1. Ecuador uses 850 - same as lots of the Cingular/ATT in U.S.
2. Some quad band phones can be set to restrict network searches to look for only 900/1800 or 850/1900. If set to look for only 900/1800 it won't find 850.

...mike

From C-139 Manual
 

Menu
Settings
Other Settings
Network
Band Selection

................ nothing more, no ref to frequency or 1900, etc., no ref on what the choices are under band selection.

My P-280 allowed one to switch between 1900 and 900/1800.

If it was working in US, it was probably on 850/1900.

Stan

What is IMHO somehow reasonable since AFAIK there are no 850/1800 or 900/1900 dual-band networks anywhere :-). But if there are areas where 850/900 and/or 1800/1900 coverage overlaps, it wouldn't be that good...

1800 & 1900 reuse the same channel numbers and would be very hard to implement together, except maybe on some island somewhere. I don't know. 850 has a different set of channel numbers, so the two can run quite nicely together in the same area. In theory calls could even be handed back and forth between 900 & 850 like they are between 900 & 1800.

I doubt this will make any difference. The reason that 09 says "Quad Band" is that in Europe (including Iceland) that's the only type phone that has 850 MHz.

Here are the key points:
1. She has a perfectly good local SIM. She does not need a different SIM. All she needs is to add a top-up to the SIM she has. Since she found the SIM she can probably find the appropriate top-up card at any little store anywhere she goes.

2. If the 09 issue is still worth solving, consider this:
2.a It is important to know if the phone registers (locks on) with one of the two GSM 850 carriers. If it doesn't register (after waiting about 30 minutes) but works with the local SIM, then 09 has some serious problems with roaming in Ecuador.
2.b If it locks onto one carrier but won't make calls, then she needs to try to force it to the other carrier and try again. The calling system for most of these prepaid SIMs is based on a system called USSD which allows the phone to send a signal back home (Iceland) to trigger the callback. Not all carriers implement USSD signaling. Sometimes a SIM will register on a net but not be able to send the trigger message. In that case you need to try another local net.
2.c If the phone is registered, it may be possible for her to receive calls but not place them. You should have her send you an e-mail (or something) letting you know when she will be waiting with the SIM in place for your call.

The whole roaming issue is a bit complicated and it is always best if the user understands how to change some of his phone's settings. Problems occur even when roaming post-paid accounts with major carriers. I was in Singapore just after Christmas and couldn't get my T-Mobile SIM to work properly. A submarine earthquake had cut undersea cables and disrupted communications around the western Pacific. OTOH, some of my prepaids worked just fine.

Keep in mind that kids have been traveling on exchange programs since long before the cell phone was invented and she can probably live just fine without one.

May 30, Spoke with my daughter and she stated the phone works with the local sims which is great. She has not tried the 09 since the first day in Quito Ecuador. I explained to her how to manually search for a network, and she is supposed to try it tonight I hope.

I did call 09 and they state the card should work in Ecuador as their website states. Her roommate from Germany also had a cell phone on arrival and it did not work. My daughter said it was a pda phone and had a UM card? No service.
Both of these companies are suppose to have service, but its not working.

Q. Is it possible Ecuador Cellular towers are set to only accept local sims? A way for the Country/Cities to keep revenue locally?

Anyway here is another email if you all like to read.

To: Jefferies, Christina; stevejefferies@adelphia.net
Subject: hi

I bought a sim card at the mall.....but I only have 3 dollars on it right now. he did not speak any english and he could not understand my spanish very well so i just took what he gave me....i only payed 5 dollars.

they have a curves here...its right by the school....its only 75 dollars for a one year membership....and gas is $1.48

everything here is really cheap...i bought 2 liters of water for 50 cents... there are churches on every corner...

today i got a whole lunch (drink, soup, and chicken sandwich and fries) for $3.50

At the restaurants they serve everything in a bottle...including soda.

there are so many people just walking everywhere...in the middle of the road..everywhere...its worse than NYC.
little kids just run the streets alone.

it is not like the united states where everyone is so strict about things.... the people just do what they want and everyone is treated the same..it doesn't matter if you are young or old.

my roomate and i have a bathroom in our room. the house is big, and i havent even seen all of it yeat...i only have seen the second floor!

no, my roomate is only here for 10 weeks, but that is ok because by then i will know spanish and i will know my way around and i will only be 2 weeks behind her.

my roomate and i took the bus into town today. its one 25 cents...so cheap.
I am going back to the house now....dont call there any more!!!!
my phone number is 08-7031782 but when i get a card with more talk time it will change..

love always
-val

DRNewcomb, Prion and Bossman THANKS!!!
I did not read your reply until after I made my last posting.
You are 100% correct. Thanks friends. You all have been very kind and helpful and I enjoy blogging with you all. I have learn so much from you all, keep up the great friendships.

Steven,
My bet is that the German roommate showed up with a tri-band (900/1800/1900) phone. I've know several people who showed up in the US with dual band (900/1800) phones and couldn't figure out why it didn't work. What may happen is that your daughter ends up using the new phone you sent her (because it's cooler) and the roommate uses C139 because her phone doesn't have 850.

However, the roommate comes from a country where GSM has been the norm for years. She may be more familiar with the features and functions of the system and could end up being a good resource in finding the solution.

They should probably swap SIMs between their two phones just to see what happens.