ARRRRG VODACOM FIRMWARE

[Imminent]

I bought a W995 with its crappy Vodacon/Vodafail Live! Firmware installed on it. I hate these firmware for many reasons but primarily that I can't remove the Vlive access point name. And they say yebo gogo splash when the phone starts.


First off I want to know is it possible and safe to install the standard factory firmware?

Secondly I would like to ask if any of you had ever had problems connecting to the net u sing WIFI, since I've been trying I get the message turn off Wifi or Try again.

Cheers

 

[UnUnOctium]

I do that to all my phones. Very difficult nowadays to brick them, especially if you know how to google. It makes all the difference, none of that "yebo gogo" crap and usually you're a few versions ahead. Plus, if you need to return, reflash with vodacom firmware

 

[ld13]

I bought a W995 with its crappy Vodacon/Vodafail Live! Firmware installed on it. I hate these firmware for many reasons but primarily that I can't remove the Vlive access point name. And they say yebo gogo splash when the phone starts.

Argh, I hate that splash screen too. I cannot believe they have the audacity to try and sell me something in-my-face like that using my own phone!

Secondly I would like to ask if any of you had ever had problems connecting to the net u sing WIFI, since I've been trying I get the message turn off Wifi or Try again.

My wifi works just fine and dandy. Been using it non stop since I got the phone the other day. Where did you get this error message exactly?

 

[Imminent]

Argh, I hate that splash screen too. I cannot believe they have the audacity to try and sell me something in-my-face like that using my own phone!


My wifi works just fine and dandy. Been using it non stop since I got the phone the other day. Where did you get this error message exactly?

I get it while using the wap browser. When I use opera mini (With "Vodafail Optimisation") the phone just loads endlessly

 

[analogsa]

No probs with wifi or Opera Mini here. A quick search seems to indicate that debranding the W995 is neither easy, nor safe. Any idea why are there SIP settings if no SIP client seems available? The lack of any voip solution is a real downer.

 

[ld13]

I get it while using the wap browser. When I use opera mini (With "Vodafail Optimisation") the phone just loads endlessly

1: Check that your ADSL Router is in fact connected to the interwebs and that some odd filter/firewall is not blocking the wifi connections from reaching the interwebs.
2: Check that your Opera Mini is set to "allow local conn." under its application Internet Settings and also check the same setting for your WAP browser (Options > Advanced > 'Connectivity' tab > Allow local conn.

No probs with wifi or Opera Mini here. A quick search seems to indicate that debranding the W995 is neither easy, nor safe. Any idea why are there SIP settings if no SIP client seems available? The lack of any voip solution is a real downer.

I've been wondering that same thing. Been playing around with the SIP settings etc the whole night already ...

 

[Rands]

Get used to it, cos the owner of a Vodashop recently told me that in a few yers Vodacom will be replaced with Vodafone in this country.
I will never take a Vodacom contract.

 

[JimM]

I do that to all my phones. Very difficult nowadays to brick them, especially if you know how to google. It makes all the difference, none of that "yebo gogo" crap and usually you're a few versions ahead. Plus, if you need to return, reflash with vodacom firmware

Very difficult nowadays to brick them?

Take it from me, this should read: Very easy to brick them!

I'm in the cellular trade and even with the correct (and very expensive) equipment, phones do get bricked! Especially Sony Ericsson! If the GDFS area gets destroyed your phone is bricked... Unless you have said very expensive equipment and are prepared to open up the phone to look for test points to enable a forced GDFS upload!

I have seen some people change their Nokia's product code so that it gets a unbranded flash, this works fine but if the update just happens to be older than the Vodacom or MTN existing firmware, the phone will be bricked!

Oddly enough the only brand that is (almost) without risk is Samsung. Provided the correct files have been selected and you have a full battery when you start, all should be OK.

It is also worth keeping in mind that tinkering with your phones firmware may invalidate ICASA approval - I'm not sure if they would ever know!

If you are hell bent on changing your phones firmware do some research first! Look for sites with full tutorials and if it looks complicated may be ask a professional to do the job.

 

[UnUnOctium]

Very difficult nowadays to brick them?

Take it from me, this should read: Very easy to brick them!

I'm in the cellular trade and even with the correct (and very expensive) equipment, phones do get bricked! Especially Sony Ericsson! If the GDFS area gets destroyed your phone is bricked... Unless you have said very expensive equipment and are prepared to open up the phone to look for test points to enable a forced GDFS upload!

I have seen some people change their Nokia's product code so that it gets a unbranded flash, this works fine but if the update just happens to be older than the Vodacom or MTN existing firmware, the phone will be bricked!

Oddly enough the only brand that is (almost) without risk is Samsung. Provided the correct files have been selected and you have a full battery when you start, all should be OK.

It is also worth keeping in mind that tinkering with your phones firmware may invalidate ICASA approval - I'm not sure if they would ever know!

If you are hell bent on changing your phones firmware do some research first! Look for sites with full tutorials and if it looks complicated may be ask a professional to do the job.

Ouch dude. I doubt ICASA approves much except the transceivers. I've flashed SEs and Nokias, never had the opportunity to mess around with any others but I've never had a problem with either. If you google and proceed carefully (i.e. not doing what the first website tells you) then I doubt you can screw it up much. Nokias are even better at that since the Phoenix suite allows you to try and flash non-responsive (aka bricked) phones. With regards to the product code, I didn't go that route, it's stupid since it's usually an incremental update when you do it OTA and therefore I did a complete flash to a diff firmware for the same hardware 'code'. From there on I use OTA for my incremental updates (5 MB vs 130 MB). But I guess the difficulty really depends on how well you're prepared to research it.

 

[Polymathic]

I got my w595 at the start of the year and I cannot get a software update for it online.