Of the Nokia N95, E61, 6630, 3 IRL dataSIM, X-series and poo

culabula

I've been playing with the N95 now for around 3 weeks, using it with the 3 dataSIM and my MacBook and performance has been extraordinarily poor. I was hoping for so much more from an HSDPA device but I rarely get the desired speeds and connectivity has been worsening. The only places I get decent speeds (so far) are around Leeson Stree, RTÉ, Smithfield and Temple Bar. Otherwise it's hit and miss and use of a BT modem has been flaky at best.

Here's some observations that I've been able to make and hopefully it will help others.

It works a bit better with the supplied cable (which doesn't charge the phone). I've hit over 2MB in Smithfield but that's the best ever.

There is a setting on all Nokia 3G phones to "set device as authorised" for automatic Bluetooth connection-this helps greatly with the stability of the connection and since I belatedly discovered it, I can leave the N95 in my man-bag and just connect. Success of connection is now more or less assured.

I finally managed to get my E61 and X-series SIM paired with the MacBook and working and this was a more stable, consistent and faster connection outperfoming the 3 Ireland dataSIM hands down. I put the X-series SIM in the N95 and suddenly the N95 performed much better.

Conclusion? My unbranded N95 doesn't like my 3 IRL SIM and I can't complain because then they will say -you're meant to use it in a datacard.

I put the 3IRL SIM back in my old 6630 and it's performing brilliantly. No problems at all and fast reliable speeds (between 350-370kbps at all times), exactly like the 3UK X-series SIM. This is on 3 nets north and south.

As to the use of X-series SIM in all three of these handsets -it's great and no charges are being applied to the account for use of same as a modem. 8 fecking euro a month.

Am really disappointed about this aspect of the N95's performance though it would appear it's being hampered by shortcomings of the 3 dataSIM. I have yet to apply the new firmware update to the N95, maybe and hopefully that will fix it.

culabula

Finally being allowed to update the N95 via NSU and doing it as we speak.
Hopefully it'll sort out some of the bugs. Enabling HSDPA at the moment is a major source of its problems. I'm hoping that this update will correct that.

quintron

Let us know how you go. I would hope a firmware upgrade would solve those issues!

culabula

Bit annoyed with it so far: it made my unbranded N95 quite O2-UKcentric for some reason and I had to SIM-swap several times to get 3 Ireland to work again.

Although most settings still appear to be there, I've lost fring (but not Messenger) and ALL my maps on the GPS; I'd just signed up with my 3-year voucher last night and the performance was stunningly accurate.

Seems stable for the moment though. Big test will be Belfast-Dublin on the train tomorrow with the HSDPA setting enabled.

culabula

Used my N95 today for the first time since the upgrade: got 50 minutes -FIFTY MINUTES -out of it on one internet session, after which time it had noticably overheated and died. Very bizarre. Charging it again now, will see how it behaves tomorrow.

As a result of the upgrade it is now persuaded it's a brand-new phone and won't be told otherwise.

culabula

Here's a good'un: had a few problems with the N95 tonight and went into settings to check that all was in order. The option to enable/disable high speed access is gone -disappeared!! How can this be? It was there only yesterday.

Any clever types explain this??

Sam Vimes

culabula wrote:

Here's a good'un: had a few problems with the N95 tonight and went into settings to check that all was in order. The option to enable/disable high speed access is gone -disappeared!! How can this be? It was there only yesterday.

Any clever types explain this??

one of these three options:

1. you got it flashed

2. you're looking in the wrong place. it should be in tools->settings->connection->packet data->high speed packet access

3. you dropped the phone and the option fell out

culabula

Commander Vimes wrote:

one of these three options:

1. you got it flashed

2. you're looking in the wrong place. it should be in tools->settings->connection->packet data->high speed packet access

3. you dropped the phone and the option fell out

Ahem! Any clever types out there? :-)

culabula

The option has returned as mysteriously as it disappeared (and of its own volition).

Sam Vimes

culabula wrote:

The option has returned as mysteriously as it disappeared (and of its own volition).

did you find the option where it fell out after dropping it and put it back in the phone?

culabula

Commander Vimes wrote:

did you find the option where it fell out after dropping it and put it back in the phone?

I can only congratulate you on your impeccable perspicacity.

yossarin

turned it off and on again ?

has anyone noticed if using WiFi eats the battery less than the HSPDA? I've switched my n95 back to GPS only for the old pron and it seems to last a bit better.

culabula

yossarin wrote:

turned it off and on again ?

has anyone noticed if using WiFi eats the battery less than the HSPDA? I've switched my n95 back to GPS only for the old pron and it seems to last a bit better.

Yeah, 5 times! Bit of a funny phone, this.

WiFi destroys the battery, if anything the HSDPA seems positively parsimonious compared to WiFi, GPS or fring.