Posted by amnesia
Hey there all,
My girlfriend is sending the W32H from Japan to me (forest green) and I was just interested in knowing if
1) it will work in the uk
2) anyone knows where I can unlock it (if it is indeed locked)
Before someone yells" japanese phones dont work in the UK"
It takes sim cards.
I was just unable to find concrete info.
Perhaps you would know ofiach?
Posted by ofiaich
Hi Amnesia!
I am just having a read..
http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Prod/vims/mobilephone/w32h/
Interestingly the KDDI site has this phone as being made by Sanyo.
http://www.au.kddi.com/english/product/lineup/w32h/index.html
and I can see on their page... these words
[1] Requires purchase of a separate GSM phone for overseas use.
still reading !!
Ofiaich
[ This Message was edited by: ofiaich on 2006-06-22 23:46 ]
Posted by amnesia
yes I did indeed go to that site.
Unusually some Blogs say it's W32H Panasonic, and the AU KDDI website says it's the W32H by Sanyo.
I know it's the Hitachi and they must have made a mistake because it's on the Hitachi product page AND ends with an H.
Posted by ofiaich
I also found this..
The W32H supports the au IC Card.
Just by inserting the au IC Card into a GSM phone designed for overseas use, you can use your phone number in countries around the world.
I am thinking it will not work outside of Japan! but you can keep your own Japanese number and use it in your handset..
About the end code being a 'H'.. Yes on the KDDI site
W41H by HITACHI
http://www.au.kddi.com/english/product/lineup/w41h/index.html
So I guess it is a typo..
here is the Japanese page..
http://www.au.kddi.com/seihin/kinobetsu/seihin/w32h/index.html
with the info about the IC Card
「au ICカード」に対応。
「au ICカード」を海外用GSMケータイに差し換えるだけで、いつもの電話番号でそのまま海外でご利用いただけます。
Ofiaich
[ This Message was edited by: ofiaich on 2006-06-22 23:58 ]
Posted by ofiaich
Hi amnesia,
here is the link to the pdf about the ic card.
http://www.au.kddi.com/english/global/ge/pdf/riyo_guide.pdf
It has English and Japanese. The guide also shows the beautiful Nokia 3120
Ofiaich
Posted by ofiaich
hi amnesia,
I forgot about unlocking, I doubt it will be unlocked, and if it is, it will only work in Japan.
Interested to hear if you found different information..
Ofiaich
Posted by amnesia
So are you saying that the phone doesn't support gsm?
That I will not be able to put my own sim in?
(this is still a great little collectors phone especially for my travels)
And also, do you know where it could be unlocked?
Posted by ofiaich
I am thinking it will not support gsm bedcause, on the KDDI pages, they give info on how to get a Nokia.... and use the au IC Card...
The W32H supports the au IC Card.
Just by inserting the au IC Card into a GSM phone designed for overseas use, you can use your phone number in countries around the world.
I am thinking it will not work outside of Japan! but you can keep your own Japanese number and use it in your handset..
I think AL over at
http://forum2.mobile-review.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12
would have good information about this phone !!
I think he is AL9999 at Howardforums !
Ofiaich..
[ This Message was edited by: ofiaich on 2006-06-23 15:32 ]
Posted by amnesia
I would ask at Howard Forums, but they banned me for 7 days (made me angry since I was contributing)
They banned me for replying to someone who said "who was selling chocolate's in the US" and I said "this user *username here" I wasn't even advertising myself :S
If you could ask it would be great
Posted by ofiaich
Hi!
I posted at Howard and Mobile-Review..
and will let you know the result!
Ofiaich
Posted by ofiaich
Hi amnesia,
I got a reply from AL9999 at Howard. I feel AL9999 knows his stuff and he posted,
" No, W32H only works in Japan. The IC card thing just lets a Japanese owner of the phone either take out the card and use it in a GSM phone, or lets him/her swap the phone number in the phone. "
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=941571
and at mobile review, also by Al....
http://forum2.mobile-review.c[....]p?p=433856&posted=1#post433856
Hope this helps!
Ofiaich
[ This Message was edited by: ofiaich on 2006-06-23 23:40 ]
Posted by amnesia
thanks very much for all the help.
Posted by ofiaich
Hi!
you are welcome.!
I am trying to find out if a UK sim would work in the Hitachi W32H!
I'll post back here....
Ofiaich
Posted by ofiaich
update to this...
posted at Howards
" No, no point in trying to unlock it, it still won't work.
And no, GSM SIM and 3G USIM cards don't work in it, the au IC card is a different standard (I think UIM maybe? I don't remember) "
Hope this helps and you cna get a different present from Japan!
Ofiaich