T60 HSPDA in Europe and Worldwide

[nicolaiwadstrom]

Hi,

My T30 (4 years old now) has served my well, but is heading for replacement by a new T60 soon (although I would like to wait for the Wide screen ones), but I have a question about the WWAN in the T60's.

I did some research on the WWAN modules in the thinkpads and they all seem to use the Sierrea Wireless PCI Express Mini cards for HSPDA networks:

MC8755 - 2100 MHz HSDPA UMTS frequency band (used in Europe and Asia) - Cingular.
MC8765 - 850/1900 MHz HSDPA UMTS frequency bands (used in North America) - Cingular.
MC5720 - EV-DO Networks (probally only in North America) - Verizon.

These support peak downloads of 1.8 Mbit/s. But checking out the
Sierra Wireless website http://www.sierrawireless.com/product/oemmodules.aspx), I can see that the MC8775 supports all frequencies (used worldwide) as well as the "Turbo-3G" peak download speed of 3.6 Mbit/s, which is starting to be available in a few countries in Europe.

MC8775 - 850/1900/2100 MHz HSDPA UMTS frequency bands (works worldwide).

This module seems to make sense for me living in Europe, but traveling quite a bit, and would like to get rid of the 3G PCMCIA card that I use in my T30.
It seems as long as I know which module (and thus where it will work) is in the machine I can pop whatever SIM card (after getting an unlock code from Lenovo) I want into the machines and use it where that SIM card has coverage and/or roaming.

My questions are:

1) How to determine which WWAN module is in a specific Thinkpad model?
2) Is there or will there be a Thinkpad available with the MC8775 card?


Kind regards,
Nicolai

[WilsonF]

I have the Verizon module in my T60p and my firm was able to convince Verizon to give us a one year (instead of two) deal. At present, Verizon EVDO seems to have the widest coverage here in the USA.

I just got a Cingular BlackJack phone/Windows Mobile 5.0 PDA which has HSDPA G3. I can use this device as a bluetooth modem; here in Chicago, it gets very fast downloads - possibly faster than the Verizon although I haven't done any tests yet.

Unfortunately, the wireless companies' announcements of their high speed coverage seem to get a wee bit ahead of reality, so it's difficult to know which way to go for North American coverage.

I haven't tried the Cingular device in Europe yet and won't until early 2007. However, the data roaming charges from Cingular will eat you alive. On my return after a three week trip to Australia this summer where I used my Cinglar 8125 to check e-mail (instead of paying hotels $A20 per night for high-speed connections) I was greeted by a $800 Cingular bill - proving that I should have paid the $A20 per night.

[sjhwilkes]

I have the T60p with Verizon EVDO. It works well in the US, but there's now a new version out and no simple upgrade path for the built in variety as far as I can see. I'm spending several months in Europe right now and have the Vodaphone UMTS PCMCIA card which is awesome - in London you really can get 2 megabit, shame that in the rest of Europe I only see 384K

Given the choice again I'd skip the built in, you also get to choose networks that way.

[nicolaiwadstrom]

Well I am mostly in Europe, and in some European countries (Sweden, Germany and a few others) 3.6 Mbit/s is starting to become available.

I also read somewhere that they managed to get an unlock code from Lenovo to unlock it (an thus use any SIM card they like in it). Roaming is a killer though, but I would try to use a local SIM card to as a large extent as possible!

But I would not go for the built-in one unless it has world-wide frequency support (the 3 HSPDA freqs and 4 GSM). I have 3G UMTS card in T30 now which works fine, bit I would prefer a built-in one (one less thing to carry around...)

/ Nicolai


PS In Europe the EU comission might put a legislation in-place the hinders the high roaming charges between different EU countries.

[Nebelfelsen]

I am using a T60 without UMTS-module.

Is it possible to upgrade to UMTS?:

- is the SIM-card-holder part of the PCI-module or placed anywhere else in the Thinkpad?

- are there antennas and/or cables needed in addition to the module? Does anybody know the FRU-numbers for these articles?

- is there only a Vodafone-branded UMTS-module available by IBM als FRU / are unbranded units available by resellers?

Thank you very much for your help.

[EOMtp]

- is the SIM-card-holder part of the PCI-module or placed anywhere else in the Thinkpad?
- are there antennas and/or cables needed in addition to the module? Does anybody know the FRU-numbers for these articles?

The SIM card holder is accessible from the underside, after one removes the battery. Not all machines have a SIM card holder. The SIM card holder (FRU #41W1353) can be added to any T60 machine after removing the keyboard. It is a small circuit board with SIM socket and a 2cm cable and connector which attaches to the motherboard.

Antennas:
The primary antenna is installed in the LCD panel casing; the secondary antenna is installed on the top left underside of the keyboard bezel. Use the proper FRU #s based on your screen size and your WWAN service provider, shown here: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... GR-62741#1