Database Users

Signal Strength?

I have the UK T-mobile MDA Pro and am having all sorts of problems with the connection to T-mobile. If I am sat at home I get 1 or 2 bars (50-70% according to Hudson Phone Dashboard) and this is fine unless I ask the phone to do anything, open software, menu, etc.
In which case the signal strength disappears completely and then the phone sits for 1-2mins until it finds the signal again and the process then repeats...
Has anyone else seen this or do I have a defective unit??
Cheers
Andy

Mine sometimes switches between UTMS and GRPS if I try connecting to anything, but only if I'm in a ****e coverage area (mainly at work).
BTW, I don't suppose u have call timers working right on hudson phone dash with the MDA Pro?

andykemp said:
I have the UK T-mobile MDA Pro and am having all sorts of problems with the connection to T-mobile. If I am sat at home I get 1 or 2 bars (50-70% according to Hudson Phone Dashboard) and this is fine unless I ask the phone to do anything, open software, menu, etc.
In which case the signal strength disappears completely and then the phone sits for 1-2mins until it finds the signal again and the process then repeats...
Has anyone else seen this or do I have a defective unit??
Cheers
Andy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Andy,
I had something that looks a little bit like it. The phone kept searching for a connection when trying to work wit MSN.
I put my phone settings on : settings/phone/band and set network type to GSM, when I am in Holland. So don't keep it on "auto"
When I am here in Romania however I can switch it back to auto and do not have the problem. It switches to the battrery consuming UMTS however. If I put it back on GSM it stays on GPRS however.
Huib

I have already tried setting the phone on Manual GSM - 1800... which improves the speed at which it reconnects but doesn't seem to eliminate the problem of the disconnections...
I know the signal isn't fantastic here but I have an old nokia 6210 with a tmobile payg sim in it and that always has 1-2 bars and has never lost it's signal...
I just tried putting it back on Auto... Then open messages and right on cue it lost the signal...

What do other people think? Does this sound faulty to you?

o2 3G

Hello, without meaning to sound like a complete idiot, can anyone tell me if I will automatically get 3G connection on my o2 account, or do I need to contact them to enable it.
Because every time I try to make a video call, the Exec tells me that 3G is not available.
Or do I need a new SIM Card?
They sent me a new SIM Card with the Exec, but I have not fitted it. Do you think that I need to insert and activate it?
Many Thanks in Advance
Fatzzz

I also got a new SIM card when my Exec arrived and I had to call O2 to get them to activate it. They said this would happen within several hours, but in fact it happened within 5 minutes. The old card stopped working at exactly the same time, so don't go out without them both once you've called them!
You can only make video calls when your phone has locked on to the 3G network. You'll know when this has happened because you'll see a 'U' symbol next to the phone signal strength icon instead of the 'G' for GPRS. (U stands for UTMS.) Or, go to the phone dialler pad and check the network name.
Most people seem to struggle to find a 3G signal though, so it might all be a waste of time. Certainly here in Sussex I haven't found a signal yet.

Thanks SiliconS, do you know if there is a special plan to subscribe to, or will it work as long as it is in a 3G area?
Cheers
Fatzzz

I contacted O2 today to ask the same question (as well as get my new plan confirmed).
I was advised that I would need a new sim, which has been ordered and should be sent out soon, and once that sim arrives, I need to contact O2 and get them to enable the new SIM and disable the old one.
What they then advised me is that 3G would be used whenever it is available.
It'll work in Liverpool where I work, but from what I've seen, St Helens, where I live, won't work just now but is planned for future expansion although there is no date.
To be honest I doubt I'll use it too much as I permanently activesync with my laptop via Bluetooth and use that as an Internet connection.
Once a decent push email solution has been delivered I'll probably rely on 3G a bit more.

In London, I get U everywhere I go, don't know about other areas. It was rather amusing when the train passed Hither Green the U changed to G for about 10 secs then switched back to U again. So does it mean the transmitter somewhere near Hither Green doesn't support 3G?

it could just be that the signal wasn't strong enough to support UTMS.
For example, if I go into the office at work I usually end up on GPRS, yet if I go near a window I can use UTMS just fine.
Hope this helps.

http://www.webmap.o2.co.uk/
Check you O2 coverage
I am right on the edge of a coverage area however i am in dark blue but i get a very week signal from O2s UMTS network and a very strong signal from their GSM network.
I have real problems with using a data connection as i keep switching between the 2 networks and there is a delay while it does it. Also MSNM is really bad when it does this. At the moment i have set my Exec to just use the GSM network and ignore the UMTS one.

well I ordered a new sim from o2 to get 3g on my jasjar, and they sent me a normal gsm one (I didn't notice at the time, ended up hard resetting just to make sure I hasn't disabled it somehow!) So check when the SIM arrives that got 3G written on the side with the bubbles and not GSM! I infact ended up going to the O2 shop and getting one from there.
Flubster

Very weak network signal in place where all other phones have near full connection

Hi all. I bought the iMate JasJar as a converged device after a long time of having a phone/PPC duo with me. But since my PPC Axim X51V with an 8GB solidstate card was stolen, I went hunting for a converged device which was a true PDA. I found the JasJar and recieved it. My only problem is that it refuses to maintain a connections, GSM or UMTS, I have tried all the networks where I a m and none of them are better than the other. I am currently studying in South Africa, I am not a stranger to converged devices or the Windows Mobile world. But the JasJar just cannot function as a phone. I have upgraded the radio from 1.09.00 to 1.15.00 with no results. Is there anything I can do to get a consistent lock on the network? I tried the Manual network selection but that still wont help. The cell tower is also quite close to me since it is about a 5 minute walk from where I am. Please advise. Thank you and I apologize for my ranting.

I see you upgraded the radio, but have you tried other radio ROMs like 1.13 and 1.14? The latest isn't necessarily the greatest. Perhaps try some of the other radio ROMs next and see if any of them are better for you.
The thread for Universal radio's is below:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=298090
Best wishes,

There they only mention 1.15, where can i download the other radio roms?

Weaker radio than other phones
I live in a rural area in New Hampshire United State with a weak T-Mobile phone signal. I have an XDA Exec device but I cannot use it as a phone because of its bad radio receiver. I still use my XDA IIi because I can use that phone and make a 20 mins calls from work to home without loosing a connection. The XDA Exec drops about three times (at the same locations) within this distance. Where I have 3 bars on the XDA IIi, I barely have 1 bar on the Exec. I can make calls from third floor with the XDA IIi, but the XDA Exec does not receive any phone signal from the same floor. I have tried radio 1.09 and 1.13 on my XDA Exec and both did not make any different. My conclusion is the Exec seem to have a very weak radio receiver. Unless you live in the city where signal strength is not a problem, Exec does not seem to be a good choice for a phone device.

I have the same problem in the UK with T-Mobile. When I go out of coverage area for a while (say 2 hours) and then return to coverage, the phone does not (I waited 3 hours) pick up the radio signal again. If I go out of coverage for say just 10 minutes then the phone does pick up the signal again. Once the phone has lost the signal but is back in coverage, I've tried turning on Flight Mode and turning it off again and the phone still won't pick up a GSM signal.
I've had this issue with WM5 (T-Mobile UK Jan07 official release), WM6 and all of the radio ROMS that I've tried (including 1.18). T-Mobile's suggestion was to configure the phone to be GSM only (apparently the 3G signal is more patchy) and use the 1800 band only. That solution helps a little if you don't go out of coverage for a significant period of time but doesn't help if you need 3G.
I don't believe that it's a Universal issue - more of a T-Mobile issue. When I had a VF-UK SIM in the phone, I didn't have any of these issues.

PeterMcClure said:
I have the same problem in the UK with T-Mobile. When I go out of coverage area for a while (say 2 hours) and then return to coverage, the phone does not (I waited 3 hours) pick up the radio signal again. If I go out of coverage for say just 10 minutes then the phone does pick up the signal again. Once the phone has lost the signal but is back in coverage, I've tried turning on Flight Mode and turning it off again and the phone still won't pick up a GSM signal.
I've had this issue with WM5 (T-Mobile UK Jan07 official release), WM6 and all of the radio ROMS that I've tried (including 1.18). T-Mobile's suggestion was to configure the phone to be GSM only (apparently the 3G signal is more patchy) and use the 1800 band only. That solution helps a little if you don't go out of coverage for a significant period of time but doesn't help if you need 3G.
I don't believe that it's a Universal issue - more of a T-Mobile issue. When I had a VF-UK SIM in the phone, I didn't have any of these issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cannot offer a solution - but I'm on Orange and using their official ROM (Radio v1.13), I havent had any issues with loosing signal. In fact roaming round Europe and into Russia - the phone picked up equal sometimes more networks than a Nokia N95.
Matt

same problem, I had full signal before, but today, suddenly dropped the exec, and after that, it have very weak signal.
going to disassemble it tonight.

disassembled, problem fixed now, i have signal 5 out of 5

How did you do it? I mean disassemble and fix? Any help appreciated and would let me use my Universal instead of selling it and I want to keep it because I love the device but hate the coverage.

gamefreakgcb said:
How did you do it? I mean disassemble and fix? Any help appreciated and would let me use my Universal instead of selling it and I want to keep it because I love the device but hate the coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Opened the Universal like the Service Manual told me (downloaded from this site), then, there is a big, white plastic in in the top of the device, that's the antenna, 3 screws holding it. Unscrewed that, and I observed, it has got two little metal feet, connecting to mainboard.
Slacked that thing, so it connects more powerful.
Maybe it deformed when I dropped the device.
Assembled, switched on, and , we have got 5 signals

remember that: remove the flashlight, and the foil above it, before taking off the antenna module, if you don't do that, you can kill your flash.

X1 Poor Reception

Hi
Received my X1 on Vodafone on Saturday. Main issue I have had is that of poor reception. I was previously comparing it to my Tytn II which was on T-mobile. I have not put a P&G vodafone sim in the Tytn-2 for some further testing.
I can state that the reception on the X1 is much worse than that on the Tytn II. They both show 2 bars, but the X1 keeps dropping the signal, while the Tytn holds onto it. This generally occurs while trying to use the device rather than when its just sat there - it will ring, but then drop the call when I handle it. If I cup it in my hands, it will drop the signal. If I do the same to the Tytn II, it survives. My advise to people would be that this is only a phone suitable for those who enjoy 3 bars most of the time. Maybe it will be improved via a firmware update, who knows - maybe it works better on 1800MHz or 2100MHz 3G than it does on the 900MHz GSM used by vodafone - this I cant test cause the device is sim locked.
All I can say is that on the same network at the same location, the X1 is vastly inferior to the Tytn II.
Mine is going back - trouble is that was the only phone out there worth buying... I want 800x480, keyboard, HSDPA/HSUPA - touch pro does not cut it, nor does touch HD, and no carrier seems to have picked up either of these two as yet. Looked at the G1, but its a V1.0 OS and I cant be arsed with the inevitable updates...
Any news on a touch hd pro (i.e with keyboard?)
Nigel

veletron said:
Hi
Received my X1 on Vodafone on Saturday. Main issue I have had is that of poor reception. I was previously comparing it to my Tytn II which was on T-mobile. I have not put a P&G vodafone sim in the Tytn-2 for some further testing.
I can state that the reception on the X1 is much worse than that on the Tytn II. They both show 2 bars, but the X1 keeps dropping the signal, while the Tytn holds onto it. This generally occurs while trying to use the device rather than when its just sat there - it will ring, but then drop the call when I handle it. If I cup it in my hands, it will drop the signal. If I do the same to the Tytn II, it survives. My advise to people would be that this is only a phone suitable for those who enjoy 3 bars most of the time. Maybe it will be improved via a firmware update, who knows - maybe it works better on 1800MHz or 2100MHz 3G than it does on the 900MHz GSM used by vodafone - this I cant test cause the device is sim locked.
All I can say is that on the same network at the same location, the X1 is vastly inferior to the Tytn II.
Mine is going back - trouble is that was the only phone out there worth buying... I want 800x480, keyboard, HSDPA/HSUPA - touch pro does not cut it, nor does touch HD, and no carrier seems to have picked up either of these two as yet. Looked at the G1, but its a V1.0 OS and I cant be arsed with the inevitable updates...
Any news on a touch hd pro (i.e with keyboard?)
Nigel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my network is t-moble and the reception is excellent so far

i use swisscom in switzerland and didn't have any trouble so far

Voda X1 is not simlocked
Hi
I never tried my old t-mobile sim in the X1 I got from Vodafone cause I thought it would be simlocked. Well, its not its sim free. On T-mob (1800MHz), the X1 does indeed hold onto a signal better.
That does not change the fact that compared to the Tytn II on 900MHz vodafone, the X1 wont hold the signal as well.
Nigel

I've got 3 from sweden, and it drops the signal to!
When i'm at my girlfriends who also got 3 she got full signal and I got low-nothing.

I use Vodafone Network (UMTS/HSDPA) on 2100 MHz in Germany and it works really good.
The reception is quite the same compared to my TyTN, maybe the X1 is even slightly better, but definitely not worse for me.
I also have no issues with dropped calls and I use the HSDPA connection sometimes even with only 1-2 bars and it's very stable.
Reception quality is no problem for me though I had some strange audio issue (will report in a different thread).

i to got the same problems
bad reception in sweden both gsm and 3g with theese operators. telia 0-2 bars 5bars with my w595 and exactly the same resaults with comviq/tele2, tre and my current operator telenor, bytheway i got 6 phones up and running all the time but the X1 has by FAR the WORST reception ever, even my touch pro and diamond got much better reception.
hope there will be an radio update for my X1 SOON as it is by my meens the best smartphone ever made (exept reception and stylus) broke 4 stylus already (the plastic part at the top)
any1 else did this? with the stylus that is.

smaberg said:
broke 4 stylus already (the plastic part at the top)
any1 else did this? with the stylus that is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how did you manage do that?

yes I got the same poor reception problem here in UK
I am on O2 and I bought X1 as a sim free my other handset's shown least 3 bars on same network but on experia only 1 or 2 sometimes network not avaliable message appears also dropping the calls few times so my X1 has to go!

I've also moved across from Tmob to VF
The reception on my X1 was better than my advantage on tmob (I used the sim till my number switched over) pretty much everywhere, I struggled to get reception indoors at work on tmob previously but had 2 bars on G with the X1.
Conversely I'm now getting H signals at work with VF, but widely erratic Gprs coverage at home. Overall the VF coverage is nowhere near as good locally as Tmobs 3g.
I've lodged a complaint with VF as according to the coverage map I should be in the middle of a 3G cell, and this si what I was sold the contract on, about 50% of the time I get 2 bars of G at home, 50% nothing, and there doesn't seem to be any pattern to it, but like you the calls will get dropped seemingly randomly.
Last night I started getting a much more consistent signal at home, I'm not certain what's changed maybe they decided to look at the transmitter, but I'll monitor over the next few days.

I also get pretty crappy signal here in the U.S. with AT&T in Chicago. Just 2 bars on both HSDPA and EDGE. (850/1900mhz)
TYTN II and I-Mate 9502 get 4-5 bars...
This is with 3G turned on and off...
Hopefully, there will be an update soon..

For anyone with issues over UK coverage, you can check out what transmitters are where, and even send an email through to moan!
I've had responses in under 2 hours before.
http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/

Dropping calls

Does anybody else have a problem on o2? For the past few days my HD has been very flakey.
o2 are usually spot on in my area, the phone has good signal and what is happening most of the time is ill take a call then after 20-60seconds it will cut off and play the "duur duur" noise.
Is there anything i can further do to trouble shoot this problem and see if its a phone or possible network problem?

same to me
It happens to me too, but in Serbia, with Telekom network operator. So it is regardless of the network. Only thing that comes to my mind is connection setup update that I have recently did. Found out that call is dropping when I change network station cell or type of connection (from gprs to edge or 3G)
I tried to make new connection setup, will report with findings...