ExpressCard slot on new laptops

[Kobus Rossouw]

Discovered this little pleasure two weeks ago when I got my HSPDA card. The whole story is here - Really inconvenient when I was trying to solve a problem in a rush and resulted in some pretty heated exchanges.

According to Fujitsu Siemens the advanced slots are the new technology and should become the standard in place of PCMCIA slots. Apparently widespread overseas already.

The upshot of it all is this:
Vodacom says it's the computer manufacturer's responsibility to solve the problem,
The computer manufacturers say it is Vodacom's responsibility - their new HSPDA offering incorporates "redundant technology", which is why Vodacom has such a good special on HSPDA (and run out of 3G PCMCIA cards?)
The client gets a card with a contract he/she can't use.

FS has no intention of investing in a solution - they are unsure if their PCMCIA reader works on the Vodacom HSPDA card and I'm still waiting for one to try.

Feel like piggy in the middle here. It's gone round in circles with no end in site.

Oh yes - and the HSPDA card does not work in the Vodacom wireless router either, although Vodacom reckons it might solve that one soon.

In a world filled with choices, sometimes the hardest decision is which options not to take.

I did not want to hear that, but I recon you are spot on and I will apply this after this one last shot in the dark!!! It hurts, but thanks for the comment. I I might have found an external cardreader that is for the "3G" card, I must go and test it in the next day or two. They sound confidant that it will work, will keep everybody posted. If it does not work, I will fall back on "choices not to make" - it still hurts!!

 

[MrSmith]

3) Use a handset as an external modem - no HSDPA yet (phones are in test) but lots of 3G options.

V3G can you tell us which HSDPA phones are being tested. Thanks

 

[WatchDog]

Is this problem caused by Vodacom being tardy in releasing new HSPDA products. I know releases of some brands of phones are delayed by so-called 'testing' by the networks. Vodacom definitely has a lot to gain by a delay, especially in the handset market. +++++ Perhaps the cards we need can be sourced overseas?? +++++
Or maybe Vodacom will think of another reason we can't use them!?

 

[vodacom3g]

Is this problem caused by Vodacom being tardy in releasing new HSPDA products. I know releases of some brands of phones are delayed by so-called 'testing' by the networks. Vodacom definitely has a lot to gain by a delay, especially in the handset market. +++++ Perhaps the cards we need can be sourced overseas?? +++++
Or maybe Vodacom will think of another reason we can't use them!?

No, I think you're being a bit paranoid

Why, on earth, would Vodacom not want you to use a mobile terminal?

Vodacom is in the market to sell airtime. The more phones we can certify, the better the changes you're going to use one of them. I'd like to hear your theories on why Vodacom would benefit from delaying handset release dates.

Same with data cards. Vodacom have put a herculean effort in getting HSDPA cards into South Africa. Last numbers I heard put the Vodacom HSDPA card distribution at a factor of 20 (!) over that of the other HSDPA network.

The handset manufacturers decide which handsets to bring in and then present these to Vodacom for testing. This typically takes a week or two after which it becomes a commercial issue, i.e. the phones must be brought in and distributed via the retail channel. This can add another few weeks.

 

[vodacom3g]

V3G can you tell us which HSDPA phones are being tested. Thanks

From the Testing Center weekly report:

This week the Siemens A70, Samsung SGH E900 and Nokia E61-1 were endorsed for use on the Vodacom Network.

The Samsung SGH X650, Nokia E60-1 and Nokia E70-1 were not endorsed for use on the Vodacom network.

The Blackberry 7130v, Kiddies phone, Samsung SGH Z560 HSDPA and Starterkit Q2686F Module (Wavecom) were received for testing.

 

[internaut]

........

BTW, the router firmware supporting HSDPA is available for download on www.vodacom.co.za.

???? Can't find any firmware for the router on that site except for v1.99.8 which has been there for yonks already.

 

[WatchDog]

No, I think you're being a bit paranoid

Replying with an insult is always a sign of a weak argument ... cheers m8!

Why, on earth, would Vodacom not want you to use a mobile terminal?

I didn't say that at all. Vodacom wants us to use old technology because it is simply cheaper and old equipment will always require an upgrade earlier.

Vodacom is in the market to sell airtime.

This is obvious. You also seem to want to sell this airtime to us at a premium. For example, data cards are now faster and use up credit at an exponentially higher rate, yet data rates remain much the same ... and for prepaid the rate remains at R2 /MB. This is just plain greed on your part and will not gain your company any loyalty.
The newspaper reported yesterday that text messages cost Vodacom at least 20c to send and uses spare capacity in any case, yet what do you charge customers??? .............Point proved?

The more phones we can certify, the better the chances you're going to use one of them. I'd like to hear your theories on why Vodacom would benefit from delaying handset release dates.

Easy ... by delaying the release to the South African public of the latest handsets you also delay purchase yourselves. While WE wait for phones, they get cheaper at source and YOU gain big-time when you finally buy them. You also see any faults that develop in early releases and can decide not to stock those - yet another gain.

I can see little reason for a delay. You could quite easily test handsets at the same time as European networks and release them simultaneously.

Same with data cards. Vodacom have put a herculean effort in getting HSDPA cards into South Africa. Last numbers I heard put the Vodacom HSDPA card distribution at a factor of 20 (!) over that of the other HSDPA network.

Making a purchase order is not a great effort. The smallest of research effort abroad would have told you HSDPA would be popular. -------> "Herculean effort"!! This is simply nonsense! These cards are cheaper on MTN now anyway - for the same card!

The handset manufacturers decide which handsets to bring in and then present these to Vodacom for testing. This typically takes a week or two after which it becomes a commercial issue, i.e. the phones must be brought in and distributed via the retail channel. This can add another few weeks.

Oh please!.... I know for a fact the manufacturers have less to do with what comes in than you make out. YOUR company makes the order. Demand is from the network, the middle man. There isn't such a thing here as an independent handset unassociated with a network. They are all branded in some way. I know several handset manufacturers who have in the past blamed Vodacom for delays. We often see a dramatic launch on TV, yet nothing is in the shop - because why ... Vodacom simply haven't ordered them!! On top of that Vodacom often doesn't know how to support new phones, despite being given manuals, settings etc. by the manufacturer. Why? ... because Vodacom only updates their systems every 3 months and it therefore can take that long for the Dilberts in customer service to get their acts together. I can hear it now ... "What's a chocolate phone? Hikona, I got no idea about da settingz for thees wun. Eish!"
Over to u.

 

[vodacom3g]

No insult intended, but you do come across as paranoid. Or maybe we ARE just out to get you...

Your so wrong on most of these points, I'm not going to go into an argument on each of them.

Suffice to say, Vodacom wants you to use the network (Vodacom's only source of income), so we'll do anything to get a terminal in your hand, be that a phone or a data card.

Economics 101.

Think about it.