Replace Verizon mini PCIe with Cingular mini PCIe?

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WilsonF · #1 Post by **WilsonF** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:50 pm

I saw in the TA book that Lenovo now offers T60s with Cingular cards. I called Lenovo about buying one, and the Lenovo rep told me to call what turned out to be the IBM parts depot (still in Boulder, I guess).

I called IBM and asked about ordering an Integrated Cingular HSDPA 3G Wireless Broadband Network Adapter [Part Number 42T0804 on Lenovo web site], with Cingular SIM.

The IBM person told me that IBM would charge $1K and change for the card.

Is there a less expensive way to get a card that won't stop my 2623-DDU from booting?

sugo · #2 Post by **sugo** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:37 pm

I found out the price for the cingular card from IBM online part store as well: in stock ready to ship at $1,028

We know it's a MC8765 card. You also need the SIM card slot.
http://www.sierrawireless.com/product/mc87x5.aspx

renhui · #3 Post by **renhui** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:21 pm

a quick question, can you pop such a HSDPA card into non-EVDO enabled T60? that's assuming I can get the antenna thing and sim slot thing installed by myself.

Seriouly, how many expansion slots does T60 have? I know there is a MPCI-E a/b/g card, a bluetooth card, and ?

own6volvos · #4 Post by **own6volvos** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:37 pm

renhui wrote:a quick question, can you pop such a HSDPA card into non-EVDO enabled T60? that's assuming I can get the antenna thing and sim slot thing installed by myself.

Seriouly, how many expansion slots does T60 have? I know there is a MPCI-E a/b/g card, a bluetooth card, and ?

There are 2 m-pcie slots, one for evdo and one for wireless lan. The bluetooth card isn't really a full slot. I also believe the 2 m-pcie slots are coded for specific devices, so you probably wont be able to swap them around or stick like 2 wifi cards in it or something.

renhui · #5 Post by **renhui** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:19 am

Thanks for the info, man.
Also I did a quick search and it turned out that ACSoutlet has the card for US157, not bad IMHO.
http://www.acsoutlet.com/42T0804-ThinkPad.aspx

own6volvos wrote:
There are 2 m-pcie slots, one for evdo and one for wireless lan. The bluetooth card isn't really a full slot. I also believe the 2 m-pcie slots are coded for specific devices, so you probably wont be able to swap them around or stick like 2 wifi cards in it or something.

jagged · #6 Post by **jagged** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 2:08 am

Just curious, for the EV-DO and HSPDA services, are Thinkpad users restricted to Verizon and Cingular?

I live overseas but my local carrier will start HSPDA service soon. My new T60 came with EV-DO card (wasn't in the specs) but I'm thinking if I can exchanged it with HSPDA and use it with my local carrier (Globe Telecom).

renhui · #7 Post by **renhui** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:05 am

I don't think so. If you look here.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... yout=print
you will see that Lenovo has two different parts number for the same card, one is called Integrated Cingular HSDPA 3G Wireless Broadband Network Adapter which I think is locked to Cingular, the other is just a general sierra one.

Anyone has any idea how difficult it would be to install WWAN antenna on 14" model? This is no WWAN 14" model available on Canada visaperks site.

jagged wrote:Just curious, for the EV-DO and HSPDA services, are Thinkpad users restricted to Verizon and Cingular?

I live overseas but my local carrier will start HSPDA service soon. My new T60 came with EV-DO card (wasn't in the specs) but I'm thinking if I can exchanged it with HSPDA and use it with my local carrier (Globe Telecom).

#8 Post by **BillMorrow** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:20 am

you might find that any NON-IBM/lenovo EvDO card will NOT pass the bios check..
think about it..
the FCC certifies these things and if you change the product by using a non-IBM part, it will possibly cause RF interference IF not the certified part..
so a bios check is performed and if NOT the correct part, no boot..!
need any part of this clarified..

OH, one more thing..
thinkpads.com will be offering the verizon EvDO service.. there will be a rebate of $20 or so after 3 months..
and i get $20 commission..

jagged · #9 Post by **jagged** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:59 am

renhui wrote:I don't think so. If you look here.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... yout=print
you will see that Lenovo has two different parts number for the same card, one is called Integrated Cingular HSDPA 3G Wireless Broadband Network Adapter which I think is locked to Cingular, the other is just a general sierra one.

Anyone has any idea how difficult it would be to install WWAN antenna on 14" model? This is no WWAN 14" model available on Canada visaperks site.

Hmmm...I was thinking like in the case of cellphones, stores usually can "unlock" a locked phone bought from a carrier so why not in the case of WAN cards...I hope I can have the EV-DO card that came with my T60 replaced with HSPDA.

I just read a press release that my local carriers just introduced 3.5G highspeed internet service for laptops. They are selling a HSPDA PCMCIA card for about US$300 but didn't say how much the service will cost.

It would be nice if I had that card built-in...

#10 Post by **BillMorrow** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:30 am

yes, unlock codes exist for cellphones..
so the same should be true of these sierra wireless cards..

and when someone learns the secret i hope they will publish it here..

young guy · #11 Post by **young guy** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 1:01 pm

renhui wrote:Anyone has any idea how difficult it would be to install WWAN antenna on 14" model? This is no WWAN 14" model available on Canada visaperks site.

I'm interested to know this as well? I have a 15" model and would like to install a WWAN antenna.

JD.

rockefella · #12 Post by **rockefella** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 1:33 pm

I know this is a bit off-topic, but I thought it might help.

I bought the Sierra 3G Wireless Aircard 360 from Cingular for around $200. It fits into the PCMCIA slot of my T60p and works FLAWLESSLY. The reception in the T60p is substantially better than what it was in my T42.

In total, I've used it for about a year with Cingular's WWAN (PC Connect) service. I almost always get a decent signal, even in the most unlikely of places, especially with the T60p.

Cheers

sugo · #13 Post by **sugo** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:42 pm

rockefella wrote:The reception in the T60p is substantially better than what it was in my T42.

Wait, same card but T60p offers Much better reception? How could that be?

rockefella · #14 Post by **rockefella** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:50 am

No idea, but I'm not imagining the performance difference. It's noticeable. I get more bars in more places.

zzyss · #15 Post by **zzyss** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:56 am

If you look in the Hardware Maintenance Manual for T60/p it also mentions a part number for Vodafone. In Australia, they are selling EVDO with Telstra (local telco) as well, so I'm guessing that there must exist *some* way of changing the carrier.

The differences in part numbers may be due to the particular hardware required to use the network, not so much different carriers.

Replace Verizon mini PCIe with Cingular mini PCIe?

Replace Verizon mini PCIe with Cingular mini PCIe?

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