GPRS/EDGE on iPhone in Beijing,China

December 1st, 2007

Today I have successfully connected to internet via GPRS in my iphone. I can confirm that this time it’s GPRS because:

Before i changed APN(originally ‘DISABLED’) to cmnet(leave both username and pasword blank and power off iphone and then reboot), iphone will pop up a failed dialog box saying ‘EDGE can’t be activated’. After i did, Safari can load and display the home page of Google Mobile successfully.

Actually I’ve also been testing the connection on the subway Line 13 from office to home. As long as the mobile signal is fine, the testing would be succeeded.

The only thing that still confuses me is that iphone still can be able to browse the web in EDGE(much faster speed than today’s GPRS testing) only when i’m at home while APN is ‘DISABLED’ :-S

And i think I may need to upgrade my current GPRS packgae from 10M/mon to 50M/mon later.

Update(Jan.21,2008): if your SIM card is prepaid type, that is, either Shenzhouxing or M-Zone, then you cannot connect on the iphone, ‘coz iphone doesn’t support WAP while prepaid mobile numbers are only allowed to use cmwap to access WAP-based pages by china mobile. Fortunately mine is GoTone, the postpaid type, so i can use cmnet to visit normal http webpages. check Wangjianshuo’s findings for more details(btw, he’s in Shanghai).

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Posted by Cui Filed in china, iPhone, mobile

4 Responses to “GPRS/EDGE on iPhone in Beijing,China”

  1. Jon Says:
    December 1st, 2007 at 10:12 pm

    Hi,

    I just got back form HK with a shiny new iPhone and have spent all day trying to get it to work with EDGE. I have signed up for a GPRS package from China Mobile and they took 15RMB from my credit so i assume it is activated. I get the E at the top of the iPhone but never have any luck surfing anywhere.

    Can you help?

  2. Cui Says:
    December 3rd, 2007 at 10:16 am

    Jon, check your email, please.

    I’ve talked with some other friends on this kinda issue on iphone. And still no clean and clear conclusion yet.

    All we’ve got is it all depends on your specific situations, like your iphone’s ff version, APN settings, even where you are in beijing.

    So let’s talk offline by email. If we can get something, then I’ll share it in a new post.

  3. Garrett Nunan Says:
    January 17th, 2008 at 12:23 pm

    Hi Cui -

    I am having the same issue with trying to get my iphone on GPRS - I had it on my dopod so I know my account works but am not sure what to do with iphone-

    I have changed my edge settings to China mobiles GPRS settings but nothing happens

    If you could help it would be great -

    I am using version 1.0.2 (1c28) - modem firmware is 04.01.13_G and usually in Chaoyang district Beijing

    REally appreciate any advice you can give me

    Regards

    Garrett

  4. Cui Says:
    January 21st, 2008 at 10:21 am

    Garrett, what do you mean by ’same issue’? If you mean you still cannot use safari to browse normal webpages, please try the following steps:
    1.Change APN to cmnet(lower case,please) and leave both username and password as blank;
    2.Power off iphone by sliding the red button. Just to make sure the APN settings has been saved.
    3.Power on iphone, again. Go to Settings and Disable wifi.
    4.Make sure the mobile signal strength is fine. i.e, you can call out and in.
    5.Open safari and see if you can do some surfing.

    Tell me what happends if safari still fails.

    good luck.

    Cui

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