[Q] setup MTNL Garuda service (Mumbai) on HTC Touch Pro CDMA US Cellular

[imiten]

Hi,

I purchased HTC Touch Pro (US Cellular CDMA). I want to use it with Mumbai MTNL Garuda Mobile Phone service in Mumbai, India.

I don't know much of cell phone flashing and reading web pages would like to get this done.

1) How do I check my phone needs what ROM and which one is it already using ? I assume ROM is like BIOS and windows mobile is like win xp os. So installing ROM will not affect windows mobile. do I have to flash rom for a specific carrier\service provider ?
2) How do I check whether my phone in unlocked since this is CDMA and has no sim card ? In ebay ad said it was unlocked.
3) How do I find roms for "mumbai garuda mtnl". You can google the quoted string for information on service provider. I don't see much helpful info on site and the service provider is not helping. It is open to questions if I have any so let me know if you want me to ask them. can one check compatibility between US cellular and MTNL garuda mobile cdma network so I know I can use the phone.
4) Please enumerate high level steps with some pointers for me to follow through the install process.
5) is the handset supporting 3G since I see its network specs as:
Network US cellular:

Dual-band (800/1900MHz), CDMA2000 1xEVDO Rev. A/1xRTT and IS-95A/B voice or data with up to 1.8 Mbps up-link and 3.1 Mbps down-link


MTNL Garuda mobile network is CDMA-1x. Another MTNL 3G Jadoo is 3G (WCDMA, HSDPA).



so compatibility wise can I use the US cellular handset on MTNL ?

6) when switching carrier is it simple as registering your new handset with new carrier ? is there standard process for it like call in their network using some special number and type in your existing number which you have with their network. ex. if I have 20337444 number on MTNL network then on HTC Touch Pro I dial in some special number for MTNL network and then key in my existing 20337444. This will register the ESN on their network and I am all set.

7) the MTNL guy said that first check if dialing *228 gives you MTNL network. If so then go to customer service and get more help. When I dail I don't think it does any thing. It gives 3 beeps and returns to home screen.
Additional info MTNL gave was they use channels primary 185 and secondary 226. May be got to do with cdma programming.

Regards,

Miten Mehta.
my yahoo id is imiten so please cc it.

[mehulbpandya]

You could research website to unlock your phone first. Then you need to change certain parameters to adopt to the Garuda network. After this your phone sould work like a charm.

There are some Professionals in Mumbai who could help you with this. They would charge though.

[jasew503]

Youll need a couple of things to make it work on a different network.

1. Youll need a PRL file from a MTNL phone.

2. Youll need the SPC/MSL for the Touch Pro

3. Youll need to make sure that MTNL (or whatever provider you decide to use it with) will allow the ESN on their network.

The rom is the Windows Mobile OS. And it doesnt matter what ROM you have. You need to change the PRL to one that is for the service you want to connect it to.

Changing the PRL will allow you to use Talk/Text on whatever CDMA carrier you want. Web and other Data services require more manual programming.