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Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 28, 23:57
by sorin
Discussion about Benefon Twin. Click 'Postreply' to write a comment!

Benefon Twin no GSM 1800

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 29, 00:10
by sorin
It seems my Benefon Twin does not work on GSM 1800 but only on 900! Even if it is new recently purchased almost not used at all. Or maybe there is a difference with EGSM 1800 phones that came after 2000?!? There is an operator here, Cosmote RO, that uses only 1800 GSM but my Benefon cannot find it, although Nokia 8210 will work on it! Anyway, on network search he will find only 900 GSM operators. The other problem is the battery, cannot stay fixed anymore but only with cellotape :( And cannot find something like this at present even on Ebay...

Re: Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 29, 10:31
by oldmobil
Hello sorin, welcome on the board!
Have You tried both SIM slots? I think only 'City' use 1800MHz networks, the other only 900MHz. I think EGSM don't affect it, as I know EGSM only an extension for 900 MHz band. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-GSM#E-GSM)
My battery broken too, hard to find new one.

Re: Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 29, 11:35
by sorin
Hello, thank you. Yes I tried both SIM card slots but no GMS 1800 at all. Write there "No SIM card".I think must find 1800 GSM operator at search manual network even with a 900 GSM SIM. There are 4 operators here but only one uses only 1800 GSM and works fine on another one phone before 2000, Nokia 8210 (900/1800). Maybe the person who sold it knew has a problem or didnt at all, even the phone looks new except the problem with battery. I am curious if other people can find 1800 GSM network on this Benefon, not to be obsolete 8-)

Re: Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 30, 09:20
by oldmobil
I have no idea... It seems there is a problem with 1800MHz parts of Your phone. Maybe the power amplifier is broken, it is the most common reason. Here we haven't 1800 MHz only operator, so I couldn't try mine.

Re: Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 30, 10:21
by pena
Hello everyone! Sorin, you inserted SIM card to the 1800MHz slot and phone says "No SIM card"? I've had this same problem on other old phones... I'm not sure if this helps but listen (uh, read) for a second:

I think the problem could be incompatible SIM card voltage. In the 90's SIM card voltage was 5 volts first, then 3 volt cards started to slowly appear at the end of 90's, and finally 1.8 volts many years after that. SIM cards usually support 3 and 1.8 volts, but all SIM cards doesn't support 5 volts which is required by many old phones.

Some phones don't support all voltages either: Nokia 8210 supports 5 and 3 volt SIM cards according to Nokia's service manual. However, Benefon Twin seems to support only 5 volt cards: I downloaded the leaflet datasheet for Twin and it doesn't say "3V/5V SIM support." Later Benefon phones, like Q and Esc, has the support mentioned on their datasheets that so I presume older Benefons supports only 5 volt cards. I guess 3 volt SIM cards weren't popular when Twin was designed.

I'm suggesting that Benefon Twin gives only 5 volts, but your SIM card wants 3 or 1.8 volts. No common voltage = SIM card can't operate = no SIM card found. Your phone could be 100% working, I hope, but the SIM card is incompatible. Try to find another, possibly older, SIM card! :)

Re: Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 30, 11:36
by sorin
OK, thank you! 8-) But if the SIM isnt compatible, when I go to manual network search with a 900 GSM card, I dont understand why doesnt appear at all the 1800 GSM operator between others, but only the other 2 working on 900 GSM (and 1800)...

Re: Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 30, 14:47
by pena
How do you know the Nokia 8210 uses 1800 MHz? Do you have netmonitor activated on 8210, or how do you see it isn't going to 900 MHz network? Cosmote uses 900 MHz too, according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_network_operators_of_Europe#Romania), but I don't know if they do in your area. Maybe 1800 MHz isn't in use because they want to use it for LTE in the city.

Re: Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 30, 18:53
by sorin
Because if I put Cosmote RO SIM in Ericsson GF788e which has only 900 GSM (mine is made year 1998) will not find at all Cosmote between networks at manual search but only Vodafone works (former Connex) and Orange works (former Dialog). I noticed this also when I was in Greece: the mother company Cosmote there cannot find it on a phone which is not dual (900 and 1800 GSM). They work only on 1800 GSM. Cosmote RO would say it uses also 900 but more precisely is E900 GSM or just to make stupid advertisment, never I found and could use it in Bucharest on a phone which is only 900 GSM but only on dual 900/1800 GSM even if they are from the beginning of 2000"s or before. I think the phone has a problem with this and the person who had it before didnt know or didnt even pay attention to this because didnt use it at all.

Re: Benefon Twin

PostPosted: 2013 Oct 30, 20:29
by pena
Oh, I see. It could be hardware fault then like oldmobil said. I don't know more, you have a very tricky problem. :(