64k SIMs crashing E220 Software

[Iam3G]

I first want to confirm with v3g first...

This is happened frequently in the last few months. What happens is that 64k SIM Card(not all cases) somehow crashes the VMCLite Software. TO be more specific, it restarts itself(the whole device) upon entering the PIN. When a 32k gets put into that same modem, all works well.

With the HMP Software when it initialises the device, it says "Device Initialisation Failed". Then it restarts and prompts for the PIN again.

Somehow it messes up the E220 coz when i test it when plugging into my Laptop, it does the exact same. Why i'm saying this that the E220 was newly purchased and i had done the Software Update and it worked fine. A day later the customer came back saying it just stopped working.

The only way i could fix it was to do the Firmware Update again. It worked, he left, came back 30mins later saying its doing exactly the same. This is when i tried my 32k and noticed this.

v3g, do i advise the shop the stop selling 64k with 3G contracts, or is this just an issue with certain 64k SIMs?

 

[Iam3G]

After i had advised the Customer to use a 32k SIM he came back again. Same Problem. Is it possible that THAT 64k SIM could have damaged the modem?

 

[vodacom3g]

I first want to confirm with v3g first...

This is happened frequently in the last few months. What happens is that 64k SIM Card(not all cases) somehow crashes the VMCLite Software. TO be more specific, it restarts itself(the whole device) upon entering the PIN. When a 32k gets put into that same modem, all works well.

With the HMP Software when it initialises the device, it says "Device Initialisation Failed". Then it restarts and prompts for the PIN again.

Somehow it messes up the E220 coz when i test it when plugging into my Laptop, it does the exact same. Why i'm saying this that the E220 was newly purchased and i had done the Software Update and it worked fine. A day later the customer came back saying it just stopped working.

The only way i could fix it was to do the Firmware Update again. It worked, he left, came back 30mins later saying its doing exactly the same. This is when i tried my 32k and noticed this.

v3g, do i advise the shop the stop selling 64k with 3G contracts, or is this just an issue with certain 64k SIMs?

No, you can't (and should not attempt to) make policy decisions for Vodacom.

The correct process would be to first establish if this is a once-off problem or not. Most E220's will ship with a 64K SIM, so this would have been reported much more.

With how many E220's with 64K SIMS did you see this problem?

If you have multiple instances of the problem, report it to MDS. They'll investigate and escalate to engineering who will then do extensive testing to find the actual cause. Only then will they decide on a specific policy.

So, again, I'm going to ask you to substantiate a statement you make on a public forum that could be misread by the thousands of people who visit here.

To which firmware did you update the E220, Vodafone or Huawei?

 

[Iam3G]

No, you can't (and should not attempt to) make policy decisions for Vodacom.

The correct process would be to first establish if this is a once-off problem or not. Most E220's will ship with a 64K SIM, so this would have been reported much more.

With how many E220's with 64K SIMS did you see this problem?

If you have multiple instances of the problem, report it to MDS. They'll investigate and escalate to engineering who will then do extensive testing to find the actual cause. Only then will they decide on a specific policy.

So, again, I'm going to ask you to substantiate a statement you make on a public forum that could be misread by the thousands of people who visit here.

To which firmware did you update the E220, Vodafone or Huawei?

1. I'm not(nor attempting to) make any policy decisions for Vodacom. I'M ASKING YOU FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO as i do NOT know which channels to follow.

2. Again, this is not an unsubstantiated statement, as i would not go and post things on a public forum if i wasnt sure of anything. If you read the first line of my post, you'll see that i said it has happened a few times in last few moths since i started working here. And yesterday it had happened again, after quite a while.

3. I'd say it was with +-5 in total since March until now. Like i said, its not ALL 64k SIMs.

4. The Firware update was the one for Vista, and the Software HMP. This has also happened with VMCLite.

5. MDS?

I posted this here in the first place to get your input first. Just trying to bring my part in helping Vodacom and solving certain problems.

 

[vodacom3g]

1. I'm not(nor attempting to) make any policy decisions for Vodacom. I'M ASKING YOU FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO as i do know which channels to follow.

2. Again, this is not an unsubstantiated statement, as i would not go and post things on a public forum if i wasnt sure of anything. If you read the first line of my post, you'll see that i said it has happened a few times in last few moths since i started working here. And yesterday it had happened again, after quite a while.

3. I'd say it was with +-5 in since March until now. Like i said, its not ALL 64k SIMs.

4. The Firware update was the one for Vista, and the Software HMP. This has also happened with VMCLite.

5. MDS?

I posted this here in the first place to get your input first. Just trying to bring my part in helping Vodacom and solving certain problems.

Out of the tens of thousands of E220 sold, you seem to have picked up a problem with a few modems, specifically after you installed a new firmware (was this firmware tested and approved by Vodacom?).

From what version to what version did you upgrade to get the problem? The 'Vista version' means nothing, please give the exact version numbers.

Why did you upgrade the modem to a non-Vodafone version? What problem made is necessary to upgrade in the first place?

What failure rate can you report? 1%, more? Enough to warrant a policy change such as 'stopping selling 64K SIMs'?

If you think you've picked up a problem, escalate via the correct channels before crying wolf in a public forum. Not everyone who read these posts understand what you are saying (and that you've fiddled with the modems in the first place) and can easily come away with the impression that there is a serious problem with the E220's when, in all reality, there probably is none.

You have to learn to be precise when making changes to devices and then deductions on the symptoms you see. You can't make any assumptions until you have a repeatable fault.

While everyone appreciates your input, you need to be more careful with statements like:

do i advise the shop the stop selling 64k with 3G contracts, or is this just an issue with certain 64k SIMs?

There are very specific reasons to use a 64K SIM. Did you take those into account before contemplating 'advising' the shop to stop selling them?

 

[Iam3G]

Out of the tens of thousands of E220 sold, you seem to have picked up a problem with a few modems, specifically after you installed a new firmware (was this firmware tested and approved by Vodacom?).

From what version to what version did you upgrade to get the problem? The 'Vista version' means nothing, please give the exact version numbers.

Why did you upgrade the modem to a non-Vodafone version? What problem made is necessary to upgrade in the first place?

What failure rate can you report? 1%, more? Enough to warrant a policy change such as 'stopping selling 64K SIMs'?

If you think you've picked up a problem, escalate via the correct channels before crying wolf in a public forum. Not everyone who read these posts understand what you are saying (and that you've fiddled with the modems in the first place) and can easily come away with the impression that there is a serious problem with the E220's when, in all reality, there probably is none.

You have to learn to be precise when making changes to devices and then deductions on the symptoms you see. You can't make any assumptions until you have a repeatable fault.

While everyone appreciates your input, you need to be more careful with statements like:

There are very specific reasons to use a 64K SIM. Did you take those into account before contemplating 'advising' the shop to stop selling them?

Out of the tens of thousands of E220 sold, you seem to have picked up a problem with a few modems, specifically after you installed a new firmware (was this firmware tested and approved by Vodacom?).

No no no, not after i have have done an upgrade. If you had read my post, this has happened before even before Windows Vista. And yes the firmware was tested and approved by Vodacom, as this was the firmware that comes loaded on the E220's. And this has happened with the previous veresion too.

From what version to what version did you upgrade to get the problem? The 'Vista version' means nothing, please give the exact version numbers.

I didnt upgrade the firmware perce, if you had read my post you wouldve read that i had to "Re-do" the firmware update to get the modem functioning correctly again. The firmware version on the modem at that time was the "Vista Firmware", version 11.110.05.00.00.

What failure rate can you report? 1%, more? Enough to warrant a policy change such as 'stopping selling 64K SIMs'?

This was merely an observation and i was enquiring(from you) to wether this could be potentially harmful in future to the modems.

If you think you've picked up a problem, escalate via the correct channels before crying wolf in a public forum. Not everyone who read these posts understand what you are saying (and that you've fiddled with the modems in the first place) and can easily come away with the impression that there is a serious problem with the E220's when, in all reality, there probably is none.

Escalate to the correct channels... i posted here(to you actually) to get some help and feedback. Instead you attack me again. If not everyone understands what i'm saying then i'll stop posting, and i'll ask ic to remove my "unsubstantiated" posts and statements. And i didnt say anything was seriously wrong with the modems, i said that certain 64k SIMs have a negative effect on them(regarding the software).

You have to learn to be precise when making changes to devices and then deductions on the symptoms you see. You can't make any assumptions until you have a repeatable fault.

This has happened to the modem in an unchanged state(out of the box).

While everyone appreciates your input, you need to be more careful with statements like:

There are very specific reasons to use a 64K SIM. Did you take those into account before contemplating 'advising' the shop to stop selling them?

I was not contemplating anything. I was asking what to do. And not to stop selling them, advising them in being cautious when giving out a 64k with an E220.