BSNL 3G sim bought in Bangalore does not work in Gujarat

[netguru1]

Hi, I have iPhone 3GS. I bough BSNL 3G sim card in Bangalore. It works perfectly fine in Bangalore..getting speeds ranging from 512kbps to 1.5 Mbps. I travelled to Chennai recently and it worked perfectly fine there too. Recently I travelled to Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Though BSNL has launched 3G services there in July, I could not get any data access there....neither 3G nor Edge. Even the 3G/E symbol would not come on my phone. Only voice calls work. I called up customer care in Ahmedabad and they told me that I'll have to buy a 3G sim card in Ahmedabad to use 3G services there . Roaming is not allowed on BSNL 3G sim cards. Also..a sim card bought in Ahmedabad would work only in Gujarat. This just doesn't make sense. I would never trust BSNL customer care. They also told me that I can keep on trying and if it works I should be happy . I tried searching for resources online but of no help. If this is true..it would be totally ridiculous...buying sim cards in each different circle

 

[Sushubh]

mmm bsnl is not offering data services on roaming. aircel does not offer it on edge either. what's the problem here?

 

[netguru1]

mmm bsnl is not offering data services on roaming. aircel does not offer it on edge either. what's the problem here?

That's not true... worked perfectly fine when I travelled to Chennai. I remember it being mentioned somewhere also. I was charged at 1 paise/10Kb in Chennai.

---------- Post added at 09:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 PM ----------

From BSNL site:
Here also they do mention that roaming is allowed
http://karnataka.bsnl.co.in/3G/dataplans.htm


*** Data charges beyond free usage shall be deducted from the available balance in his main account. Free data usage is available both from home LSA and while roaming.

 

[merc782]

whats the apn you are using ? make sure to use bsnlnet apn, this should work in roaming also. incase you use gprssouth, it will only work in sourthern statesif you are not able to access using bsnlnet apn, send GPRSPRE to 53733, with in 24hrs you should be get going with bsnlnet apn

 

[netguru1]

Hi merc782,

I'm using bsnlnet as APN only. I did few tests and here is the analysis. BSNL customer care is still of no help:

- When I enable UMTS only mode, I do not see BSNL network at all with Bangalore sim card in Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
- I see BSNL network in dual mode only. I guess its 2G network
- I'm able to make/receive voice calls but not access Edge 2G network either
- I then bought a local BSNL 3G simcard from Ahmedabad
- As soon as I inserted the Ahmedabad based sim card,...boom...I was on 3G network !!!
- Data transfer rates were about 1.5 Mbps
- So in same area in Ahmedabad, bangalore based sim card cannot detect BSNL 3G network while Ahmedabad based sim card does
- I returned to Bangalore, and Ahmedabad based sim card is successfully able to connect to BSNL/s 3G network..so BSNL does allow 3G access in roaming also

Summary:
In Bangalore:
- Bangalore based sim card is able to connect to BSNL's 3G network
- Ahmedabad based sim card is able to connect to BSNL's 3G network

In Ahmedabad:
- Bangalore based sim card is NOT able to connect to BSNL's 3G network
- Bangalore based sim card is able to detect BSNL's 2G network but not access Edge data network
- Ahmedabad based sim card is able to connect to BSNL's 3G network
- On disabling UMTS, Ahmedabad based simcard is able to connect to BSNL's 2G network and also access Edge data network

Thanks.....

---------- Post added at 07:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:43 PM ----------

One more thing..don't know if it makes any difference:

In Ahmedabad I got 128K sim while in Bangalore I got 256K sim

 

[netguru1]

Please let me know if anyone having BSNL 3G sim from Bangalore travels to Gujarat...I just want to make sure it's not just me. Worst case, I'll probably buy a new sim card and see if that helps as BSNL Customer Care is of no help at all.

 

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[ankitpjain]

I've a 3G Data Card from Huawei.Me too facing the same issue with a BSNL Bangalore 3G SIM. I was unable to use it in Pune Maharashtra. The same problems as you had faced, the SIM works fabulously in Blr & just not in 3G(Pune) or even 2G/Edge. Also got 3G signal on MTNL mumbai but no connection.Have spoken with the BSNL customer care, who are all shitty & of no use. The Blr Level2 team, even promised to call me back within 24hrs 1 week back in two separate calls. I'm still waiting for those 24hrs to be completed by BSNL.Pl lemme know if any one comes to a solution.

 

[buBleZ]

Same issue for me in N.India for a Vellore 3G sim. Adding myselg to thread

 

[lightgreen49]

i ihave brough a sim in UP west and it worked in punjab rajasthan mumbai maharastra delhi up east uttaranchal haryana

 

[netguru1]

Folks, can you confirm whether you're getting 128/256Zk sim?