[store2000]

"Radio" is the Qualcomm MSM6500. That consists of 3 items, the RF hardware, the firmware (to control that HW; f/w written to flash memory) and the NVRAM (that the firmware uses as a long term storage area). Stuff in the NVRAM is what is needed to register your radio with the network (like ESN, CDMA modes, vocoders etc etc).

So again:
A) RF hardware: You bought the phone, with the chip [check]
B) Radio Firmware: If you flash the phone with an image that has a valid radio image, you get this. The official images from venders have the following 3 ..
1) the Win CE image
2) the extended ROM image
3) the radio firmware image
... all in one package. Unofficial images have either all 3 or just some of the above - you should check.

C) NVRAM: This has sections which are factory set as well as stuff "programmed" later on (in the 'field') when a subscriber actually buys a unit. Although we call is 'programming' the phone, the real program is the f/w (item B) and this is really just some data telling the firmware HOW to work (like how a program maintains its settings in the registry or .ini files).

From what it sounds, you need to configure the NVRAM properly. The most powerful tool for this is QPST which is available to Qualcomm and its licensees (eg. your carriers support). You need to supply a .qcn file to QPST which will program the NVRAM properly. Tell this to the carrier's engineers. FYI, the .qcn file is like an image of the NVRAM.

If you can somehow get EPST working you could take the settings from someone elses phone and program it onto your phone. Note that if your carrier uses the optional (and stronger) authentication feature of the A-key (authentication key) then you can't really copy over someone elses A-key since both the network and your unit must agree upon the same A-key (which changes with time too!).

If this is too complex, I think you should simply try to have the carrier fix it for you ("Listen, I can't continue with you guys if your device doesn't let me do so").