks