SonyEricsson V800

[Retnox]

First Impressions.

Lets start with the look: It is not much larger than my K700i when closed and although thinner than my Z600 it is almost 1cm longer.
It has a good solid feel to it, however due to the slick nature of it's cover you really leave a lot of fingerprints on it giveing you an urge to wipe off the phone with the cloth provided.
There are 4 buttons immediately accessable while the phone is closed. The Camera key, flashlight, and the "+" and "-" keys. What is really nice is that you can operate the camera and flash useing the small LCD as viewfinder. (The refresh rate is a bit low but you don't need to open the phone to take a picture.)
The "+" and "-" keys can be used to ajust the brightness.
The flashlight can be used acs a camera light or as a normal torch (I feature I found lacking on the K700i)

Useing the phone for the first time I found a lot I was fimiliar with and a lot that was quite bewildering.

The blue GPRS signal indicator I was used to was now replaced by a single "G"
The standard red yellow green battery indicator is now replaced by a monocrome battery. (In chargeing without the phone being switched on it apperas on a blood-red background on both displays)
The fimiliar "Calls" and "More" button has been replaced by "Calls" and "live"

The Menu's has been replaced by the Vodafone branded one. The icons are really simplistic. Probably due to the fact that they will be replicated across all Vodafone models regardless of brand.

[Retnox]

Ok. I ran into my first snag with the phone.

Thanks to a nifty tip I picked up here on the forums I had my apn changed from the standard APN (internet) to the VPN APN (internetvpn) which made life a hellova lot easier (Thanks V3G!)

On my K700i It was simply go to >Connectivity>Cata comm.>Data accounts>Internet.GPRS and then "Edit" and just Change the APN!

On the V800 >Connectivity>Cata comm.>Data accounts> And then I'm confronted with the following:
VLive!
VLive!MMS
Vodacom

However I am unable to edit any of them. (I suspect I need to edit the VLive! entry)

So I phoned 155 and spoke to a very knowlegable person. However since they don't have handsets available there and no-one that might know how to solve this issue is available at this time I suspect it wont be solved earlier than Sunday (I'm off tomorrow so I'll only be able to look at it on Sunday again).

[Retnox]

Umm... So I can't change my APN. I took the next best option. I had the standard settings for a Z1010 sent to my phone. Now I have an Inetnet.GPRS option. (I'm useing a Prepaid sim card for testing)
However I would really like test the rest of the features.
3G transfers, Video Call (I'll have to wait till someone I know gets a 3G phone) etc.
I suspect useing the standard Inetnet.GPRS setting won't allow me to attain 3G speeds. Is that true?

The games on the V800 are on par with those of the K700i nice 3d Feel and an interesting arcade style experience.

[Retnox]

Another issue: The SonyEricsson Web Update service... I get this message:


Your device is not permitted to use this service
Your operator does not approve the use of this service with this device.
We look forward to assisting you again soon.
Thank you for using the Sony Ericsson Update Service!

I'm not sure who I need to ask about this issue. Vodacom or SonyEricsson? I'll try SonyEricsson on monday then.

I wanted to update the phone coz the firmware was a few months old. So I thought I could just do it online.

[erike]

The firmware upgrade for the V800 is a tricky one, because it is VodaFone branded. VodaFone control the upgrades, and as far as I know you CANNOT update a VodaFone branded SonyEricsson via the online update utility.

[Retnox]

Well I must say It is really FAST!
The USB cable will make it a bonus for anyone that still doesn't have a Bluetooth dongle yet. As for it's capacity. 32Mb seems to be way too small. I'll upgrade it at the first oppertunity.
I dumped a 100 or so pics on the phone (At least it uses the same size for the main display as my K700i (176*182) so that was easy. The outer display seems to prefer 80*101 though you can trow any size image at any display and it will take it. You can even give it a flash animation! cool eh?
I also tried it with different 3GP movies. Some I took with another phone, Some I got off the net and some I converted myself. (Like Ice age gone nutty :D )

erike, if the Vodaphone branding really irritates me I'll take it off. Either ask the advanced repair centre. Or Ixia (Oh no!) and if I get really desperate and don't mind possably voiding the warranty use something like "setool"
I wonder I'f they can install the Z800 firmware for me?

[Retnox]

Well I received a call form The Vodacom 3G helpdesk.

I had my Vlive APN activated (On both my simcards) I was told how to use my internetvpn APN useing an AT initialation string or useing the "CID"
The helpful gentleman also recommeneded I frequent this forum since one of their really technical guys takes things very personally and will try and solve my problems. (So good going Vodacom3G - you seem to have made a real good impression on at least one of your co-workers. So I hope you make the same good impresssion on your boss and maybe get a raise!)

[Retnox]

If this thread is going to be of any use I should probably explain things a bit better.
As I already mentioned the phone ships out with 3 data accounts preloaded:

On the V800 >Connectivity>Cata comm.>Data accounts> And then I'm confronted with the following:
VLive!
VLive!MMS
Vodacom
However I added 2 more (I requested the Z1010 accounts)
Internet.GPRS
MMS.GPRS

The reason I did this was that dataconnectivity was not working.
Edit: Also phone 155 and have them activate the Vlive APN for you (You probably won't need to do this later but now it will help a lot)

Now Let me explain the Whole CID and dail up thing...
Normally you can create a dail up that uses your phone's default settings:
Name:[I]<blank>
Password:<blank>
Number:*99#

Now to chose a spesific data account you can use the CID.
How it was explained to me (I haven't tested it yet) is as follows:
Each data account has an ID.
Select the account and press "More". Then select "Account info"
It should list something like:
Name: Vlive!
External ID: 1or
Name: Vodacom
External ID: 3So to chose the actual account you want to use you dail the numver as follows:*99***4# (In this example I'm useing 4 as my CID which correspondes to my account Internet.GPRS)

I hope I explained it ok.
Edit: For some info that really helped me a lot have a look at this thread: http://www.mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=18009 (Its a real creative way to use GPRS)

Some info I didn't mention earlier:
The Phone comes pre loaded with the following games/applications

Applications:
Converter (Conversts Distances, Volumes, Weights etc.)
World Clock (Nice graphical clock)

Games
Alpha Wing EX (Arcade game by Macrospace)
FiveStones (I guess we all know this one)
Super Real Tennis Trail (SEGA)

On a side not I realised the game Super Real Tennis is a trail version on my V800 whereas its a Full version on my K700i (SEGA WOW INC.). I'm not a game fanatic but I know some people are.

PS: I also phoned Vodacom to enquire as to the debranding issue or loading the Z800 firmware (Yes it can be done ref SE developers network) But I won't hold my breath on that one.

[Retnox]

Another issue...
Useing an MP3 file as a ringtone! - You can't! (Not by default anyway) You get a nice message that informs you:
Cannot use this file as DRM protection key is missing
Now i'm seeing this a a minor irritation nore than anything else. There used to be a Digital Rights Manager (DRM) Package tool on the SonyEricsson Developer site. However sadly it disapeared into the digital void. Someone was nice enough to repost it elsewhere: http://forum.welshalfa.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92 (Use at own discrecion)
Note: It's a developer tool so don't expect anything too fancy. It's supposed to get the job done, not to look good while doing it.

I find it strange that this is an issue. Quite a number of other phones on the market have no issue with MP3 ringtones.

[CodeMaster]

Check out http://www.esato.com/board/

There is a thread for UMTS, there is plenty info regarding the V800 (or Z800 if you're that way inclined)

As soon as I manage to FIND a V800, I will flash it to Z800 the minute it is fully charged. I have already ordered my SE T28 service cable...

[Razer0]

Also some pics: http://www.esato.com/phones/phonegallery.php?phone=145&page=2

Although im a big fan of SonyE, I cant say I like this model much...

[Raithlin]

Nice thread. I'm waiting for the Z800 to be released - hopefully later this year - I assume it will be available across all networks. It looks like the one to go for (no Vodafone quirks, just good old SE :))

[Retnox]

As soon as I manage to FIND a V800, I will flash it to Z800 the minute it is fully charged. I have already ordered my SE T28 service cable...

I'm trying to get hold of the Vodacom Advanced Repair centre.. I don't want to void my warranty on it. http://www.setool.net/ is the only site I know that actually offers you the option to do this. Do you know of any others? (Don't go for the standalone option if you just want to do the one phone.)

Razer0 - I'm also a big SE fan though I seem to be quite happy with the V800 sofar. I'll get myself more memory as soon as I can coz 32 is just not enough.

My gripes with the phone seems to be the following:
* Protected Images (Vodafone/Vodacom)
* Locked data accounts (Vofafone/Vodacom)
* Missing "More" Button (Vodafone/Vodacom) It's an easy way to activate/deactivate bluetooth, infrared etc.
* DRM issue. (SonyEricsson)
* Really red interface (Vodafone/Vodacom) I tried to compensate by useing a really blue theme but it's still a bit of an eyesore. the standard SE interface is much more balanced and of higher quality than the Vodafone one IMHO.
* Bluetooth authentication issue (Not sure whose problem this is - I'm only having the problem with an IPAQ)
* Online Update Utility (Not Sure whose problem this is either)

[vodacom3g]

Any comment on battery life?

[kaspaas]

My gripes with the phone seems to be the following:
* Protected Images (Vodafone/Vodacom)

There is a similar issue with the K700i - it was reported elsewhere, but I can't find it again.

I don't mind the adspace Vodacom grabs as much, but I do mind that I can't copy it to my PC when I do a backup. It just makes life a bit more difficult than it needs to be.

If I remember correctly, it was reported such a schlepp to have the problem corrected, that I will rather live with it than make the effort.

[CodeMaster]

Picked up my V800 at lunchtime :))

Have a look at these two:

http://www.totalmultiserver.com/
http://www.davinciteam.com/

Both allow server updates, and both have the newest 031 Z800 software aswell.

[erike]

I'm now really considering dumping my Telkom ADSL for a Vodacom 3G option. The portability of the connection is something I desperately need. I can live with 1Gig a month... or I can try to :) So, the question is... can the V800 be used to connect your PC via blueTooth to the 3G network ? It should by all accounts be possible, just wanted to make sure.

Thanks!

[Big cheese]

Battery life will kill you.

I would suggest a 3g datacard.

I dont even use bluetooth and my V800 with limited calls does not last a day.

[Retnox]

There is a similar issue with the K700i - it was reported elsewhere, but I can't find it again.

I don't mind the adspace Vodacom grabs as much, but I do mind that I can't copy it to my PC when I do a backup. It just makes life a bit more difficult than it needs to be.

If I remember correctly, it was reported such a schlepp to have the problem corrected, that I will rather live with it than make the effort.

I had such an issue. I did eventually manage to get it done 2 weeks after I bought the phone. Now i'm trying to have the same done with the V800 and it seems to generate even more red tape.

erike - seems like it. However I haven't managed to do so yet since every time I wish to do so I'm out of area so to speak. (no 3G coverage)

vodacom3g - as for the battery life. I wouldn't be able to give an accurate comment on it since I got it on the Friday did some vigerous transfers to and from the phone. and only recharged it on Sunday.

On a side note Big cheese and myself decided to test the video call option. However it seems he didn't have the service activated. (You need to call 155 to activate it and usually takes 6 to 8 hours) We'll probably attempt it again tomorrow if I can get to a 3G area.

[Retnox]

V3G - I just like to point at your advert of the V800 on the Vodacom.co.za site.

Main Features
Vodafone live! ready
Bluetooth enabled
1.3 Megapixel Camera with 4x digital zoom
MP3 Ringtones <-- Shakes finger at this

Dimensions
Weight (g) 128
Size (mm) 102 x 49 x 24
Talktime up to 600 mins
Standby Time up to 240 hrs

You guys might get into trouble for this. It's false advertiseing is it not? That phone does not support MP3 ringtones outa the box. Sure you can play MP3's no problem. But you can not use them as a ringtone. I could only get them working useing the DRM packager which is a SonyEricsson developer tool.

Here's a link to look at: http://www.vodacom.co.za/phones/reviews/phone_info.aspx?m=Sony%20Ericsson&p=V800

Edit: So I like this line: "This information is sourced from third parties, and Vodacom does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy thereof."

[Big cheese]

This is also totally wrong.

[vodacom3g]

Can you give a more 'real-world' take on the talk-time bit?

I'd like to forward it to the webmasters.

Thanks

[Big cheese]

I have had my phone for 72 hours now since the first full charge.

I have had to charge it fully twice in the 72 hours.

My total call meter stands on 1:08 hours. (Only voice as I cant make video calls yet.) (No vlive as I cant get vlive yet.)

I am slowly packing the V800 into its box to be returned tomorrow.

[vodacom3g]

Obviously can't be right. 30mins talk time on a full charge? Even my i-mate betters that :)

On the E1000, we got more than 1 and a 1/2 hours video-talktime on a single charge. This from a phone that's not known for a wonderful battery life.

Retnox, your feedback on talktime per full charge on the V800? I know you still need to test it, but have you exceeded 30 min+ ?

You can also try and see what happens when you force the phone to 2G?

[Retnox]

Ironically, even though I've had the phone since Friday my call timer is sitting on 00:00:00 so also technically well within it's 7 day 15minute warranty. My first call would've been a video call with Big cheese.

Evidentely we don't use these phones for voice calls. I have already enquired about additional memory for the phone. (VC Brooklyn quoted me R699 for a 128MB! :eek: )

Data Counter is sitting on 2:30:20 :cool:

I do however claim exccesive Bluetooth, Infrared and USB cable use.

I also downloaded a newsfeed from Vlive! and was really dissapointed in the sound and video quality. I render better better vids on my PC (Ok, so the sound still sucks but I'm working on it) Have a look here (http://tinyurl.com/5jy6w). (Copyrighted material - the link will be depreciated soon) 4.31MB - 4:19 3gp clip

You know it's really much more fum makeing your own phone content instead of useing other services. You can make your own ringtones, wallpapers, themes, movies, music vids etc. Just download a couple of free apps and make yourself some stuff!

SE fans try these: http://lasyk.net/ and http://www.clubsonyericsson.com/ (for those of you that don't know these)

[Big cheese]

Fully charged (five bars) 10pm last night.

Now 10 hours later:
Call timer still on 1:08 hours.

And battery indicator bars on 3.

[Retnox]

Big cheese that does'nt sound right My phone only dropped one bar since yesterday. Maybe you should have a look at that.


I am slowly packing the V800 into its box to be returned tomorrow.

What about the small print that indicates you can only do a return if you have less than 15 mins talktime and within 7 days?

[Big cheese]

Now 12,5 hours later:
Call timer on 1:25 hours. (17 minutes of calls since last charge)

And battery indicator bars on 1. And the 1 bar is red so i take it that the battery is on its last?

[CodeMaster]

@ Big Cheese & Retnox,

Have you guys managed to get the camera digital zoom to work with stills and video?
The manual says up and down is supposed to zoom in and out, but when I try nothing happens...

I seem to remember reading on the Esato forums that there was no zoom in the V800 software, but IS activated in the Z800 firmware??? Then again, I also read that the V800 does not have pic caller ID & "Mega Bass", which I do seem to have *CONFUSED*.

Am I just missing something with the zoom?

[Big cheese]

The zoom on the video call is the up and down arrow, it can zoom up to 4X.

Still not able to make a video call yet.

[Big cheese]

Now 13,5 hours later:
Call timer on 1:29 hours. (21 minutes of calls since last charge)

And the battery is dead.

[JV5050]

Knowledgeable guy from 155 helped me yesterday to connect my PC to the 3G network with my V800, thanks very much, he phoned me after they initially they could not get it to work, APN numbers are different for this phone for some reason…also some other tips – this was with the USB cable modem - Bluetooth modem not working yet….

Maybe this was resolved, but there was a camera zoom question earlier, if the photo quality is set to maximum you cannot use the digital zoom – not very good software functionality

I am using smtp.vodacom.co.za for sending e-mail form this phone, the incoming (pop) works fine but the outgoing fails, does anyone know what port to use for this outgoing smtp?

Battery life…. Was disappointed yesterday, however I was using 3g and Bluetooth a lot, today it looks better, I turned down the screen brightness, Bluetooth connected to my pc since 8:30 this morning and no bars gone yet + 10mins of calls + some e-mailing

[JV5050]

Oh, I forgot, I copied a mp3 sampled at 128 to the phone, it is approx 3.5 meg. When I play this file with the mp3 player on the phone it jumps every now and then as if it can’t process it fast enough. One time it actually stopped and said it is unable to play the file, the file was missing and only re-appeared after I turned the phone off and on.

Is any one else having similar problems?

[Retnox]

Have you tried converting the file with the DRM packager?

[JV5050]

I must admit I do not know what that is, where I can find that, I will try it out – however If the phone spec says mp3 player, should it not play mp3’s unconverted - the way my ipod plays them?

Currently I am trying to change the original mp3’s sampling rate, to see if that helps

Thanks for the help

[Retnox]

I made a post earlier in this thread in this regard: http://www.mybroadband.co.za/vb/showpost.php?p=186920&postcount=9 (single post) I belive it is on page 1 of this thread. :p
Also was the file stored on your phone or the Memory card?

I hope it helps :D

[JV5050]

OK, did the DRM to the file, copied it (.dm) to the phone and it does the same, the V800 won’t play it correctly, it stutters and leaves sections out. It does the same on external and internal memory – I will do the re-sampling and post the result

[JV5050]

I re-sampled the mp3 file to 56KBits and now it plays fine no problems – I also tested other 128Kbit tracks – they also battle to play – from both the internal and external memory – not very good for the V800 mp3 sound quality

[Retnox]

I'll look into the matter and let you know what my results are

[Big cheese]

I spent the afternoon at Vodaworld.

I did not make the out of box swap because my talk minutes were more than 15 minutes. (so don't test your phone for more than 15 minutes.....dumb?)

After some reasoning and I must add a good centre manager in "Boz Lazic" he swapped my battery.

Its now on the 4 hour initial charge. (I must add that also checking with SE, the phone must only be initially charged for 4 hours and then never more than 2 hours at a time. This prevents overheating, as this kills the battery.)

The Vlive problem is hopefully sorted.......155 did not in fact provision me for Vlive. You have to be provisioned for Vlive for the button on the front right to connect.

I have found that QuickTime plays the 3gp files fine on a PC.

Another thing....I was told to put the phone on 2G. This does not make sense, why did I then buy a 3g phone. Its got to do with the network and the coverage.

[Retnox]

I did not make the out of box swap because my talk minutes were more than 15minute. (so don't test your phone for more than 15 minutes.....dumb?)

Been there done that. Thats partly why I still have my call counter sitting on 00:00:00 Though I'm slowly running outa the 7 days provisioned and getting more worried every day that my problems won't be attened too.

I'm sitting on software revision R1S025 which I was informed by SonyEricsson is currently the latest version. So a standard software upgrade will not solve my issues.

I was told all my issues can be fixed. However everyone seems to be treading on eggshells afraid they might violate some contract if they do fix it.

Af for the Mp3 issue. I've tested with six different MP3's all encoded at 128. I tested them both as standard Mp3's and DRM encoded and they seem to be fine. Also I couldn't find a docmented case of such behavior on the SE dev forums. :confused:

[Big cheese]

Take my advice......stay away from any 3G phone for now.

The network is not ready.

Why buy a 3G phone if it has to run on 2G.

[vodacom3g]

Big Cheese,

You do seem to have more of your fair share of handset problems, so you've got every right to be cheesed off (if you'll pardon the pun :) )

Battery life, in general, on 3G phones is not as good as 2G phones. Once again though, you seem to get the bad ones.

I'd like your comments on two points you raised:

1) "Stay away from the network". Not to sure what network problems you have?

2) Why you were told to run the phone on 2G? We often ask customers to check the battery life on 2G as it gives us good feedback on potential problems. The phones basically have 2 radios and we can then tell what's eating the battery, if anything.

[Retnox]

I just attempted to download and run jbenchmark on my V800. And keep getting an "Invalid application" when trying to do so.
I cleared my internet cache and tried downloading it again.

Any comments?

http://www.jbenchmark.com/
http://www.jbenchmark.com/phonedetails.jsp?D=SonyEricsson+V800

the wap site to download the app is wap.jbenchmark.com

[briantw]

The 3G data card is THE option if you need mobility with your laptop only. I, however, also need my PDA to be able to connect via Bluetooth. So I have to use the phone-as-modem option.

My PDA isn't a phone, and even those that are do not yet have 3G. Tried the E1000 for a month, but I really didn't like it. Fortunately, I dropped it in my coffee. Oops...

[Big cheese]

V3g asked:

I'd like your comments on two points you raised:

1) "Stay away from the network". Not to sure what network problems you have?
BC:I said stay away from a 3G phone. The network is not ready (ie. not enough 3G coverage therefore the battery is used up too quick.) I am tired of the manufacturers and the network operators passing the ball.
Show me then a 3G phone that can last a day in SA.
2) Why you were told to run the phone on 2G? We often ask customers to check the battery life on 2G as it gives us good feedback on potential problems. The phones basically have 2 radios and we can then tell what's eating the battery, if anything.
BC:The only way you can keep the device going for longer than a day is to switch to 2G. What is a 3G phone worth then if not always in 3G mode.

[Retnox]

I just attempted to download and run jbenchmark on my V800. And keep getting an "Invalid application" when trying to do so.
I cleared my internet cache and tried downloading it again.

Any comments?

http://www.jbenchmark.com/
http://www.jbenchmark.com/phonedetails.jsp?D=SonyEricsson+V800

the wap site to download the app is wap.jbenchmark.com

I did manage to solve this problem by uploading the files via the usb cable.

I wonder if they got corrupted in downloading them via WAP? Or is it another issue with the phone. Can anyone else confirm this?


I am tired of the manufacturers and the network operators passing the ball. My sentiments exactly. - Though it now seems that Vodacom is actively working on my problem. A fact that I truly appreciate.

Although I probably made enough phone calls - If I were to pay for it - to constitute a small country's military buget.

[ash]

is this phone (v800) network locked? can u use it on any 3G network?

[Retnox]

Yes it is locked to the Vodacom Network. I really don't mind since I've been with Vodacom for almost 7 years (Aggh! It can't be can it?) Since my highschool days on prepaid.

My brother has chosen MTN, though from personal experience I won't dare and try and get more technical with their helpdesk than how to send an SMS.
(For the rest of you lot this is my personal opinion and should probably not be taken too seriously - Lets not have this degrade into an operator discussion)

[vodacom3g]

Big Cheese, thanks for the feedback. Was just concerned you were given wrong info.

I share your sentiments on battery life. Trust me, it's not a networking problem.

About 3 weeks ago, I personally ran an E1000 down using video calls in a few different European countries (UK, France, Portugal) and got the same battery life as in SA. Best I got was about 1H40m.

The newer firmware (93I) was about 20% better than the previous version.

The handsets are maturing. When 3G was launched in the UK, 3G handsets came with 2 batteries!

[JV5050]

Battery life - I am getting similar battery life to this review

From Website http://www.mobique.com/ -- V800 Review
“On average use, the V800/V802SE – while in 3G mode – was able to provide for approximately 1.5-2.5 hours worth of voice call time and up to 1.5-2.5 days standby time. When a GSM (2G) SIM card was used, the phone was able to provide around 20-30% more talk and standby time out of a single full charge.
The overall battery life on the V800/V802SE will depend on the network mode that it has been on – which can be solely 2G (GSM) or 3G (WCDMA), or a mix of both (i.e. full-time 3G mode but falling back to 2G “roaming” when home network coverage is unavailable). For the latter, when the phone “attempts” to hop back to 3G mode from its roaming state, this can also deplete the battery at a quicker rate than consistently being on its home network (i.e. 3G mode).
Should you ever find yourself in a situation where the phone is hopping back and forth between 2G and 3G networks, which can drain the battery quicker than usual, it is possible to lock the network mode to prevent this from happening (or even if you simply prefer to use either GSM or WCDMA only). This can be adjusted from the “Network Mode” option under ‘Connectivity > Mobile Networks’.”

[Retnox]

Unlike the datacards you cant set it to 3G only. I found that even if you're in a 3G area and yjere is a non-3G tower closeby it will default to the stronger signal, even if it means you lose 3G coverage.

Has anyone attempted to test the 3G transfer speeds over the phone?
Bear in mind there were not under ideal conditions (Only 2 bars signal though the phone definately indicated I was in a 3G area)
Also the results are based on memory and not thuroughly documented.

I tried the following:
I connected the phone to a HP laptop. Found a 3G spot (3G icon showing on the phone) and connected.

Test 1:
*99***1# (VLive!)
Connected ok, and managed to open up this page and the Stanford International Speed Test (http://netspeed.stanford.edu/) page.
Result - really slow and couldn't run the test. Also tried messing around some oyher sites on the net and couldn't get access to most of them.

Test 2:
*99***4# (Internet.GPRS) - standard vodacom settings for the Z1010
Connected ok, and managed to open up this page and the Stanford International Speed Test (http://netspeed.stanford.edu/) page.
Result - I browsed some pages and it seemed ok. Outbound approx 24k though I dindn't get an inbound result.

Test 3:
*99***4# (Internet.GPRS) - standard vodacom settings for the Z1010 (Here I changed the APN on the phone to "internetvpn")
Connected ok, and managed to open up this page and the Stanford International Speed Test (http://netspeed.stanford.edu/) page.
Result - Pages loaded in decent time. Outbound test approx 16k, inbound test approx 4k. Results reported I was useing dailup.

If anyone can do a similar test and post their results here I'd appreciate it.

After those tests I got tired of the PC and went to play a game of chess with a friend instead. As you can see I wasnt really trying to do a "proper" test. It was more like: "Oi! I actually have 3G reception here, I wonder how fast it is. Maybe Piro brought out a new strip for megatokyo (http://www.megatokyo.com). and while I'm at it check my emails."

[janspies]

I'm trying to get hold of the Vodacom Advanced Repair centre.. I don't want to void my warranty on it. http://www.setool.net/ is the only site I know that actually offers you the option to do this. Do you know of any others? (Don't go for the standalone option if you just want to do the one phone.)

Razer0 - I'm also a big SE fan though I seem to be quite happy with the V800 sofar. I'll get myself more memory as soon as I can coz 32 is just not enough.

My gripes with the phone seems to be the following:
* Protected Images (Vodafone/Vodacom)
* Locked data accounts (Vofafone/Vodacom)
* Missing "More" Button (Vodafone/Vodacom) It's an easy way to activate/deactivate bluetooth, infrared etc.
* DRM issue. (SonyEricsson)
* Really red interface (Vodafone/Vodacom) I tried to compensate by useing a really blue theme but it's still a bit of an eyesore. the standard SE interface is much more balanced and of higher quality than the Vodafone one IMHO.
* Bluetooth authentication issue (Not sure whose problem this is - I'm only having the problem with an IPAQ)
* Online Update Utility (Not Sure whose problem this is either)
Hi rednox. My first posting, but I've been following this group for a while. Also the owner of a v800 now, and trying to get my IPAQ working with it over bluetooth. Did you manage to get this right ?

[Retnox]

Janspies, The bluetooh connection to the IPAQ is working.
However every time I browse the phone from the IPAQ I get a message asking me if I want to allow the action on the phone. Its an irritation if nothing else. I'll see if I can borrow someone else's IPAQ and see if I have the same issue with it.
What seems to be your problem with it?

[ajax]

Unlike the datacards you cant set it to 3G only. I found that even if you're in a 3G area and yjere is a non-3G tower closeby it will default to the stronger signal, even if it means you lose 3G coverage.

Has anyone attempted to test the 3G transfer speeds over the phone?
Bear in mind there were not under ideal conditions (Only 2 bars signal though the phone definately indicated I was in a 3G area)
Also the results are based on memory and not thuroughly documented.

I tried the following:
I connected the phone to a HP laptop. Found a 3G spot (3G icon showing on the phone) and connected.

Test 1:
*99***1# (VLive!)
Connected ok, and managed to open up this page and the Stanford International Speed Test (http://netspeed.stanford.edu/) page.
Result - really slow and couldn't run the test. Also tried messing around some oyher sites on the net and couldn't get access to most of them.

Test 2:
*99***4# (Internet.GPRS) - standard vodacom settings for the Z1010
Connected ok, and managed to open up this page and the Stanford International Speed Test (http://netspeed.stanford.edu/) page.
Result - I browsed some pages and it seemed ok. Outbound approx 24k though I dindn't get an inbound result.

Test 3:
*99***4# (Internet.GPRS) - standard vodacom settings for the Z1010 (Here I changed the APN on the phone to "internetvpn")
Connected ok, and managed to open up this page and the Stanford International Speed Test (http://netspeed.stanford.edu/) page.
Result - Pages loaded in decent time. Outbound test approx 16k, inbound test approx 4k. Results reported I was useing dailup.

If anyone can do a similar test and post their results here I'd appreciate it.

After those tests I got tired of the PC and went to play a game of chess with a friend instead. As you can see I wasnt really trying to do a "proper" test. It was more like: "Oi! I actually have 3G reception here, I wonder how fast it is. Maybe Piro brought out a new strip for megatokyo (http://www.megatokyo.com). and while I'm at it check my emails."

Hmm, interesting. On Wednesday evening in Stellenbosch I was doing the same test. I was comparing MTN gprs speeds with Vodacom gprs speeds (got 2 simcards that I swop out of my Nokia 6310i). I ran the Stanford speed test a couple of times on MTN and Vodacom
The Stanford speed test consistently gave me around 33 kbps for download on MTN, but on Vodacom (using *99***1#), I got around 8kbps down, and the other 3 times I did not get a result for download.

Edit: Local speeds were around 50-60 kbps on both MTN and Vodacom

[janspies]

Janspies, The bluetooh connection to the IPAQ is working.
However every time I browse the phone from the IPAQ I get a message asking me if I want to allow the action on the phone. Its an irritation if nothing else. I'll see if I can borrow someone else's IPAQ and see if I have the same issue with it.
What seems to be your problem with it?

On my IPAQ it doesn't ask me for a key everytime (Just first time around).

But I need the modem init details and setup information required on the IPAQ to establish a connection to the vodacom APN.

[Retnox]

Oh, I forgot, I copied a mp3 sampled at 128 to the phone, it is approx 3.5 meg. When I play this file with the mp3 player on the phone it jumps every now and then as if it can’t process it fast enough. One time it actually stopped and said it is unable to play the file, the file was missing and only re-appeared after I turned the phone off and on.

Is any one else having similar problems?

JV5050 I finally got that MP3 you mailed me. I'll reply here on the board with my results if you don't mind. It would be informative to those with the same problem.

As far as I know there are 2 ways to encode an MP3
CBR - Constant BitRate
VBR - Variable BitRate

I'm not gonna explain the technicalities of these two (Google for it)
In short if you encode a file at 128k CBR it uses 128kilobits for every second of audio. Whereas if you encode the same file at 128k VBR it will attempt to adjust the bitrate according to to complexity of the audio.

JV5050, the audio stream I received from you seemed to be VBR encoded at 128k with a max. bitrate of 576kb/s (2chnls) {Windows reports 478kbps}

The phone doesn't seem to do too well with such high encoded MP3's. I belive only some of the newer Motorola Phones might be able to but this is pure speculation since I havein't tried it personally.

A simple way to see if its VBR encoded is to play it back in winamp and check the kbps window: If the value changes constantly you have a VBR file. If not its a CBR file.

JV5050 - I would suggest you use lame (http://lame.sourceforge.net/) as an MP3 encoder. It can be used with a varity of applications i.e.: audiograbber (http://www.audiograbber.com-us.net/), cooledit (http://www.adobe.com/special/products/audition/syntrillium.html) and even video editing programs such as VirtualDub (http://virtualdub.sourceforge.net/)/VirtualDubMod (http://virtualdubmod.sourceforge.net/)

If you folks need more info. - Just ask.

Edit: JV5050 I tested that same MP3 that has issues on the V800 - It works fine on a Nokia 6230 and it also plays on my SonyEricsson K700i
So this definately points to a software bug. I don't know of a newer software version for the V800.

[CodeMaster]

@V3G,

I was wondering if you could confirm whether a statement made by someone on the Esato forums who is also a member here, and apparently owns/runs a Vodashop, is true.

"64K Sim Cards will now be available by VODACOM.It should be instores next week.This card was made for the new 3G phones and wireless connect card.If you bought a 3G phone or Vodafone wireless connect data card in the past,Vodacom will post you a new 64k sim card for FREE.Stores will not give you one for free unless you LCP/Quicksim. When you buy a 3G phone or wireless card DEMAND for a 64K sim..........Watch mail"

[vodacom3g]

Yes, it's true. See http://www.mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=19484

[JV5050]

Retnox

Thanks for the test and the feedback, unfortunately I already put all my CD’s to mp3 and I am sitting with about 15Gigs of VBR mp3’s. As far as the LAME encoder goes - my mp3’s were ripped by the itunes software that came with my ipod, (apple mp3 encoder) - I prefer this for various for reasons – yes I did use the VBR functionality – should have though that it was the problem!

Looks like I won’t be using my V800 as a mp3 player, fortunately that is not why I got it, I got this phone for its 3g ability to connect to the internet at high speed, which is working brilliantly, also - I have nothing to do with Telkom.

I will live with the battery life issue as these are the first 3g phones out and I am sure they will improve, I only wish the “features” promoted on the sales websites weren’t so misleading in this regard

Thanks again, next week I will be trying to get the V800 to work with a DELL PDA. I will post the results if there is anything interesting

[Gambit]

Anyone come right with loading the z800 firmware on their v800?

[CodeMaster]

Still waiting for my T28 service cable to come from the UK.

Anyone know where I can get one in SA?

[erike]

Just an important note to all V800 owners who possibly want to flash their phones to remove the Vodafone branding / Software (also known as converting it to a Z800).

At the moment SA V800's cannot be flashed using ANY of the programs (TMS / DaVinci) out there. This is because there are new security features implemented in flashing the firmware. All CID36 phones (the 'model' V800) require a TestPoint connector which are 2 wires that must be connected to a certain point on the PCBoard of the phone BEFORE allowing any software flash.

This will hopefully be bypassed by future versions of the flashing software. So DO NOT waste your money on buying credits for any flashing software at the moment.

[Retnox]

Thanks for the heads-up. However I'm still holding out that a number of thse issues should be fixed by SE/Vodacom. There is no reason why a customer should have to flash a phone to fix issues that should have been fixed before the phone was launched.

[j-j]

Hi all,

Seems many more people having problems with the V800. My phone is down to around 4 hours (with limited talk / sms in this time). What is the "norm" the best i have had in the 2 months I have had the phone is around 1 day of use, having to charge every night.

Secondly, all java apps loaded onto the phone over the air seem to get DRM protected and dont allow them to be moved / copied / backed up. This even applies to free apps downloaded from non-Vodafone live sites. Any ideas how to get around this? Hate to lose everything and have to re-download every time a software upgrade / repair is done.

Lastly, are there any ways to do the following :
1. get full screen video (like on the E1000 - sideways)
2. create quick shortcuts to email, websites, java apps
3. get the instant messaging working that was promised as one of the phone features ?

thanks

[erike]

Hi J-J.

Like you said, I also have to charge the phone every night when it is switched to the 3G and 2G network option. To solve this, I set the phone to ONLY use the 2G network, and manually switch to 3G when I need it . This gives about 2 - 3 days without recharging.

As far as I can tell, there is no way to backup the downloaded apps. This is quite frustrating, as I recently had to do a master reset on the phone and lost about R100 worth of software I downloaded from VLive.

About the missing features, this is something you'll have to take up with Vodacom, as the Vodafone firmware on the phone doesn't allow you to:

1) Use any MP3 as a ringtone (without having to modify it using a SE DRM Tool)
2) Have Photo Caller ID on the external screen
3) Use SE's instant messaging client ("My Friends").

As far as I know ALL of these features are advertised.

I have resorted to converting my V800 to a Z800, by installing the Z800's firmware on it. The V800 and Z800 are EXACTLY the same physical phone, with the V having Vodafone's firmware on it and the Z Sony Ericsson's. Of course, this probably voids my warranty.

Some things I've noticed with the Z800 firmware:

1) Allows external screen Photo Caller ID.
2) Any mp3 can be used as a ringtone.
3) Gets rid of that yucky Vodafone interface, and replaces it with the standard Sony Ericsson interface.
4) Solved some Bluetooth problems re. handsfree car kits for me.
5) Data Connection is muuuch faster. (time it takes to connect to GPRS / 3G)
6) Better 3G signal reception.
7) Longer battery life when switched to 2G and 3G mode.
8) Allows use of the instant messaging client (Which works GREAT!!)
9) Takes away your VLive! Access. (working on getting that restored)


I'm am VERY glad I made the switch. I do not at all like the Vodafone branding on the phone. Some menu structures with the Vodafone firmware were also structured to make it easier for you to spend more money. Ie. When you want to write an SMS, the FIRST option that comes up after you choose "Write Message" is the "Picture Message(MMS)" option, and NOT the text message option.

As for the missing features, I think Vodacom SHOULD address it with a Firmware upgrade. On the other hand NO Vodafone branded V800 in the world offers these features. They are only available on the Z800i.

For the moment, I do not regret voiding my warranty to get, in my opinion, the phone that the V800i was suppose to be. Also, I don't think that having a choice in firmware on your phone (which provides a better feature set) and applying that choice SHOULD void the warranty... especially on the hardware components of the phone.

[CodeMaster]

Hi all,
@erike, I see you have also flashed your V800. I sent you a PM this morning before seeing your last post. I have to second everything you said in your post. The Z800 firmware is 10 times better than V800's. One thing though, you said you did not have Picture Caller ID on the ext. screen, yet I did with my V800??? Strange.
Did you use TMS to flash?
I am also hunting around for the Vodafone Live! settings, so if you find them, please pass them on to me, and I will do the same.

[j-j]

Hi Erike,

Thanks for the feedback. Some more info for you :
If you call vodacom and complain about the DRM, they can check your purchase history and will make a credit to your account for the amount so you can re-download the content. Apparently there is an automated process for music and will be one sometime in the future for other content. Doesnt solve the problem of content not obtained from them.

My v800 has the (supposedly) latest firmware and it does show the call ID. I am using a java based IM client which is quite decent.

Couple more questions if you dont mind :
Which services does the built-in IM client connect to ?
Does the Z800 download java apps without locking them ? (ones that werent locked in the first place?)
Where did you get your phone "converted" ?

I spoke with another Vodacom service rep who told me I should be able to get Sony to update my firmware to Z800 and that it wouldnt invalidate the warranty. I havent called them to see about this but will give it a try this morning.

[j-j]

Ok, vodacom lied. The sony guy tells me only they can do it, which of course they wont.

Also was told only solution to battery problem is turn off 3g. The network isnt dense enough so the phone is always searching for a 3g signal and this causes the battery problem. There is no solution while the network is in this state. Oh, and there is no shortcut to turning off 3g quickly, and one cant be created. hmm.

Second problem, as the battery is drained so quickly and charged so often, the battery lifetime will be significantly impacted, so will need to be replaced often.

Great news isnt it?

[erike]

Hi J-J.

The Sony Ericsson IM client connects to AOL, Yahoo and MSN as far as I know. You just need to set up a free account on www.yamigo.com and set the phone according to the instructions on that site.

The Z800i firmware still locks any java applications / games you put onto it.

I got my phone converted using a software program called TotalMultiServer... www.totalserver.com.

Sony and Vodacom seem to be passing the ball around re. the conversion to a Z800i. Technically ANY service center with an EMMA II system (the firmware upgrade system Sony Ericsson uses) will be able to convert the phone's firmware. Sony passes the ball to Vodacom beacuse they need permission to convert the phone. You can ask Retnox all about that.

@CodeMaster

Yep, I used TMS. Was a bit worried at first, because of reports about dead phones. Luckily it worked flawlessly. About the external Photo Caller ID, I might've had an earlier firmware version on my V800i.

[CodeMaster]

erike, any luck with the Voda Live! settings yet?
I see you also hang around Esato :) I was also worried, but went flawlessly first time.

[erike]

@CodeMaster

V3G said that the 155 helpdesk should be able to provide the settings. All we need is the APN and the address of the portal page.

Haven't had time to phone them yet... will report back as soon as I get the time.

[Gambit]

I'm not sure if this correct but according to the settings on my v800 it looks like the vodaphone apn is "vlive" and the url for vodaphone live is "http://live.vodafone.com/"

[vodacom3g]

Some menu structures with the Vodafone firmware were also structured to make it easier for you to spend more money. Ie. When you want to write an SMS, the FIRST option that comes up after you choose "Write Message" is the "Picture Message(MMS)" option, and NOT the text message option.

Not wanting to de-rail this thread, but remember MMS and SMS cost the same.

[vodacom3g]

Here's how I understand it:

SMS during peak time (7am - 8pm): 80c
SMS during off-peak (8pm - 7am): 35c

MMS up to 100K: 80c
MMS 100K to 200K: 160c
MMS up 200K to 300K: 240c

So *most* of the time you should pay 80c for either.

Some contracts, like Messenger, offer special SMS tariffs.

[ScrnScrm]

Much easier to just email from the phone (and cheaper :D)

[j-j]

Thanks vodacom3g, however, most people sending more than a handful of messages take some kind of SMS bundle which gets the rate down to around 30c per message vs 80c for MMS. Rather makes the original point quite valid again.

[seather]

Okay :/

I just got this phone, however my GPRS and MMS is neither working. Let's not even get to 3G, I first have to get to an area with coverage anyway. With the 3 default locked profiles on there (VLive VLiveMMS and Vodacom), it doesn't help nothing. All I'm getting is "Connection Failed!".

I tried following Vodacom's dodgy instructions (used the ones on vodacom4me.co.za for the k700i) and added Internet.GPRS as well as MMS.GPRS, but that didn't work at all either. I checked with vodacom customer care, my gprs is enabled, but they can't tell me how to fix it.

Can anyone here possibly help? What should I do / double check. I'm used to old ancient simple phones :/

[seather]

I went to Sony Ericsson's website and installed the settings that it sent to my phone, however even using either that MMS or that GPRS connection, it still doesn't work. What else can be wrong?

[j-j]

v800 battery life observations :

In SA I was getting +- 8 hours useage generally, having to charge the phone EVERY night. That declined down to around 4 hours early in the week. Vodacom changed my battery. Marginal improvements.

I am currently on a trip to the UK. Turned the phone on when I landed, at 8am yesterday. Left it on GSM only until around 11am before switched on the 3G option. I have had i on ever since, so current running time is 24 hours and counting, battery is currently indicating 3 1/2 bars. Perhaps what SonyEricsson SA has been saying is 100% correct and the problem lies with the Vodacom network and not with the mobile handsets ?

[vodacom3g]

These reports that the poor battery life on the 3G phones were network-caused started soon after the 3G network with Motorola E1000 was launched which also needed to be charged daily.

March, this year, I went to the UK and Europe and tested the battery life on the E1000 under various different conditions and with different firmware on the phones.

We got EXACTLY the same usage times on the phones as in South Africa.

The later firmware did help, with about 20-30% more talktime.

Unconfirmed reports seems to indicate a much better battery life on the Nokia 6680.

[ScrnScrm]

Hi
Battery life cannot be consistently measured across different networks, or even between different cells on a network for that matter. Check out this post :
http://www.mybroadband.co.za/vb/showpost.php?p=218272&postcount=7

Basically, it all depends on how busy the cell itself is. Code Division networks adjust the transmitting power levels on your phone from the base station. Obviously, the more power required, the worse your battery life is going to be.

This is why some people rave about the battery life of their WCDMA phones, and other people curse it. If your WCDMA cell is not heavily utilised, you will see good battery life. If you are in a heavily utilised cell, standby for bad battery performance, irrespective of your handset.

This is unfortunately by design in CDMA networks, so you basically have to live with it :D

For the record, I have experienced this first hand. In Joburg, my battery life is terrible. At home in Cape Town, my battery lasts the entire weekend and some.

Welcome to CDMA :D

[magus]

I also read somewhere that high quality video over mobile networks is never going to be realistic because of the high power requirements for high speed transmission. Does this make sense?

[ScrnScrm]

I also read somewhere that high quality video over mobile networks is never going to be realistic because of the high power requirements for high speed transmission. Does this make sense?

correct. upload speeds on 3G at the moment are only 64Kbps. Enough for low resolution Video calling, but certainly not boardroom quality!
This should be addressed with HSDPA.
Upload speeds are always going to be a contentious issue - there is a fine line between balancing consumer expectations wrt battery life and the transmitting power required to go "high speed" on upload. And considering that in normal applications, the majority of data flows down... Video Calling does however change this scenario somewhat!

[vodacom3g]

ScrnScrm, while I fully agree with you, subscribers don't like the "It depends" type of answers, it always smacks of trying to pass the buck. So we decided to do the tests ourselves.

They consisted of numerous different tests, on different cells, different networks, different countries and different times of the day. (I won't mention the phone bills :eek: ).

In all, there was no significant difference in the battery life (on the E1000).

It is true that a 3G terminal is more tough on a battery than it's 2G counterpart, but we've also seen big improvements in the phones themselves, especially how they manage the battery life.

[ScrnScrm]

ScrnScrm, while I fully agree with you, subscribers don't like the "It depends" type of answers, it always smacks of trying to pass the buck. So we decided to do the tests ourselves.

They consisted of numerous different tests, on different cells, different networks, different countries and different times of the day. (I won't mention the phone bills :eek: ).

In all, there was no significant difference in the battery life (on the E1000).

It is true that a 3G terminal is more tough on a battery than it's 2G counterpart, but we've also seen big improvements in the phones themselves, especially how they manage the battery life.

Ok, I will let it go :D Was just trying to make the point that battery performance on WCDMA is not the same as TDMA, so users need to change their expectations. If offered a sound technological explanation, it makes it a lot easier to accept. Its something the yanks have long since accepted on their CDMA networks...

Wrt managing battery perfomance on the terminals - that is where firmware upgrades help a lot. My recommendation to all 3G handset users out there is to stay current with Firmware upgrades on your device, at least until the technology has matured.

[erike]

Wrt the batterylife dicussion. Isn't there some truth in the fact that because Vodacom's 3G network isn't yet fully deployed, that you WILL have worse battery performance than, say on the UK Vodafone network because the phone needs to switch from 3G to 2G and back to 3G more frequently?

Luckily this will be resolved when more 3G base stations come into operation.

[ScrnScrm]

Wrt the batterylife dicussion. Isn't there some truth in the fact that because Vodacom's 3G network isn't yet fully deployed, that you WILL have worse battery performance than, say on the UK Vodafone network because the phone needs to switch from 3G to 2G and back to 3G more frequently?

Luckily this will be resolved when more 3G base stations come into operation.

Ok, maybe I should be more specific. Its not a Vodacom only issue - ALL 3G operators are affected by this. Its by design.

With regards to the addition of more 3G base stations - it may or may not help. It would depend on a whole bunch of things like amount of users, degree of overlap during "breathing", and most importantly, the level of the "signal noise floor". In some instances, overlapping cells can actually increase noise levels thereby raising power requirements if you are in the overlap area. Remember - your phone doesnt have to deal with signal noise from just the bast station - it has to compensate for your wifes/friends/enemies phone 1 meter away from you as well...

With regards to the 2G/3G switching - your phone accomplishes this via two different antennae. Whilst you are on 3G your phone is still "listening" on 2G and vice versa. Best way to get more life from your battery in this situation is to manually select "GSM" as preferred network and switch off 3G altogether. I found that this drastically increases battery life...

[j-j]

I read all this with much interest. In Durban or Jhb I get 4-8 hours combined standby and useage. I landed here in London Friday morning 8am with a fully charged phone, now on Sunday morning 11am and I still have one and a half bars. That is close to 52 hours of usage.

I head everything that has been said, but tell me again that this isn't a network problem? Besides, why are SonyEricsson themselves telling everyone it is a network problem if that isn't the case?

[j-j]

And just in case anyone is interested. During that time I have spent time in London (mostly has 3g coverage) and Woking (is borderline area, the coverage comes and goes). Also makes me doubt the whole "more base stations will improve the situation" story. Until some honest and cohesive answers are forthcoming from Vodacom and SonyEricsson I still believe there is some kind of coverup happening here. If the situation is so bad that the phones are unuseable and they are all recommending 3g be turned off, why are there still 3g ads running all the time on TV, and in the print media ?

[ScrnScrm]

Hi JJ
What firmware do you have on your phone? Is it on a version that is supported by Vodacom? Firmware can make a big difference - your phone may be battling to understand the Vodacom BTS' power control instructions...
A colleague of mine who is also in London at the moment with an E1000 has fed back to me that his battery life appears "normal"..
Cheers -

[ScrnScrm]

good idea IC!

[j-j]

Hi ScrnScrm...

Cant remember offhand which version it is, but it is the latest supported by Vodacom and SE. They upgraded it about a month back and checked it late last week.

I would be interested in hearing from other V800 users as to what their phones are doing.

Up to 56 hours and counting, still more than 1 bar left. . . .

[vodacom3g]

j-j, a few points:

- There's no cover up by either Vodacom or the handset manufacturers. :) Vodacom would love your phone to last for hours, just think how many calls you can make (read revenue!) As discussed in this thread 3G (WCDMA) terminals are tougher on batteries than GSM devices.

- While I appreciate your standby time has gone up substantially (in the UK), I wonder if your actual talk-time has not decreased. Being in the UK, you're probably making and receiving less calls.

With the phone transmitting continuously (while you're talking), the battery will be depleted much quicker than when it's in standby. I found the E1000 to be less than 3 hours talk-time in either the UK or SA.

Just a thought, not to sure if you took this into account?

The last firmware version certified is R1S025 (R1J002, before that). Not to sure what the latest version available is.

[j-j]

Hi Vodacom3g.

While you may say there is no cover up, sure seems like it to me. Each keep blaming the other. People tell me things and wont put it into writing. Nobody is coming up with a solution for a product that effectively doesnt work. Not quite sure how I should take that.

Yes, my talk time has certainly been significantly reduced in the UK. However, 15m talk time (normal voice calls) shouldnt reduce 54 hours off my standby time. So yes, i have pretty much taken that into account. In JHB at times I was getting around 8 hrs standby WITH NO TALKTIME. i.e. take it off charge at 10pm and by 6am it was almost flat.

With the phone in general use, I was getting around 4-6 hours useage, that was with around 20-30m talk time, maybe 20sms and a few minutes browsing.

Bottom line, to me the service doesnt work. It doesnt work as advertised, and as it continues to be advertised.

sucks.