I just wanted to report my experience so far using the Droid 2 global in China. It's been pretty good.
Called verizon support, got an unlock code and left for China.
Took my phone to a small cell phone store in Shanghai and had a friend accompany me because my Chinese is worthless for talking about technical things. The guy popped out his own sim card to test in my phone to see if it would work. Entered the unlock code and everything was straight. Guy said that if I wanted data, China Unicom is the right choice, plus the reception is the best. Bought a 全国 (chuan2 guo3 "coverage for all of China") 66RMB/mo monthly plan with 220RMB of credit. (50min talk time, 240 txt, 300MB data)?
Took a while to get things setup because I didn't know that I needed to change the network mode to GSM/UMTS (otherwise it hooks up with CDMA networks via Verizon roaming, we don't want this).
Coverage is OK. Tends to drop when indoors.
In order to get data working I had to do some research and setup APNs (access point names). i added:
name: china unicom 3g
APN: 3gnet
Port: 80
Username: guest
PW: guest
MCC: 460
MNC: 01
APN type: default,supl
and
name: china unicom mms
APN: uniwap
MMSC: http://mmsc.myuni.com.cn
MMS proxy: 10.0.0.172
MMS port: 80
MCC: 460
MNC: 01
APN type: mms
I've been able to use google (though the govt is fickle and changes their minds about what kind of google access they want you to have periodically), gmail, gchat, GPS when the signal is good, and social networking status updates (fb, twitter) through the motoblur widgets, though I can't actually access any of these sites and/or make updates due to the great firewall of china. Skype mobile does not work (blocked in China and Japan). The marketplace does not work.
I'm in Chengdu now and China Unicom still works well.
I have to return to China in Sept and will then experiment with "veeeepee ens" (big brother is watching) on this phone.
Called verizon support, got an unlock code and left for China.
Took my phone to a small cell phone store in Shanghai and had a friend accompany me because my Chinese is worthless for talking about technical things. The guy popped out his own sim card to test in my phone to see if it would work. Entered the unlock code and everything was straight. Guy said that if I wanted data, China Unicom is the right choice, plus the reception is the best. Bought a 全国 (chuan2 guo3 "coverage for all of China") 66RMB/mo monthly plan with 220RMB of credit. (50min talk time, 240 txt, 300MB data)?
Took a while to get things setup because I didn't know that I needed to change the network mode to GSM/UMTS (otherwise it hooks up with CDMA networks via Verizon roaming, we don't want this).
Coverage is OK. Tends to drop when indoors.
In order to get data working I had to do some research and setup APNs (access point names). i added:
name: china unicom 3g
APN: 3gnet
Port: 80
Username: guest
PW: guest
MCC: 460
MNC: 01
APN type: default,supl
and
name: china unicom mms
APN: uniwap
MMSC: http://mmsc.myuni.com.cn
MMS proxy: 10.0.0.172
MMS port: 80
MCC: 460
MNC: 01
APN type: mms
I've been able to use google (though the govt is fickle and changes their minds about what kind of google access they want you to have periodically), gmail, gchat, GPS when the signal is good, and social networking status updates (fb, twitter) through the motoblur widgets, though I can't actually access any of these sites and/or make updates due to the great firewall of china. Skype mobile does not work (blocked in China and Japan). The marketplace does not work.
I'm in Chengdu now and China Unicom still works well.
I have to return to China in Sept and will then experiment with "veeeepee ens" (big brother is watching) on this phone.