PS Vita: General Discussion

[Nasheer_B]

Hi, I recently bought a PlayStation Vita from New York and took it back to South Africa when I noticed that it was locked to the AT&T network. When I try inserting my Vodacom SIM Card it says that I have inserted an invalid SIM. Please help me find a solution

[SlappyHam]

sorry to say it but there is no solution. US psv's are locked to AT&T, all other psv's in the world are not

[Codey47]

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SlappyHam wrote:
sorry to say it but there is no solution. US psv's are locked to AT&T, all other psv's in the world are not

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Japanese Vita's are locked too (NTT DoCoMo)

[MuzzaHukka]

Your fault really, the EU, HK, and UK consoles arent locked. Ive used them with 5 different carriers in my country, and in over 10 countries with their own cards. You should have waited for a SA release, call ATT care and they'll unlock it for you, but the call ain't free, and neither is the unlocking.

I bought my brother a US 3G because it was cheaper on eBay US, and it costed me more than a UK 3G to unlock it, and the signal is a 1-2 bar connection.

[NIghtweb]

Sorry to bother you MuzzaHukka but I'm hoping you can help me, I recently got a present of a 3G Vita in the UK and while I help buy it unknowingly I check that the Vita was an PCH-1103 and that it also said it was unlocked (apparently the European ones are) and that it came from Ireland (my country) when it got here it accepted nothing but the AT&T card in the Vita (it was also a PCH-1101), I contacted the seller and they were unhelpful and since stopped responding so it seems I'm stuck with this Vita while I like it and started playing games

on it I was wondering about the 3G and it would be easier and more convenient sometimes to use its own 3G might I enquire how you went about unlocking your Brothers Vita?

I Rang AT&T and the lady started telling me that they can't unlock the Vita's and that you have to go through the company that made the console like she did when she unlocked her Wii (and no that's what she actually said unlock a Wii) so I contacted Sony and they said that they don't do it so could I ask you who you asked and what you said and if you might have the number? Any information would help as it was a present I'd hate to ditch it for another one especially as it was bought by a non-techy trying to do something nice.

Thanks in Advance,

Nightweb

[iansanzo]

I have a US PS Vita 3g. I live in the Philippines and I really want to use the 3g features of my Vita. Is it true that after the contract of at&t with sony expires, SOny would release a patch to make all US / JP 3g vita model unlocked?

[MuzzaHukka]

Nightweb, I sincerly appologise for the extremely late reply...

In regards to your question, the PCH-1101 can be unlocked, just like the PCH-1100 (but considering it's a Japanese PS Vita, the only 3G network that would work on that would be SoftBank, but then again, that doesn't work outside of Japan)

You'd need a iSmartSim, it's a device available on eBay which can be had for $4.95. Most sellers that stock it are from Hong Kong, but those sellers are friendly and nice to deal with. Add me on PSN: MuzzaHukka, and I'll send you the link as soon as possible.

The device claims to Unlock all devices, I have used 2 of those, one in iPad, one in PS Vita, both worked well, even though it claims to work only on phones, and every single phone, PS Vita obviously counts as one.

Once you've done that, your going to need to contact Vodafone, the number for that would be 08080408408, call thru Skype, it'll be free, the full number with country code would then be +448080408408 (AFAIK, if I'm wrong, Google it) and then ask them to send you a PS Vita SIM card to you because it didn't come in the box.

Insert the SIM, and when asked for the APN, choose "smart" without the ",". If you are not asked, remove the SIM card, turn off Wi-Fi and Mobile Network, then update to AT LEAST 1.69, and then enable both and insert the SIM card.

Ignore any messages about DataConnect from AT&T, or, if all fails, back up your Vita in Content Manager Assistant with your PC, and then contact eBay and ask them to refund the item as it is "Not as describied", but you only have 30 days from the day of purchase to complain, so hurry!

[MuzzaHukka]

iansanzo, that is not definite. After SONY's contract expires, SONY will most likely, but not deifinitely, switch to another provider, that is if they think that there is any sense in having a 3G PS Vita. Here's what might happen (the options)

• AT&T stays partnered with SONY
• AT&T terminates partnership with SONY, thus unlocking it
• AT&T remains the partner, but unlocks devices

But, judging that SONY said that it is possible that the PS Vita will have an update to unlock the 3G, then there must certanly have been something between themselves and AT&T to make them think that way, meaning that it's highly likely that AT&T won't be a partner.

As for inside the US, they won't be switching to Verizon. Not only does that mean that they will have to have a new series of Vita's (some running on GSM, some on LTE - Verizon can't work with GSM phones, but Verizon phones can work on GSM) where some will have functionable 3G in an area where AT&T or another GSM signal is availbale, and some won't where there is only Verizon

Furthermore, E3 atendees openly booed AT&T for being the partner, as the company has a reputation for having some overkill prices for mobile internet, however, Verizon's internet is more promising, with higher speeds promised for lower prices.

The only option would be for SONY to use T-Mobile, that way even if it wasn't unlocked, roaming wouldn't be too expensive as I've personally used T-Mobile UK's service and have paid the prices for roaming whilst abroad and I can definately say that they aren't that big, and T-Mobile is a GSM network, yay! But is however a AT&T subsidary :-(

So that gives us six more options:

• SONY now releases a new series of PS Vitas' with T-Mobile SIM cards
• SONY unlocks AT&T phones, for T-Mobile, or
• SONY unlocks AT&T phones
• SONY completely discontinues 3G as they claim it as being an "Experiment"
• SONY completely discontinues 3G leaving all PS Vita's locked
• SONY discontinues 3G, and unlocks it allowing those who still have  a3G model to use 3G on any network! 

Conclusion: it's very likely that it will be unlocked, but it's only a matter of time and considering the Vita came out 22nd Feb, the smallest one-year contract between SONY and ATT means that we would at least wait until Deb 2013, or maybe a bit earlier until the contract ends, nobody but SONY knows what and if a renewal will happen, I hope it won't!                                                      

[Ishaaq10]

Connect to wifi than go to AT&T network opperater App(only if u have 3G) than go to the site than register and choose how much u want than its activated

[Ishaaq10]

U do need the AT&T sim card