Huawei E620 incompatible with Billion 7300GX Router

pitcher

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Hi

My Huawei E620 datacard doesn't work with the Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router.

About 3 weeks ago I bought a Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router to use with my Vodacom Huawei E620 datacard. I first checked on the Billion support site to make sure that the router and the data card would be compatible. See page at http://www.billionsa.com/compatible-3G.html which clearly states that the Huawei E620 datacard is compatible with the Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router. I printed out the page so I have a record.

But when I set up the router and inserted the data card, the card wasn't found by the router. I spent hours trying to figure out why I was having problems. Eventually I contacted Billion's online support. The first thing the support technician asked me was for the serial number on my datacard. I gave it to him and he told me that my card was manufactured before October 2006 and that those cards 'have a bug in them' that makes the Huawei E620 datacard unable to work in the Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router.

But he told me that they have an agreement with Vodacom that Vodacom will replace the card for me due to the bug. He then sent me a document with all this in writing.

So I then had to contact VodaCare. They claimed to know nothing about this agreement. I also contacted my local Vodacom shop, who also said there was no such agreement in place and that the only router they support is the LinkSys.

So, I went back to Billion and told them this. They told me that they would get in touch with the guy at Vodacom who deals with these issues. A few days later I was still waiting so I called them back. They told me that Vodacom ensured them that they would exchange the card but that I first had to send them back my datacard so they could test it, and wait 2-3 days for the replacement card to be issued. I told them I couldn’t do this because that would mean 2-3 days of lost business (my whole business is Internet/email dependent) and that it would be more cost effective to just buy a new LinkSys router. In any case, they (Vodacom) had issued my card and therefore know it is manufactured before October 2006. I even scanned the back of the card and sent the guy at Billion an image showing the serial number to prove it.

That was over 2 weeks ago. Since then I have called them numerous times and still no progress.

I have asked the support people at Billion for the contact number of the guy at Vodacom so I can simply deal with him directly, but they won’t give me his details.

I have now asked Billion to take back the router and issue me a refund so I can buy a LinkSys router instead (maybe I should have just bought that one in the first place). But I have had no reply from them yet.

Has anyone else had a problem with the Huawei E620 datacard being incompatible with a Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router?

Can anyone tell me what my options are? :mad:
 
just upgrading the firmware of the E620 - look for other posts related to E620 upgrades... I've posted a URL somewhere.
 
Hi

My Huawei E620 datacard doesn't work with the Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router.

About 3 weeks ago I bought a Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router to use with my Vodacom Huawei E620 datacard. I first checked on the Billion support site to make sure that the router and the data card would be compatible. See page at http://www.billionsa.com/compatible-3G.html which clearly states that the Huawei E620 datacard is compatible with the Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router. I printed out the page so I have a record.

But when I set up the router and inserted the data card, the card wasn't found by the router. I spent hours trying to figure out why I was having problems. Eventually I contacted Billion's online support. The first thing the support technician asked me was for the serial number on my datacard. I gave it to him and he told me that my card was manufactured before October 2006 and that those cards 'have a bug in them' that makes the Huawei E620 datacard unable to work in the Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router.

But he told me that they have an agreement with Vodacom that Vodacom will replace the card for me due to the bug. He then sent me a document with all this in writing.

So I then had to contact VodaCare. They claimed to know nothing about this agreement. I also contacted my local Vodacom shop, who also said there was no such agreement in place and that the only router they support is the LinkSys.

So, I went back to Billion and told them this. They told me that they would get in touch with the guy at Vodacom who deals with these issues. A few days later I was still waiting so I called them back. They told me that Vodacom ensured them that they would exchange the card but that I first had to send them back my datacard so they could test it, and wait 2-3 days for the replacement card to be issued. I told them I couldn’t do this because that would mean 2-3 days of lost business (my whole business is Internet/email dependent) and that it would be more cost effective to just buy a new LinkSys router. In any case, they (Vodacom) had issued my card and therefore know it is manufactured before October 2006. I even scanned the back of the card and sent the guy at Billion an image showing the serial number to prove it.

That was over 2 weeks ago. Since then I have called them numerous times and still no progress.

I have asked the support people at Billion for the contact number of the guy at Vodacom so I can simply deal with him directly, but they won’t give me his details.

I have now asked Billion to take back the router and issue me a refund so I can buy a LinkSys router instead (maybe I should have just bought that one in the first place). But I have had no reply from them yet.

Has anyone else had a problem with the Huawei E620 datacard being incompatible with a Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router?

Can anyone tell me what my options are? :mad:

There was a known problem with the E620 and certain Dell laptops and Huawei did swap those out. I've not heard of this specific problem with the routers but it sounds like the same problem.

Maybe give Huawei in JHB a call and see what they say. I'll also ask.
 
Huawei E620 datacard issue with Billion Router

Thanks for the replies.

1. MobileAllOver, I can't find a link to a firmware upgrade for the Huawei E620 card anywhere on this forum or the Vodacom site or anywhere on the Internet. It's like it doesn't exist, and besides I don't think it'll help otherwise Billion or Vodacom would've suggested it.

2. Thanks vodacom3g for the suggestion of contacting Huawei in JHB. Know anything about a firmware upgrade?
 
There was a known problem with the E620 and certain Dell laptops and Huawei did swap those out. I've not heard of this specific problem with the routers but it sounds like the same problem.

Maybe give Huawei in JHB a call and see what they say. I'll also ask.

There's an Huawei branch in South Africa?
 
I just rang the Huawei guys in JHB now. They told me that the Huawei E620 will definitely not work with the Billion 7300GX as it was never designed to. Something to do with frequencies and other technical stuff, so not even a firmware upgrade can help. And there were not open to the suggestion of swapping the card for me. So basically I have a Billion Router that Billion states on their website will work with the E620 datacard... that doesn't!

If anyone at Billion is able to respond I would appreciate it.
 
I just rang the Huawei guys in JHB now. They told me that the Huawei E620 will definitely not work with the Billion 7300GX as it was never designed to. Something to do with frequencies and other technical stuff, so not even a firmware upgrade can help. And there were not open to the suggestion of swapping the card for me. So basically I have a Billion Router that Billion states on their website will work with the E620 datacard... that doesn't!

If anyone at Billion is able to respond I would appreciate it.


Hi

The 7300GX does work with the HUAWEI E620 card but if the card is manufactured before the 1st of October 2006 it will not work.

Post your serial number and we can have a look when it was made.
 
The serial number is E87NAE1653013509

I bought the Billion router because the Billion website states that the Huawei E620 datacard is compatible with the Billion BiPAC 7300GX Router. It makes no mention of dates or serial numbers or anything else.
 
I just rang the Huawei guys in JHB now. They told me that the Huawei E620 will definitely not work with the Billion 7300GX as it was never designed to. Something to do with frequencies and other technical stuff, so not even a firmware upgrade can help. And there were not open to the suggestion of swapping the card for me. So basically I have a Billion Router that Billion states on their website will work with the E620 datacard... that doesn't!

If anyone at Billion is able to respond I would appreciate it.

Please can you tell me the name of the person you spoke to at HUAWEI.
 
I spoke to Leslie at Huawei.

Vodacare has just called to say they will be sending me a replacement card on Monday.
 
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