iPhone on Vodafone?

Drexl Spivey

Hi,

I have a phone on a monthly pay with Vodafone.

How can I get an iPhone to work with my existing vodafone contract?

JB

carrotcake

Get an unlocked one.

keith_d99

You are talking big money though no???

Looking on eBay - nearly €600?!?!?

Is the O2 exclusive deal for iPhone ever going to end?

Drexl Spivey

yes exactly. I am not prepared to pay that money for a phone.

Is Vodafone never going to sell iPhones?

pyramuid man

No they wont,
o2 have the exclusive contract on it and if you want it you will pay dearly for it,

seamus

It's very unlikely unless the iPhone starts coming under threat. We'll probably know in the next 12 months or so, but the iPhone has particular fanboy appeal such that O2 might refuse to change the contract.

CivilEx

Ok, so I have been using my iPhone with Vodafone's 1GB ISP Promo add on for a while with the isp.vodafone.ie APN. Using the speedtest App I've noticed that the maximum download speed is around 360kbps. Some other threads have recommended hs.vodafone.ie APN which appears to offer much higher speeds.

I have asked Vodafone if I can use the "hs" APN under the plan I'm on and they have been suitably vague in their response, but I'd prefer not to use it until I can be sure that I wouldn't get a bill for €500 at theend of the month!

Can anyone confirm if the hs.vodafone.ie APN can be used with the 1GB add on?

Sam Vimes

i doubt it will be included since the add on is specifically for isp and i also doubt you'll notice any difference in speed. The hardware sending you the data is the same, the apn is just a profile set up on their internet proxy

CivilEx

Sam Vimes wrote: »

i doubt it will be included since the add on is specifically for isp and i also doubt you'll notice any difference in speed. The hardware sending you the data is the same, the apn is just a profile set up on their internet proxy

Thanks for the quick reply Sam. I did a quick check yesterday using the hs and isp APN's (hope it doesn't cost me too much). The isp is maxing out at around 350kbps and from the same cell tower (only one in the area) I got more than 1500kbps using the hs!

Sam Vimes

CivilEx wrote: »

Thanks for the quick reply Sam. I did a quick check yesterday using the hs and isp APN's (hope it doesn't cost me too much). The isp is maxing out at around 350kbps and from the same cell tower (only one in the area) I got more than 1500kbps using the hs!

that's surprising. it might have been a coninidence but maybe they do allow faster traffic through that apn. can you check your call history online in real time? or maybe call customer care and ask?

CivilEx

Anytime I have ever rang Vodafone CC they seem to be using the same info as you can get on My Vodafone, which is generally 2 - 3 days behind (currently 2 days). I'll probably have to sit it out until the end of the week and see did I get charged for the use of the "hs" APN

Sam Vimes

CivilEx wrote: »

Anytime I have ever rang Vodafone CC they seem to be using the same info as you can get on My Vodafone, which is generally 2 - 3 days behind (currently 2 days). I'll probably have to sit it out until the end of the week and see did I get charged for the use of the "hs" APN

that's better than waiting for your bill i suppose. i hope you took a note of the time

666bxg

Slightly off topic, but is there a way to configure Vodafone Mail on the iPhone?

I hope to bypass logging in to my vodafone etc etc.... and get my emails directly on the email client.

cheers

viper006

hey, Civil can you keep us posted about whether HS is included on the 1gb vodafone plan cause im just getting the vodafone net on my iphone set up and i was going to test out the exact same thing you have, cheers

CivilEx

viper006 wrote: »

hey, Civil can you keep us posted about whether HS is included on the 1gb vodafone plan cause im just getting the vodafone net on my iphone set up and i was going to test out the exact same thing you have, cheers

Will do, just checked on My Vodafone and it's about 3 days behind and still hasn't come up to the time I did the test. I'll check back tomorrow and let you know...

666bxg wrote:

Slightly off topic, but is there a way to configure Vodafone Mail on the iPhone?

I hope to bypass logging in to my vodafone etc etc.... and get my emails directly on the email client.

cheers

You need to add a new mail account in Settings>Mail...>Add Account>Other

You are setting up a pop account rather than imap

Input your details setting the Incoming and Outgoing Mail Server as mail.vodafone.ie. These are your primary servers, but if you use WiFi at home or work, you need to set up another SMTP Server. I use BT at home and have set up another SMTP Server with mail.iol.ie as the Host Name (I think this is mail1.eircom.net for Eircom btw.)

The one bug that I have spotted in this process is that when you input the details above, the phone immediately logs on to check the settings. This invariably came back for me as "settings failed" or something like that. You need to save the settings irrespective of what it says and exit the menu. When you come back to it (with maybe a reboot and doing a handstand while you are waiting, it should work ok...well it works for me anyway)

viper006

cheers civil, il keep an eye out for your update so!!

Like the previous poster i know this is abit off topic and apologies if on wrong thread but im having awful trouble trying to get my vodafone voicemail up and running on the iphone..i rang 171 and set up and activated my voicemail but when anyone rings my phone it just keeps ringing and wont actually go to voicemail..is there something in settings ive missed can any1 tell me?

CivilEx

viper006 wrote: »

cheers civil, il keep an eye out for your update so!!

Like the previous poster i know this is abit off topic and apologies if on wrong thread but im having awful trouble trying to get my vodafone voicemail up and running on the iphone..i rang 171 and set up and activated my voicemail but when anyone rings my phone it just keeps ringing and wont actually go to voicemail..is there something in settings ive missed can any1 tell me?

Simplest place to manage this is on My Vodafone online at "Call divert" or if you really need to do this from your phone:

To divert when unanswered dial **61*08x5xxxxxxx#
To divert when no coverage or switched off dial **62*08x5xxxxxxx#
To divert when on a call dial **67*08x5xxxxxxx#

08x5xxxxxxx is your voice mailbox number where xxxxxxx is the last 7 digits of your mobile number

To cancel any of the above dial ##61# for unanswered changing the "1" for "2" and "7" as above depending on which one you wanted to cancel

CivilEx

viper006 wrote: »

hey, Civil can you keep us posted about whether HS is included on the 1gb vodafone plan cause im just getting the vodafone net on my iphone set up and i was going to test out the exact same thing you have, cheers

I wasn't charged anything extra for it! I e-mailed Vodafone CC about this (3 days ago) to ask them and it will be interesting to see if they come up with the same answer.

UPDATE:

Vodafone CC e-mailed me back with the following...I'm trying to work out what it means..

Thank you for your e-mail. Please accept our apologies for the delay in returning a reply.

With regards to your query relating to the 1GB ISP add on and whether you can use the hs.vodafone.ie APN. Currently you are able to use the bundle with the hs.vodafone.ie APN if your initial connection point is via isp.vodafone.ie. If you are using a 3g or 3.5g handset and are in an area of HSDPA coverage the phone will automatically change to the hs.vodafone.ie APN where applicable.

I must stress that hs.vodafone.ie usage will only be covered if the initial connection point is through isp.vodafone.ie. If any other access point is used the bundle will not cover the usage. If you plan to connect to the hs.vodafone.ie APN directly I would suggest changing the bundle to the 5GB mobile as a modem bundle that is available for €29.99 including vat per month.

If you have your phone set to connect directly to hs.vodafone.ie then you will be charged at the standard GPRS rates as no access was made to isp.vodafone.ie which is what the bundle is designed for.

Looks like the only safe advice is that we use isp.vodafone.ie

Mr. Frost

Sam Vimes wrote: »

i doubt it will be included since the add on is specifically for isp and i also doubt you'll notice any difference in speed. The hardware sending you the data is the same, the apn is just a profile set up on their internet proxy

But it depends how it's configured. I should know!

viper006

thanks excellent Civil, cheers for both the above!! voicemail sorted now thanks to your help..

finally, how do i go about setting up vodafone net on my iphone using the HS? thanks for all your help already

CivilEx

viper006 wrote: »

thanks excellent Civil, cheers for both the above!! voicemail sorted now thanks to your help..

finally, how do i go about setting up vodafone net on my iphone using the HS? thanks for all your help already

Ok, go to Settings>General>Network>Cellular Data Network

APN: isp.vodafone.ie (or hs.vodafone.ie it seems to be at the same price as the isp)
Username: vodafone
Password: vodafone

Make sure your 1GB Add On is in place before you allow the iPhone to connect or you will be getting a large Bill. I keep an eye on my usage by sending a text to 1907 with the text Addon xxxx where xxx is your second level password from My Vodafone (normally the last 4 digits of your Customer No.)

DHFrame

Back on subject. You dont have to buy an 'unlocked' phone. It can be done very easily yourself. www.iclarified.com . You could by a second hand one from CEX in the north or get a pay as you go iPhone.

I used to have an old 2G iphone on vodafone, you have to stay away from any data package they give you. The data package is for the red vodaphone 3G option not internet browsing from a device. You have been warned. I was landed with a serious bill which thank god they waved because I was told I can use it with the iphone.

CivilEx

DHFrame wrote: »

The data package is for the red vodaphone 3G option not internet browsing from a device. .

Tell us more. What are we discussing here

DHFrame

CivilEx wrote: »

Tell us more. What are we discussing here

i dont know if it has changed but I'd say 6 months ago I had a 2G iPhone unlocked using my Vodafone Contract Simcard. I thought, hey, would love to get online while I am out and about, get my emails and ****. So I rang vodafone and asked them for a data package which they gave me for 9.99 a month I think for a GIG. I was delighted. Unlocked and been able to use my iPhone as it was designed to be used. Ugghh. Bill came! 285Euro.. All Data.. I got onto Vodafone right away and said I have this collossus bill for data? How come. 'Because you have been browsing the internet sir...'', ''But I have a Data package''. Thats only for the Vodafone Live facility.

Maybe it has changed.

CivilEx

DHFrame wrote: »

i dont know if it has changed but I'd say 6 months ago I had a 2G iPhone unlocked using my Vodafone Contract Simcard. I thought, hey, would love to get online while I am out and about, get my emails and ****. So I rang vodafone and asked them for a data package which they gave me for 9.99 a month I think for a GIG. I was delighted. Unlocked and been able to use my iPhone as it was designed to be used. Ugghh. Bill came! 285Euro.. All Data.. I got onto Vodafone right away and said I have this collossus bill for data? How come. 'Because you have been browsing the internet sir...'', ''But I have a Data package''. Thats only for the Vodafone Live facility.

Maybe it has changed.

There are a few threads on here talking about how to get full browsing using the Vodafone Live data pricing. I think that the "data package" that Vodafone gave you might have been for "Mobile Internet" @€;9.99 per month for 500MB. AFAIK this is for Vodafone Live! only?

The 1GB ISP add on being discussing here (amongst other things ) is for contract customers only and the ISP add on is for full browsing capability on your iPhone 3G and all of the data it devours in most things it does. I think that this 1GB ISP Promo as it has been called only came into effect with Vodafone late last year after the 3G was launched. It also costs €9.99 per month

If you use the isp.vodafone.ie APN to access the web, e-mail, maps etc on your 3G, all data usage comes out of your 1GB add on. If you try and access the Vodafone Live pages through a different APN, there may well be additional charges.

Vodafone CC have been less than clear with me about a lot of the above and I think that you need to be careful and keep an eye on your bill depending on the particular configuration that you go for. Hence the discussion on the hs.vodafone.ie APN and potential charges

Update on hs.vodafone.ie in my earlier post

viper006

Thanks for all of the above civil..

i was on to vodafone CC today and was assured that for the iphone,your def covered for a 1gb of surfing under the ISP add on for 9.99..i was also told intially by a girl in the CC that the HS is def covered under the 1gb plan but rang vodafone data support desk to verify 1850287000 i was told the HS is def not included so id be very careful using HS as its seems its not part of add on..

looks like its isp for me!!

666bxg

I have been subscribed to the 1gb ISP promo for nearly a year now. Just had a look at my 'old' vodafone nokia N95 8gb and under vodafone ISP settings the apn is hs.vodafone.ie !!!

I've used the same settings now on my iPhone and so far so good. No extra charges.

viper006

ya 666 if you look at Civils earlier post you see there loads of uncertainty about this and i was hoping last week to clear it up but ended up being more confused than anything else

vodafone customer care told me HS was part of promo but vodafone data services told me it def wasnt..civil mentioned he tried HS and wasnt charged extra and if your using it for last year then maybe when my data package kicks in next week il try it..

does any1 know for def if the HS is part of the 1gb promo deal???

CivilEx

I suspect that what's going on here is that Vodafone want to "reserve" the High Speed "HS" APN for Broadband (Midband ) customers and want to keep any 3G phone users on the "ISP" APN, where to be fair, do we really need the very high speeds for typical iPhone applications e.g. what download rate does YouTube need?

Judging by the response that I got from Vodafone CC above, where they were careful to tell me I "might" get charged even though I haven't to date. Indeed I was being pushed in the direction of changing my €9.99 1GB add on to the €29.99 5GB addon if I was going to use my phone as a modem.

Try out your iPhone's on the ISP APN and you can sleep easy at night in the knowledge that you won't get a large bill some month with Vodafone CC telling you "I told you so"

It would be good to get feedback from iPhone users on Vodafone to see if the ISP APN is up to the job over the coming weeks / months

sn00ps

Can one of you experts PLEASE assist me. I have just been talking to Vodafone CC and the guys had to apologise for not having a clue about what I was asking so I thought I would defer to the boardie experts!

I have a Nokia N65 which I have set up (without any data add on) to download my mails from my exchange server. It's not ideal with the certification errors but I need it to allow me to leave the office/house from time to time, so I'll use it! (unless someone can help me with that .. but then that's another story)

What I need is a definitive, what add on do I need to use exchange mail and what AP should I be using, having been using isp.vodafone.ie for my testing?


I am not a big surfer .. having PCs/laptops in my office/home so do not feel the need to indulge while on the road ..

Please help me as Vodafone are driving me INSANE!! Thanks guys .. mucho appreciated!

S

CivilEx

sn00ps wrote: »

Can one of you experts PLEASE assist me. I have just been talking to Vodafone CC and the guys had to apologise for not having a clue about what I was asking so I thought I would defer to the boardie experts!

I have a Nokia N65 which I have set up (without any data add on) to download my mails from my exchange server. It's not ideal with the certification errors but I need it to allow me to leave the office/house from time to time, so I'll use it! (unless someone can help me with that .. but then that's another story)

What I need is a definitive, what add on do I need to use exchange mail and what AP should I be using, having been using isp.vodafone.ie for my testing?


I am not a big surfer .. having PCs/laptops in my office/home so do not feel the need to indulge while on the road ..

Please help me as Vodafone are driving me INSANE!! Thanks guys .. mucho appreciated!

S

I feel your pain, been there & bought the t-shirt

If you are using Exchange, the add on is dependant on what software your server has.

If you are running Exchange server 2003, then use the Windows Mobile E-mail add on at €12 p/m for 25MB or €20 p/m for 50MB

Any other version of Exchange will require the Windows Business E-mail Enterprise solution at €20 p/m (don't think there are any download limits)

There is a useful wizard for this on Vodafone website at http://www.vodafone.ie/mobileoffice/email/?bannerdesc=business_home_whymobileemail and specific phone setups (including some of the N Series Nokias) are at http://www.vodafone.ie/mobileoffice/email/businessemail/support/. Give the wizard a run and it should help you close this out.

isp.vodafone.ie will be your APN for any of the above.