Sony Ericson Xperia Ray unlocked phone does not work on Canadian cell carriers?

[vanauden]

I bought a new, unlocked Xperia Ray from Hong Kong, China. I also upgraded it to the latest available software: 4.1.B.0.587.

This Xperia Ray unlocked phone does not work on Bell, Rogers or Videotron carriers in Canada who own the three Canadian cell networks. The IEMI number is rejected from these carriers. I tried the Virgin SIM (uses the Bell network) and the Rogers (Rogers network) SIM, and neither one works. I also called Telus, and no go either.

Bell has other users who use the Xperia Ray and one of their affiliates Fido sells the Xperia U and the Xpreia Go. These phones show the same network specs as the Ray (HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - ST18a).

Bell network (Virgin and Fido): phone must be HSPA (or UMTS) and 850 MHz and 1900 MHz compatible. (They use HSPA+)

Rogers network: HSPA+ 850/1900 MHz

Videotron: HSPA 1700/2100 MHz

I called Bell customer service and they say that it must be a different phone from the Canadian Xperia Ray... but that does not make sense. Isn't there only one Xperia Ray version??? How can one Xperia Ray work and the other not work???

Can anyone clearly explain the problem to me? I don't get it and it really sux cause now I need to return the phone, which I really like.

[vanauden · Accepted solution]

I found out why the phone does not work in Canada:

According to the specifications, there are *two* versions of this phone, but the specs do not clearly SAY that. They just list the two versions of the phone, one afer the other, and expect people to read it that way. And I am a computer expert. Phones, of course, are a different world.

On to the explanation:

Official Specs Networks (PDF version: http://www-support-downloads.sonymobile.com/st18/whitepaper_EN_xperia_ray.pdf)

Xperia Ray Version ST18i: 

3G Band: UMTS HSPA 900 (Band VIII), 2100 (Band I)

GSM Band: GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900

Xperia Ray Version ST18a:

3G Band: UMTS HSPA 800(Band VI), 850 (Band V), 1900 (Band II), 2100 (Band I)

GSM Band: GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900

The label on my phone (behind the battery) reads: ST18i

In Canada, I would need a ST18a phone.

Moral of the story: Canadians and Americans should only buy Sony phones from the US or Canada. And the same goes for other countries.

Sigh....

Addendum: Another post explained the actual hardware difference: The antenna inside the phones are different for each version.

Message was edited by: vanauden

[Uliwooly]

unless you have the Xperia S then it will work with European and American 3G networks

[Cjoni]

 Forgot my password to unlock my phone screen

[Cjoni]

Forgot my password to unlock my phone screen. Is there an easy n fastest way I could unlock the screen?

[Cjoni]

I'm sorry but I'm not in canadian