WWAN in X61 an a disappointing Support call with Lenovo

[nicolaiwadstrom]

I have been a Thinkpad users for the last 11 years, and still a happy customer/user of a Thinkpad T30. Looking to upgrade I have been looking at a T61 or a X61 Tablet (either performance or portability+"web tablet"), but I use a 3G cards quite extensively today, and would like to have it built in, to make use smoother.

I need 3G cover in Europe and preferably the US, and I would like High-speed (3.6 Mbit/s or more). The new X61 WWAN option has the Sierra Wireless card, MC8775, that supports this (tri-band). But impossible to figure out which option on the website that actually contains this module, and the neither sales or tech support could tell me either. The US support said that they won't give out any unlock codes either, so I can only use it with Cingular, which makes it unusable for me (while in Europe, where I really need the 3G).

I would like to buy it in Europe if possible, otherwise I can buy it in the US, does not matter much. But seems quite impossible to figure out which module a system has when ordering and to unlock it....

Anybody have any suggestions?

Kind regards,
Nicolai

PS Did write about this on my blog as well: http://www.wadstrom.net/2007/06/15/the- ... operators/

[fveloso]

Not sure I can help except join you in anger at their behavior. I am in Europe for the summer and wanting to connect to a local provider to no avail...

What they are doing is not only very bad customer service; it is actually illegal for them to hold the computer locked since November 06 due to the copyright exemptions approved back then.

Perhaps if many pressure Lenovo, they will release the procedure and unlock codes - perhaps if many people blog the subject it will enter their radar screen.

Sony has exactly the same issue of locking the computer to Cingular when you buy it, but they actually provide an on line FAQ on how to unlock it (see http://www.iq.sony.com/srvs/autorespons ... ?id=394991) and give you a number to call to get the unlocking code.

Lenovo should be doing exactly the same!!!! Their behavior is outrageous.

[nicolaiwadstrom]

It's all due to operator lock-in, that are putting pressure on the computer manufactures. But I can not understand that the computer manufacturers goes along with it, and pissing their customers off.

Phone manufacturers are completely in the hands of the operators, and phones are closely tied to the operators, but I can only believe that computer manufacturers are loosing sales from this behavior.

Lenovo should just sell the machines with-out SIM-cards, and let the users pop-in the SIM-card themselves, and do bundles for the people that want that.

Lenovo should at least do as Sony, well maybe I should get a Sony instead (that will be my first non-Thinkpad laptop in 11 years...).

// Nicolai