Bis & 3G

B

BinaryJack

Spam
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
27,559
Reaction score
5,579
Location
100110010
So...as you know from previous threads, my Bis randomly drops for no reason.
So 2 days ago, my Bis dropped and it's still not back yet.

After speaking with the highliy intelligent and ever helpful Vodacom Call Centre staff and them relaying the 3 same steps over and over and over again...the last advice that was given to me was: "Take it to a Vodacom Store."

So after searching online ona couple of forums it seems to be a general thing, and mostly Torches suffer from this.
It seems that Bis for some reason will not work on 3G but it will work on 2G.

What to do?
Should I go into a store and ask them what the hell is going on?
 
Select 2G and 3G. So when 3G is not available 2 G will work.
 
I have a Torch.
It happens everywhere.

As far as I know the bis is not related to signal strength.
Please correct me.
 
If you seeing 3g and not 3G it means you have no coverage, the lowecase g means there is no 3G coverage, same with edge and EDGE.
As your BB only works with BIS, if there is no ceoverage there is no BIS.
 
UPDATE:

For some unexplained and rather odd reason, it is now working...for no reason, no changes, nothing.
It just works.

Even though it displayed 3G it stated under Network Status for Bis as "Not Connected" when it was on 2G and desplayed EDGE it stated "Mobile Network" under Bis.

I am used to quirks, glitches and gremlins ets. in gadgets but this is ridiculous!
 
Kage said:
UPDATE:

For some unexplained and rather odd reason, it is now working...for no reason, no changes, nothing.
It just works.

Even though it displayed 3G it stated under Network Status for Bis as "Not Connected" when it was on 2G and desplayed EDGE it stated "Mobile Network" under Bis.

I am used to quirks, glitches and gremlins ets. in gadgets but this is ridiculous!
Click to expand...

Like Trevor says MORE, MORE of what? the SAME CRAP BLUE or RED Vodacom sucks. I have been with MTN from day 1 and despite all the little gripes it still performs the ASS off VODACOM day in and day out. Oh and if you think VODACOM sucks now that you on BIS you will truly find out how MUCH it sucks :p
 
Kage said:
UPDATE:

For some unexplained and rather odd reason, it is now working...for no reason, no changes, nothing.
It just works.

Even though it displayed 3G it stated under Network Status for Bis as "Not Connected" when it was on 2G and desplayed EDGE it stated "Mobile Network" under Bis.

I am used to quirks, glitches and gremlins ets. in gadgets but this is ridiculous!
Click to expand...

Like Trevor says MORE, MORE of what? the SAME CRAP BLUE or RED Vodacom sucks. I have been with MTN from day 1 and despite all the little gripes it still performs the ASS off VODACOM day in and day out. Oh and if you think VODACOM sucks now that you on BIS you will truly find out how MUCH it sucks :p
 
CranialBlaze said:
If you seeing 3g and not 3G it means you have no coverage, the lowecase g means there is no 3G coverage, same with edge and EDGE.
As your BB only works with BIS, if there is no ceoverage there is no BIS.
Click to expand...

I may be completely mistaken, in which case I profusely apologise beforehand, but I think you are wrong.

- 3G with BIS is denoted by the 4 Blackberry dots, without it it is normal 3G coverage (on the Bold 9700 at least)
- GPRS and EDGE via BIS is denoted with capital, lowercase if normal coverage
- BB works without BIS using normal coverage
 
SiriS said:
I may be completely mistaken, in which case I profusely apologise beforehand, but I think you are wrong.

- 3G with BIS is denoted by the 4 Blackberry dots, without it it is normal 3G coverage (on the Bold 9700 at least)
- GPRS and EDGE via BIS is denoted with capital, lowercase if normal coverage
- BB works without BIS using normal coverage
Click to expand...

Not actually, if you read the RIM wiki or manual whatever online it indicated that those 4 dots are simply there for ****s ang giggle, it means absolutely nothing.
Weather or not 3G is BIS and 3g is non bis with normal internet is actualyl irelevent to the topic however, the lowercase g still means there is no 3G coverage which is y he's BIS will not connect in 3G. BIS is a service not a tower or series of towers, for BIS tow rok in 3G there still needs to be 3G coverage, which in SA is very very little.

Your BIS still will not work if any letters are in lowercase, your emails, BBIM, push, nothing. Using something like Opera browser and settign your apn to internet will give you limited access, but still none of the blackberry services will work. Without your blackberry services you may as well not have internet cause almost nothing works anyway. Just as a note, setting your apn to internet even with BIS coverage you will still pay for every byte sent, doing this means your using a paid transfer method to connect to a prepaid data service so all your BB functions still work, just at normal data rates.
 
so of those little blackberry dots logo is there for fun, why does BBM not work when they are not present.

I have had the 9000, 9700 now I have the 9780 and the 3G without dots is non-bis

I am also a little annoyed with the dropping 3G bis periodically
 
DiabloJ said:
so of those little blackberry dots logo is there for fun, why does BBM not work when they are not present.

I have had the 9000, 9700 now I have the 9780 and the 3G without dots is non-bis

I am also a little annoyed with the dropping 3G bis periodically
Click to expand...

Its not 3G BIS that drops, its 3G itself you will notice it happen almost never if you set your phone to 2G as our country actually has good coverage of that, unlike 3G which is still something rediculous like 10%, take a look at vodacoms 3G coverage map http://spatial.vodacom.co.za/coverage/ its almost non existent when it comes to 3G.

Ok just noticed a flaw in my interpritation, here is the exact run down of all the symbols. Witht he dots gone it basically means teh 3G signal is not strong/stable enough to connect to the BIS service.

RIM BlackBerry network connection
BlackBerry icon : The BlackBerry device is connected to the RIM BlackBerry network.
The following functions are only available when the BlackBerry icon is present:
Send and receive E-mail
Send and receive PIN messages
Access the BlackBerry browser
BlackBerry Instant Messenger
AT&T or roaming partner network connection

3G (capital letters): The BlackBerry device is within range of full 3G wireless coverage, including high-speed data.
The following functions are available:
Place and receive phone calls
Send and receive Text Messages (SMS)
Send and receive Multimedia Messages (MMS)
Access the MEdia Net browser
All AT&T data services (Ex. Cellular Video, AT&T Navigator, Mobile IM)

EDGE or GPRS (capital letters): The BlackBerry device is within range of full EDGE or GPRS wireless coverage, including data.
The following functions should work:
Send and receive Text Messages (SMS)
Send and receive Multimedia Messages (MMS)
Place and receive Phone calls
Access the MEdia Net browser
All AT&T data services except services which require 3G connection
The following functions are not available:
Cellular Video

3g, edge, gprs, or GSM: The BlackBerry device is within range of limited EDGE wireless coverage, without high-speed data
The following functions should work:
Send and receive Text Messages (SMS)
Place and receive Phone calls
The following functions may not work:
Send and receive Multimedia Messages (MMS)
Access the MEdia Net browser
All data services

X: The BlackBerry device cannot connect to the wireless network
NOTE: All service related functions will not work.

SOS: The BlackBerry device is in an area of wireless coverage. but can only emergency calls
NOTE: All service related functions will not work.
 
I have a similar problem. When my phone (9300) is on 3G and 2G, most often the 3G is active as we are in a good coverage area. The problem is that my BBM and email messages are not delivered to the phone even though I know there are messages waiting. If I change the network setting to 2G only, it picks up EDGE in caps and messages and emails get delivered immediately, everything works. I would be happy to leave it like this except that browsing becomes extremely slow. I am with Cell C, any suggestions? Their call centres have not proven to be very helpful and have been given a number of reasons that do not make any sense.
 
I had similar issues: ask for a sim swop: that sorted out the problem for me. (Something about a IME number already allocated to another handset and could only be picked up on their "ICap System"- had to go via Nashua Mobile Headoffice though, cos frontline staff had no clue how to handle this (i.e. walkin centres and call centres)

Hope it helps.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I am willing to try anything at this stage. So tired of call centre agents that do not understand my problem.
 
jonoa said:
I have a similar problem. When my phone (9300) is on 3G and 2G, most often the 3G is active as we are in a good coverage area. The problem is that my BBM and email messages are not delivered to the phone even though I know there are messages waiting. If I change the network setting to 2G only, it picks up EDGE in caps and messages and emails get delivered immediately, everything works. I would be happy to leave it like this except that browsing becomes extremely slow. I am with Cell C, any suggestions? Their call centres have not proven to be very helpful and have been given a number of reasons that do not make any sense.
Click to expand...

If you read at what i posted a few posts up you will see there are 3 3G states, 3g meaning no coverage, 3G meaning coverage but to week for BIS and then 3G(BB Symbol) is 3G coverage with BIS connection, your emails and BBM's and any other BB service will not work unless the BB symbol is next to 3G, thats whay when you drop to EDGE everything works again, your area simply does not have sufficient 3G penetration for you to keep a stable connection to the BIS network.
 
I also have problems with 3G on the MTN network with my Torch.

Even though it is set to 3G and 2G, it sometimes gets stuck on EDGE even though I know there is 3G coverage where I am.

Sometimes it takes a battery pull to get it back to 3G, but mostly I go into the network menu, switch off the mobile network completely and back on again. Then I have 3G for a couple of days again.

Not a train smash, but a little bit of an irritation.
 
Kix said:
Sometimes it takes a battery pull to get it back to 3G, but mostly I go into the network menu, switch off the mobile network completely and back on again. Then I have 3G for a couple of days again.

Not a train smash, but a little bit of an irritation.
Click to expand...

in regards to battery pulling you dont have to physically take the battery out,do a full device restart,press the alt key,then the aA key and then press del key,it will restart ur device as a battery pull would do,make sure you hold down alt,aA and then press del key for it to work,useless info if you knew already but if you didnt will save you a battery pull,also to make your phone a lil faster hold down alt and type LGLG and clear all the logs :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X