I've just got an Exec as a free upgrade to my beloved XDA II so I phoned O2 to ask about their 3G service.
In short, if you get an Exec from O2 you should also be given a new 3G SIM for free. If you haven't, call them to say you haven't and they'll send one. No reconfiguring of the Exec is necessary (they say). I'm guessing this doesn't apply if you're a pre-pay client, but who knows?
G
(I suppose I'll have to change my name to 3Goldry soon...)
I don't think a new SIM is required for 3G access... I had a Vodafone Pay&Go SIM well before I got my V1640, and it works on UMTS.
Yes you do require a sim that is compatable, although it is possible your existing one will support the UTMS, if not simply call in to the O2 shop and they will give you the SIM for free, activate it and away you go....
Huge bills - stupidly expensive access charges, but a super quick connection - oh - and did I mention the battery life, UTMS kicks the cr*p out of your battery, I have seen mine decrease even when connected to the car charger - Mike
some theory
3g requires a thicker sim card. You eill not be able to use 3g band with a standard gsm sim. hence no video calling, etc.
its a fact, ie - its a standart.
igs said:
some theory
3g requires a thicker sim card. You eill not be able to use 3g band with a standard gsm sim. hence no video calling, etc.
its a fact, ie - its a standart.
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3G is a thicker SIM? I've not noticed any difference with my T-Mobile SIMs..?
O2 have different SIMS for 3G and GSM. The 3G SIM has some extra information on it which means that a GSM SIM in a 3G phone will not allow 3G data.
I went into an O2 shop and they charged me £10 for a new 3G SIM which they then registered to my account and threw away the old one.
rgds
£10 for a new SIM? That's a joke! I might just go back to Vodafone then in that case...
I just had this with Orange.
I bought a SIM from a market stall for £5 thinking that it would be cheaper than going to Orange for it.
I put it in my Uni, got it all registered and everything was fine until I asked 450 why I wasn't getting a 3G icon.
I had to go to the Orange shop, pay another £5 for a SIM (USIM, 3G SIM) and then ... The fun started.
I put £20 on the USIM when I bought it, it was pre-activated. I took it home, phoned 450, got them to change the number from my old SIM to the new one. I asked if the £20 would be credited accross and he said "yes, within 24 hours".
I waited and it didn't appear. I phoned 450 and the nice gentleman in India told me there was sweet FA he could do to help, go see the Orange shop.
I went to the shop and they told me that ev erything had been done wrong, that they shouldn't even sell USIMs without a new 3G phone to go with it.
I got my £20 back though and am now fully 3G (when in coverage).
The USIM isn't any thicker than the 2G SIM, but it is a different color.
So you're saying that the orange SIM card was meant to be free? Or were you not meant to get it at all?
I think the virgin 'normal' free sims can be enabled to be 3g simply by sending a message to 80310 with the word “Video” but o2 use special seperate 3g sims. From what I understand there is extra capacity on the newer 3g sims but for current 3g services we don't need them hence why virgin's can be enabled.
I have o2 sim and am planning to be off on my travels so am in the process of setting up my universal (xda exec) to use a virgin sim in this as you can roam in Japan only on a 3g sim.
Let us bare in mind that these most extreme cases are pay as you go deals where its "not subsidised"....
If anyone puts some marketing sense into it it will be clearer to understand what all the comotion is about.
Eventually all charges for sims etc on paygo will be waved.... for the moment its a matter of choice.
BR
There's no such thing as a 3G SIM.
Yes there are different SIMs available (with more on-board memory) but at the end of the day they all have to fit into the same SIM shaped hole in your phone.
The handset and features on your account determine whether or not you can access 3G.
actually there is a specific SIM for 3G. It is same shape and size but does not work in older 2G phones..... However, 2G SIMs all work in most 3G Phones
moghisi101 said:
actually there is a specific SIM for 3G. It is same shape and size but does not work in older 2G phones..... However, 2G SIMs all work in most 3G Phones
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Not entirelly right m8...give it a try if you have one and you will see I have my o2 rg sim and works fine on other 2g phones...that also goes for another PAYGO 3g vodafone card that i got hanging around...obviously when it comes to three uk its a diferent story since they do not offer a gsm service and rely on 02 lines where there is no coverage from them and this costs them money.
BR
Related
Hi Folks
Does anyone have a soft copy of the handbook for the Universal they could post or mail me? Love to have a read.
Also, for the 3G calling, does it use a sim or usim?
cheer
Brett
mavrik64 said:
Hi Folks
Does anyone have a soft copy of the handbook for the Universal they could post or mail me? Love to have a read.
Also, for the 3G calling, does it use a sim or usim?
cheer
Brett
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Click to collapse
3G traffic (be it data or video) always require a USIM. If you don't have any, you cannot get onto the 3G network. I'm actually having this issue, as I travel to the UK a lot, where T-mobile has a live 3G network. As I do not have a USIM (since T-Mobile NL doesn't offer 3G yet), I cannot roam onto their 3G network, only onto GPRS...
Bugger...
My operator (Telenor in Norway) enables the customers to use their OLD SIM cards and still have full 3G access!
My SIM card is from 2004, but customers may use cards that go back to July 2000 on the 3G network..
There has been some Over The Air updates, but these might be for something else..
The user only gets a SMS saying: "You SIM card has been updated, please reboot your phone."
So we can use the same SIM on a new and old phone, 3G or no 3G...
http://www.manuals.t-mobile.co.uk/start.asp?manual=1217
Not 100% what you're after, but hope that helps.
stamppot said:
3G traffic (be it data or video) always require a USIM. If you don't have any, you cannot get onto the 3G network. I'm actually having this issue, as I travel to the UK a lot, where T-mobile has a live 3G network. As I do not have a USIM (since T-Mobile NL doesn't offer 3G yet), I cannot roam onto their 3G network, only onto GPRS...
Bugger...
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Well, I'm using a 4-year-old T-Mobile SIM in my JasJar, and I'm getting 3G access with absolutely no problems...
I didn't think there was such a thing as a USIM exactly? I got the impression that a "USIM" was just a normal 3v SIM card which has been enabled for use on the UMTS network. And that's done by pressing a button at T-Mobile 'Command Centre'...
'3' here in the UK make a big deal about USIM cards, and how you have to have one to use a 3G phone, but that only seems to apply to their handsets, because they put about 800 billion security locks on each of them. In my experience, Vodafone and T-Mobile don't require you to upgrade the actual SIM card at all, and I assume that Orange and O2 are the same.
sub69 said:
Well, I'm using a 4-year-old T-Mobile SIM in my JasJar, and I'm getting 3G access with absolutely no problems...
I didn't think there was such a thing as a USIM exactly? I got the impression that a "USIM" was just a normal 3v SIM card which has been enabled for use on the UMTS network. And that's done by pressing a button at T-Mobile 'Command Centre'...
'3' here in the UK make a big deal about USIM cards, and how you have to have one to use a 3G phone, but that only seems to apply to their handsets, because they put about 800 billion security locks on each of them. In my experience, Vodafone and T-Mobile don't require you to upgrade the actual SIM card at all, and I assume that Orange and O2 are the same.
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Hmmm, you learn something new every day... It could be that one can indeed update the SIM to a USIM with a OTA update, I just hadn't heard about that before. I might put in a phonecall to T-Mobile...
Thanks for the heads-up!
I'd better just point out that my last post was entirely guesswork on my part, based on the fact that my old T-Mobile SIM, and my sister's (3-year?)old Vodafone SIM both work perfectly in 3G devices.
In my case, I never even told T-Mobile that I'd bought a 3G phone, the SIM just worked on 3G from the second I put it in, so no OTA upgrade needed? (Of course, maybe they gave us UK customer's an upgrade one night without telling us?!)
My sister got an official Vodafone upgrade to a 3G phone, so they may have done an OTA thingy at the time, but the actual physical card is the same...
Hi. i have just got my Exec, totally happy with it, it's just that i cant get my VIDEO CALLING UP AND RUNNING :-(((
I live in North London, and there is no network coverage. so i thought, maybe that's the area problem. Than, @ Notting Hill , still no coverage, and finally @ oxford street, NOTHING. What the F**K i thought...
I am porting my Number from Orange, and it will take about a week for my Temporary O2 number to become what i had from Orange,
so i thought maybe that is one of the reasons???
May be i have to Activate the service somehow, i have no idea, what am i doing wrong, I even tried to change the Band from Auto to Umts, but that didnt help either.
please share your steps, or sollutions???
cheerzzzzz
:evil:
Did you receive a new sim with your exec. If you did, you will have to activate that before using 3G. On O2 your video calls will only be charged from your free minutes until 31/03/2006. After that it's 50p per minute!
What with skype and all the other services up & coming I find it hard to believe that they will stick to the pricing. But we shall wait and see.
so how do we activate the 3G then?
so how do we activate the 3G then?
alpharom said:
Did you receive a new sim with your exec. If you did, you will have to activate that before using 3G. On O2 your video calls will only be charged from your free minutes until 31/03/2006. After that it's 50p per minute!.
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Somewhere on O2 website i read that Video calls are charged same rate as voice calls ? isn't true ?
Wow that was a quick reply.
i Was trying to call these guys in the morning, but my 30 min break just wasnt enough :twisted:
@ the end this idiot told me that my phone is not 3G Compatible. Tat put me off the conversation :roll: and plus i had to go back to work 8)
anyway i think that i will have to wait for my orange number to finally ported and got activated, and hopefully then...
[quote="Somewhere on O2 website i read that Video calls are charged same rate as voice calls ? isn't true ?[/quote]
As posted before see link here...
http://flash.o2.co.uk/personal/videocalling.html
Pay Monthly - Until 31 March 2006, video calls from O2 mobiles will be charged at the same rate as equivalent voice calls and will be eligible for inclusion within the monthly inclusive calling plan minute allowance. From 1 April 2006, Video calls from O2 mobiles to other UK mobiles will be excluded from the monthly allowance and charged 50p per minute. Video calling is handset and network dependant.
Pay & Go - Video calls made in the UK to all UK mobiles will be charged 50p per minute at all times and will be excluded from any Bolt Ons or free allowances that include voice mails (other than O2 Friends). Video calling is handset and network dependant.
Still if anyone knows how to activate this 3G service, it would would help out us who dont realy know about these things. Thanks
You should get a new sim with your exec unless you already have a 3G sim. Ring customer services and go through the security checks. They will ask for the serial number of the sim to be activated. It usually is done within 24 hours. Mine was done after 6 hours.
Good luck
PS. Check your postcode to see if you have coverage in your area as well.
http://www.webmap.o2.co.uk/map.asp
my o2 card was working since i put it in, plus i haven't seen anywhere on my papers asking me to Activate. Thats a bit stupid of them.
Unless it's just me
Yep, your original card will work just like mine did, but I received a new sim card in the box. (They are different to older sims). Only these can run 3G. They activate the new one and the old one gets switched off....eventually!
alpharom said:
You should get a new sim with your exec unless you already have a 3G sim. Ring customer services and go through the security checks. They will ask for the serial number of the sim to be activated. It usually is done within 24 hours. Mine was done after 6 hours.
Good luck
PS. Check your postcode to see if you have coverage in your area as well.
http://www.webmap.o2.co.uk/map.asp
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Thanks mate I'll phone o2 tomorrow. they never told me this when i purchased.
mine was new one, came in the box as well. I am migrating from Orange.
But i will try to get hold of them tomorow again.
Thanks
OK your exec should be supplied with a 3G sim card ...it tells you on it in the small numbers on the card itself...8989 889 3G bla bla.... you need to call O2 and they need to activate GPRS and 3G (UMTS)....once they to that you should see the small icon on the top displaying either a "U"..(yep i see 3g) or a "G"..(yip i see gprs but no 3 g......3g or not 3g that is the question :lol: )...you can only video call when you have a U.....so to test it...use internet exploper on the device and surf the web on it via gprs...slower,,....then 3g...should nice and quick...then at least you know you have 3g and gprs connections are workin.....but i think o2 have a wee problem with there video calling on the exec...but i dont want to talk about it just now..lol as its doing my head in ..been in a o2 shop trying to fix the video calling.......sad thing is i knew more than they did....gggggggrrrrrrrrrrrr..ps or is that ee.g ? eh?
ArgyleMoss said:
so how do we activate the 3G then?
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Hi Fellow Plymothian!
1st Problem
Fist thing did the SIM have 3G printed on it (on the big card before you pop it out), if it just says GSM it's not a 3G SIM.
I got my O2 XDA Exec from Mobileshop.com and checked beforhand it would come with a 3G SIM, it didn't but they shipped me a proper 3G sim the next day.
2nd Problem
O2 3G reception is very very poor where I live in Peverell (top of the hill near Outland Road), I can only get a 1 bar signal upstairs in the front of the house. The O2 coverage checker showed good 3G signal strengh.
In comparison 3 and Vodafone 3G are very good signals anywhere in the house.
So I have set the Phone to GSM only and use Wifi when at home, when away I switch over to 3G (UMTS) if need it for data but keep it on GSM for better battery life the rest of the time.
Jonathan
well well.
I have got it now finally. The BUYMOBILES.COM sold me EXEC with a regular SIM 2G one. I have called them in the morning and they told me O2 does not supply them with 3G SIMS for this phone. and told me to comtact o2 to get a 3G sim.
I did that, and they told me either you wait 5 working days or go to any O2 shop and ask for 3G SIM. I did that, called them to activate it(YOU HAVE TO DO THIS IN ORDER TO GET 3G) and now i got my U sign instead of G and video calling is working.
On the sim, YOu do actually have a 3G sign.
Mine came from O2 direct (online)
its a 3g sim card
showing as G not U - so might be needs activating or might be not in their 3G area ??
However I wonder if the free GPRS until 31/12/05 ( if it exists) is for G or U usage, so not going to call them to activate 3G until I know ( if I get free GPRS on 2g, I think I'll leave it a couple of months)
o2 said no nned to activate a 3g card - must be because I'm not in their 3g coverage, that I only get "G" not "U"
Using the 02 sim in my nokia 7600 I can do a network search .. as it details all 2g and 3g networks , and yes I'm only showing 2g for o2 and orange , whereas voda and T Mob all have 2 & 3G ( so does Three , although their 2G is actually o2 piggyback!)
Placing a "3 network" sim in the xda Exec , changes the G to a U, and after changing settings I can get 3G GPRS access - but only to their page telling me to register/pay for the service
So my new Exec turned up today, along with a new SIM card, marked 3G.
Do I need to use this card?
My current SIM works fine in it, but Im wondering if I need to put in the new one, call Cust Services and have it enabled, or can I get the 3G service on my existing SIM?
Depends , the 3G card will allow faster internet connection- if in service area
if in stand gprs area , you get a G at top of screen
if in 3G area you get a U
Does that mean I have to use and register the 3G SIM? As far as I was aware, the SIM doesnt actually provide any functionality - its the service class your contract has?
@CPGOD
3G and GSM SIMs are different. Only with a 3G SIM can you use UMTS (3G services). Please check with O2, they may be transferring your number to the new SIM from the old - which would be a good thing if you want fast data download (max speed around 384kbps)
not true, my voda sim of over two years is now 3G enabled...
@twaddle, you're right it is possible to have a SIM that is GSM and UMTS. Did a bit of research and found SIM cards can function in GSM and UMTS modes. This has not been true for "3" network, however.
I'm not really sure the old SIM can be used to received 3G, I've just upgraded and got my old number transfer to the 3G sim, it works after a few hours. If the old one worked then why would they bother giving out the new sim?
Hi, I have a unlocked Wizard & my T-Mobile contract has just expired, I was just wondering if a 3G sim (3) would work in it as there are some cheap deals on that network? I wouldn't use it for video calls so thats not a problem.
im 99% sure they DONT! however maybe someone there can prove me wrong
I'm using a Cingular 3G SIM in my 8125 with no problems at all.
sk0t said:
I'm using a Cingular 3G SIM in my 8125 with no problems at all.
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a cingular 3G sim and a "3" UK usim are not the same, one runs at 3 volts (sim) and the other at 5 Volts (usim)
Aha! More than I knew! I knew it! Thanks for correcting me..
i was having problems going on line when i first got my wizard, tried everthing even customer suport couldnt figure it out. well i finaly went to store to exchange my unit and one of the reps asked to look at the sim. sure enough thats what it was i didnt have a 3g sim. all is welll now
bigdooky said:
i was having problems going on line when i first got my wizard, tried everthing even customer suport couldnt figure it out. well i finaly went to store to exchange my unit and one of the reps asked to look at the sim. sure enough thats what it was i didnt have a 3g sim. all is welll now
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what our american brothers call a "3g" sim and what the network provider called "3" use are slightly different things.... a american 3g sim is simply a normal 128k provisioned with extra services I.e. data and video calling (this is the same way all the gsm uk networks work too) however with "3" being the first 3g only network in the world they choosed to use the next generation of sim card called a usim which don't work in lots of non 3g phones including the wizard. try googling the word "usim" to see wot I mean
Under 3's terms and conditions you are not allowed to use their sim in a 2.5g phone. If you do use one and it works, they will eventually block it and send you a new sim with a gentle reminder that you are in breach of Ts and Cs.
Cheers Chaps, 3 it isn't then!
My O2 UK 3G UMTS sim works perfectly in my Wizard.You just can`t really get the benefits from it (Faster GPRS/EDGE etc....).
Hi All
I have just ordered a orange spv m3100 to be used unlocked on t-mobile. I just phoned up t-mobile to ask if i need a new sim to use in a 3g phone, but the woman i spoke to seemed to think that there is no such thing as a 3g sim, is this correct?
Will my old sim from my wizzard work in the m3100 and will i get 3g?
Thanks
you can use a 2g sim in the m3100 but you wouldnt be able to get any 3g services out of it.
best thing to do is just pop your sim into it and it will tell you if you have a 3g signal.
hope this helps
thats what i thought, thanks. i will have to phone up t-mobile again and explain i want a 3g sim.
have you asked to receive the m3100 unlocked or are you having it unlocked after you get it?
as far as i'm aware the m3100 comes locked to orange as standard so you won't be able to use a t-mobile sim...
I've spoke to T-mobile previously about 3g services and they've told me that the chip that I got off them (Bought a MDA vario) would be able to use 3g.
I popped it into my Nokia N70 and it worked a treat.
So, you might not need a different type of Sim card
nice tread i was literally going to ask this exact sme question. i just posted in another thread, asking almost the same thing, only i'm getting a new contract on t-mob and extending my misses contracting then gonna pay for them to both be unlocked and then swap the sims,
hope they send me a 3G sim
Strangely enough, I've ordered a Orange SPV 3100 today and depending on if I like it I'm going to get it unlocked and use my t-mobile chip with it.
Don't fancy paying £20 to get it unlocked to test though, So if anyone can get me a free unlocking solution by tomorrow, that would be appreciated
Even T-Mobile pay as you go sim cards seem to be fine for 3g data - just not enabled for video calling.
My vodafone sim card is a standard one, I haven't changed it in 3 or 4 years and 3g works fine.
thanks for the replys guys, this is all sounding good
I have a mate who had a MDA Vario. He bought an unbranded TyTN and asked me what he had to do to get the internet working.
I said call T and ask for 1) 3g sim 2) connection settings.
He called T and they said he didn't need a 3g sim... I have to say I though they were talking bollocks. So he popped his old sim in and we had a video call - no problems at all.
So you may be ok...
It depends on when you got your device/SIM. If bought over the last year it should be OK, if the SP supports 3G anyway. Older SIMs may need to be replaced.
So...the networks have been shipping USims instead of Sims....interesting. I didn't know that.
Quite useful to know.
thats very interesting, although I have had my sim for some time so not sure if it is a usim. Mine came with my Magician just over a year and a half ago. When I got my wizzard, I just swpped the sim over.
My M3100 should be here today, so I will test it and see what happens.
I dont think there will be a free unlocking tool for a few weeks at least, so Im just going to pay the £20 and get the code.
TheBrit said:
So...the networks have been shipping USims instead of Sims....interesting. I didn't know that.
My voda sim is a sim (not a usim) and is about 3 years old and has worked in every voda 3g phone I've tried it in (v980, 6680, sharp 902, sharp 903, v3x and xda exec).
Gives 1.2mb on hsdpa.
I just had to ask for it to be enabled when voda launched 3g.
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