Is this the norm for Vodacom 3g/gprs???

[MacNabs]

I have a nokia N70, if I am running a symbian/Java application in the background (ie email or instant messaging program) which is constantly connected to the internet, APN: Internet

- I am guaranteed to miss calls. Calls go straight to Voicemail.
- Driving from one area to another, the internet connection is guaranteed to be dropped.
- Switching between 3G/GPRS, the internet connection is guaranteed to be dropped.
- Sometimes there is just no internet connectivity, 3G icon crossed out. Dialing 121 and hanging up again sorts this problem out. Rebooting the phone also helps.

I suppose I can live with most of the issues, but not missing calls.I have seen some other recommendations on this site to make use of GPRS only. This does seem to work but then what the hell is the use of having a 3G phone? Yesterday I missed 3 important calls, all work related, and it was a bit embarrassing that my work colleagues could not get hold of me. I was using Opera Mini at the time while on my way home.

I have updated my firmware to the latest version so I highly doubt that these problems are phone related.

 

[TowerGuru]

its a common fact that when you are connected to the net you miss calls. it happens to everyone. and as for the rest of the problems, yeah that sounds normal.

 

[Gunny]

Yup doesnt matter which phone you use if you using data you can expect to miss calls. Driving around I found that the connection on phones drop when handing over between to many cells especially if it goes 3G -GPRS - 3G often but I did a test and had someone drive me around JHB for a about 40 min and I had my 3G card and laptop going the connection didnt drop once.

 

[Stinka]

I have the same probs with my n70 - have upgraded firmware with no change.

Don't worry - bad, diabolically overpriced service from Vodascum is normal. It's how they do business.

My personal favourite is when i have four bars signal strength - but am "aquiring" all the time (this on data card in PC at home) - yet I can send and recieve sms at the time.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate vodacom - and yet am stuck with them........

1st chance i get - they will never see me again - Internet connection cost lost month R4k for a few gigs with 20% downtime.

 

[vodacom3g]

Missing calls while connected to the data network is a function of the phone and is not network related.

Some phones manage this better than others. What they should do is terminate the data connection, receive the call, re-establish the data connection.

I can't vouch for the N70, but other handsets do suffer from the same problem. I don't get this on my 6680, but do get it on my K-Jam, for example.

If you've got this problem on your N70, PM me your details and the cell number and I'll ask the guys to trace. Also include your phone firmware version.

 

[ld13]

I also miss calls on my Samsung X600 when I'm actively using my GPRS connection.

 

[ic]

I also miss calls on my Samsung X600 when I'm actively using my GPRS connection.

Is the Samsung X600 a 3G|HSDPA phone?

If it isn't a 3G|HSDPA phone, then you need to know that your phone only has one set of radio equipment, which is GSM, and it would be shared [not simultaneously] for both voice calls and GPRS, the issue is that phones allow incoming calls to preempt an existing data connection [which gets dropped].

If the phone has both GSM [with GPRS|EDGE] as well as 3G|HSDPA, then the phone has two different sets of radio equipment, and should theoretically be able to use both sets of radio equipment simultaneously for different purposes, e.g. GSM for calls and 3G|HSDPA for a data connection [or visa versa]. In practice, it is unlikely that all the phone models support this [yet].

 

[MacNabs]

Spent a few hours making use of my N70 to connect my pc to the internet. When i disconnected i got 3 SMS's informing me of 3 missed calls!

So its not just limited to accessing the internet from the handset.

Oh well, Vodacom is missing out on some call revenue!

 

[ld13]

thx

Oh well, Vodacom is missing out on some call revenue!

MacNabs, you need to read what ic wrote...this is not a network 'problem' but rather a hardware(cell phone) problem.

Is the Samsung X600 a 3G|HSDPA phone?
If it isn't a 3G|HSDPA phone, then you need to know that your phone only has one set of radio equipment, which is GSM, and it would be shared [not simultaneously] for both voice calls and GPRS, the issue is that phones allow incoming calls to preempt an existing data connection [which gets dropped].
If the phone has both GSM [with GPRS|EDGE] as well as 3G|HSDPA,....

I kind of knew this already ic, just not so down to the detail…but thank you for clearing up all the uncertainties I still had. My X600 is almost older than I am, so no…it is a GPRS only phone (not even EDGE!).

 

[kaspaas]

Working fine on my SE K750i...

Drops GPRS for calls whenever one prefers to keep GPRS rather than answer the call

The real solution to me would be a ring when there is a call asking what the user prefers to do - drop GPRS or drop the call.

Would this be theoretically possible? I'm not too sure how things tie together in practice.

 

[MacNabs]

MacNabs, you need to read what ic wrote...this is not a network 'problem' but rather a hardware(cell phone) problem.

Ja well, I did read what he wrote and thanks for the info guys. But thats only got to do with my first point.

- I am guaranteed to miss calls. Calls go straight to Voicemail.

As for the rest, I highly doubt that its got anything to do with it being a handset problem. Other people that i speak to about this problem all seem to have the same feeling as myself, its the norm, live with it and accept it bru!

- Driving from one area to another, the internet connection is guaranteed to be dropped.
- Switching between 3G/GPRS, the internet connection is guaranteed to be dropped.
- Sometimes there is just no internet connectivity, 3G icon crossed out. Dialing 121 and hanging up again sorts this problem out. Rebooting the phone also helps.

Besides all of the points raised, this phone is a vlive vodafone N70. Supplied by Vodacom and sold by Vodacom. Therefore I actually expect it to work regardless and do not really need to hear that its a handset problem. If it is in fact a handset problem then customers need to be made aware of these problems before purchasing a phone. Just my 2c worth

 

[vodacom3g]

What's the use of asking a question if you already made up your mind what the answer should be?

As Kaspaas showed, some users can have a problem when the data connection is suspended!

So it's one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" features.

Best bet is to separate your data and voice systems. This way you get to use both at the same time. You can even have it on one contract.

But if your data usage is low, it probably makes sense to use one device and live with the symptoms.

Kaspaas, your idea is valid, but again it'll depend on the handset manufacturer. They decide how to handle the situation.

 

[kaspaas]

Kaspaas, your idea is valid, but again it'll depend on the handset manufacturer. They decide how to handle the situation.

Any handset manufacturers monitoring this list?

I guess we can provide them expert opinions on features required or wasted

 

[AirWolf]

While connected to the internet using phone a modem I can still receive smss as well as calls Phone: Motorola V1050

Edit: Just tested it with Opera Mini on phone connected to internet. Still received calls fine. Smss came in but the sms sound only played after I exited Opera Mini.

Edit2: This phone is also a Vodaphone Vlive 3G phone. But currently branded as Vodaphone Virgin Mobile with the stickers I received with my Virgin Mobile sim .

 

[Prometheus]

Being everything BUT a Vodacom fan I have to say that this is NOT a Vodacom problem. Everything except for the dropped calls is in fact normal. Switching from gprs to 3G normally keeps the connection, but switching from 3G to gprs normally drops the connection on a lot of phone models including the 6680 and N70. For this reason it is suggested that you use one or the other when in one location and gprs when moving. A 3G connection can handle both calls and data at the same time, but gprs can only handle one or the other. Your phone should give preference to the call by suspending (not terminating) the data connection and resuming it when the call is over. The 6680 does this although it sometimes drops the data connection if the call lasts too long. The N70 seems to give preference to the data connection instead.

If this is a hardware feature it can not fixed by a firmware update. If it is not then they just haven't gotten around to it yet. There is normally a datasheet with every firmware update which states what has been fixed. V3g should have access to it. Vodacom supports a wide range of phones, some of which has these problems, but so do the other networks. If you want to blame anyone then blame Nokia, but then also blame Motorola, Siemens, Sony, Samsung, LG, Sagem, and all the others that does this.

 

[Highflyer_GP]

I know that alot of phones using S60 v2 have this problem, so dropped connections are normal because you cannot force 3G (UMTS), only GPRS (GSM). With these models the only way to get 3G reception is to operate in a sort of hybrid mode where the phone determines whether or not it should be using 3G or GPRS. Usually the connection drops when switching between the two.

On phones using the S60 v3 OS (N80/N73 etc.) you can force 3G, GPRS or hybrid so basically this doesn't become an issue - your connection won't drop (unless off course you're operating in hybrid where it will switch between the two). Yip it's not a Vodacom issue but a hardware issue. Many people have been tricked into getting an N70 because the marketing campaign says that it's 3G capable - however technically speaking 3G capable isn't the same thing as being a fully fledged 3G device.

Re: missing calls when connected to the internet - haven't had a problem with this on my N80 except when 3G is the forced mode of operation but this is neither a phone issue nor a network issue. In order to send and receive calls when conected to the data network, your phone needs to be in GSM mode (GPRS/EDGE) - if it's in 3G mode (UMTS) you may miss it because GSM and UMTS are completely different protocols. I'm willing to bet that you only miss calls when your phone switches from GPRS to 3G

 

[ic]

@v3g, can you confirm whether 3G caters for and allows simultaneous non-VoIP calls and data connection transfer?

...A 3G connection can handle both calls and data at the same time, ...The 6680 does this although it sometimes drops the data connection if the call lasts too long...

If a 'suspended' [whilst busy with a 3G call] 3G data connection drops after a while on the 6680, it might be as a result of the way that TCP/IP works - specifically that remote hosts at the other end of TCP/IP connections think your 6680 has lost the connection, and then remote hosts forcefully terminate the connection to free up their own ports for other connections. If this is what is happening, then it contradicts what you posted about all [?] 3G phones being able to keep a call as well as a data connection going simultaneously...

 

[vodacom3g]

Have asked the guys who test the phones for more details.

Your idea that a suspended data connection will time out at the transport layer makes a lot of sense as the end-to-end IP connection won't understand the break in IP comms. There is no 'suspend' function in TCP (AFAIK).

 

[Prometheus]

Re: missing calls when connected to the internet - haven't had a problem with this on my N80 except when 3G is the forced mode of operation but this is neither a phone issue nor a network issue. In order to send and receive calls when conected to the data network, your phone needs to be in GSM mode (GPRS/EDGE) - if it's in 3G mode (UMTS) you may miss it because GSM and UMTS are completely different protocols. I'm willing to bet that you only miss calls when your phone switches from GPRS to 3G

This is not true. I have made and received calls while in 3G (UMTS) only mode. Can also send sms and service requests while a data connection is active. Missed calls only occur in GSM mode.

@v3g, can you confirm whether 3G caters for and allows simultaneous non-VoIP calls and data connection transfer?

...A 3G connection can handle both calls and data at the same time, ...The 6680 does this although it sometimes drops the data connection if the call lasts too long...

If a 'suspended' [whilst busy with a 3G call] 3G data connection drops after a while on the 6680, it might be as a result of the way that TCP/IP works - specifically that remote hosts at the other end of TCP/IP connections think your 6680 has lost the connection, and then remote hosts forcefully terminate the connection to free up their own ports for other connections. If this is what is happening, then it contradicts what you posted about all [?] 3G phones being able to keep a call as well as a data connection going simultaneously...

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough that I was specifically referring to gprs where I didn't state 3G.

In GSM mode the phone suspends the data connection when a call, sms, or service request is made or received, but it is still logged on to the data network, perhaps V3g can confirm this or not. When the call, sms, or service request is over it simply continues the data connection without logging on again. If the call lasts a bit long the data connection gets dropped and you have to log on again.

In UMTS mode I can send and receive sms, mms,and service requests without being disconnected. Strangely I get disconnected with calls, but can establish a data connection and even send and receive data while a call is active on 3G. I just checked it out. So all phones "should" be capable of calls and data connections at the same time on 3G, don't know about video calls though, it's just the implementation that's a bit buggy.

 

[vodacom3g]

Got some info back from the handset guys.

The bearer type also plays a role, i.e. are you?:

1) on 2G (simultaneous data / voice not supported at all)
2) or 3G (only supported on some handsets).

Testing with a N70 on 3G, I can do a download while receiving calls.

Also check your handset firmware.