6630 3G + Ready To Go

tinkerbell

Hi folks,

Okay, here's the story: my mom is due an upgrade (she's on bill), and I'm on RTG. She doesn't want a new phone, so said she'd get the 6630 and I could have it.

I rang a few Vodafone stores, and they said that when you get the 6630 on bill, your SIM card is upgraded to a 3G SIM, which will only work on the bill network. It won't work on the RTG network yet (they said around April / May). Some of the Vodafone shops said the phone won't work AT ALL with a normal RTG SIM, like no making calls, etc. Surely that doesn't sound right? Then I rang the Vodafone head office, and they said that everything will work if a RTG SIM is put in, except the 3G stuff (which will come in April / May), so you won't be able to use video calling, and downloading videos, etc. etc.

I'm assuming that the head office are correct here? So if I do get it in the next few days, it will function as a normal phone (like it doesn't have 3G) but with all the other features - video recording, etc. etc. And when 3G comes out on the RTG network, I'll have all the 3G features then too?

I just thought it was a bit odd, coz you'd imagine that if it works on bill, surely it'd work on RTG, or else they are just giving the 3G SIMs to bill people only?

I'm so confused, please help!!

Thanks a million

BigMoose

As it stands at the moment, putting a "2G" SIM in a 3G phone will give you access to the 2G network only. I have tried this on various 3G handsets and had no problem using the 2G network and services. I've not done it specifically with the Nokia, but I dont see why it should be any different to the other handsets. You will not however be able to access the 3G network or services that are on it (e.g. video telephony, media streaming etc).

Currently all bill paid customers that upgrade/or are new connections to 3G get given a different "USIM" (being called a 3G SIM). You need one of these to be able to access the 3G network and prepaid ones do not yet exist.

In May (ish) 3G prepaid will be launched and the likely hood is that the need for different SIMs will go away. Your existing RTG 2G SIM will just work. However even if this is not the case you will be able to swap it for a USIM at this point. (probably at cost, not sure!)

There are others here (Jesus) that have the nokia which I'm sure would be willing to try a 2G RTG SIM to prove that everything works in that specific handset.

dookie

thanks,
that was helpful,im plannin to do the same thing wit either the 6630/v800/902(preferably)i just wana wait till i can see them all to make up my mind.

flywheel

using a RTG SIM in the Voda 6630 here (3G coverage area) the signal indicator tends to cycle between a 2G and 3G (mostly on 3G) - attempting to make a call with 3G indicated results in a "buu buu buu" tone and "No network coverage" displayed

trying to manually select the 'regular' or 3G Vodafone network results in an "No access!" message (or a Request Timeout)

BigMoose

Is it not possible to set the network mode to GSM only on the 6630? To be honest each new handset I've tried seems to try harder to hide the UMTS/GSM differences - the Z100 let you search for all networks and select which one you wanted. It also let you search for only GSM or only UMTS ones (or was that the 105?). The v980 is more cryptic and I'm not so sure you can just select the 3G or GSM networks. The V800 is more freindly...

So to the original poster, it would be a bummer if the nokia cant ignore the 3G networks so effectively wont let you make a call when you're in 3G coverage.

flywheel

options that appear under Settings > Network:


when a manual network selection is initiated the search results appear as below, if either Vodafone option is selected a "No access!" message appears or the request times out

tinkerbell

Well, the 6630 does work with a RTG SIM, it receives texts and calls, so it seems to be in working order, of course without the 3G

Woohoo!!

flywheel

hi, can you check what you see when you do a manual network selection, what do you get both (3G and non-3G) Vodafone entries listed like the screen shot above?
Menu > Tools > Settings > Phone > Network Settings > Operator Selection

Can you post back the full listing you get, then press 'Cancel'

Thanks.

tinkerbell

Hi

We tried that and all that came up in Network selection were:

Vodafone IRL
O2 IRL
Meteor

Nothing to do with 3G on the screen when we tried it.

flywheel

hi, where about are you located in the country (e.g. what neighbourhood/town or Dublin postal code)?

Jammer

i have tried 6630 with a RTG sim, and i just manualy chose the vodafone option without 3G written beside it. I drops to 3G every now and again for about 5seconds. I'm in Dub 15.

flywheel

where ever i've tried a RTG SIM and there is a decent 3G signal it keeps trying to 'join' the 3G network and doesn't operate as outlined in the previous post... where there is no 3G signal or it's dodgy it works grand on the 2G network...

Jammer

Mayday, Mayday! Tried to use MMS yesterday, and i can't

By the looks of things the phone doesnt support GPRS, only 'Packet Data', even when i put in the contract sim card on which the phone was bought, it still doesn't work So theres no real point in them selling this phone on a non-3G tarriff???

jesus_thats_gre

ya what?

GPRS is Packet Data...

Jammer

it keeps saying 'Check network services' , when i put the sim in moto v525 voda live works fine!

jesus_thats_gre

Is that handset configured with the correct settings? Did you try calling Vodafone?

Jammer

yeah, checked them against the ones in the stickey, exactly the same except it doesnt say GPRS, it says Packet Data, but thats the same thing. I'll give them a ring tomorrow, the MMS/WAP should work, even though the sim isnt on 3G tarriff, just the video calling wont work, right?

jesus_thats_gre

If you have a 2G sim and the phone is finding a 3G network you may have problems...

Jammer

they gave me a new sim, so 'it doesnt drop off the network', the sim is still on talk & text tarriff

tinkerbell

When not within a 3G base station, it comes up with

Vodafone
O2
Meteor

but when you are near a 3G base station (like Dublin city), it comes up with

Vodafone
Vodafone 3G
O2 3G
O2
Meteor

tinkerbell

Okay, problem!

Up in Dublin it keeps trying to connect to the 3G network even though in Network settings, it is set to Manual > Vodafone (not the 3G option, the normal Vodafone option).

Which is making texting / calling a tad difficult if it keeps trying to go to a network that is not accessible on a RTG sim card ....

I don't understand coz it's not set to automatic, it's on manual, so it technically shouldn't be trying to go on any other network! It only does this when tiz near a 3G base station now, not when it's out of range. But you'd still kinda not expect it to go searching when tiz on manual ... hmmm.

Rang Vodafone, said they can't really help coz technically a RTG sim shouldn't be in it - like the 3G phone is made for the 3G network, and 3G ain't out on RTG yet, so they can't give me a 3G RTG sim. Doh! Perhaps if they had said all this when I actually rang previously, it may have helped matters.

Any help folks?

flywheel

yeah that's what happened to me when trying a RTG SIM in it (in Dublin)... wondered how you had it working ok until you posted back there was no 3G coverage showing up...

when you manually select the non-3G Vodafone option while in 3G coverage what happens (any messages on screen etc.)?

Jammer

no, just after a min or two it says "Select Network" ....

darraghrogan

Are there any hidden menus under the phone setup menu in settings menu?

I know it sounds stoopid but that square nokia 3g phone has a menu for selecting gsm or dual mode (dual mode meaning umts with drop down to gsm in poor coverage) depending on sw version.

Something to look out for is an archaic number system eg 4-7-1, 4-7-2, 4-7-4 with option 3 being invisible.

Darragh

Jammer

i read that before. how do u unlock the secret menu on them?

darraghrogan

Send it to a nokia repair centre with the specific instruction that you want the menu visible. Quote its exact code by reading it from the manual if neccessary. NPRC in Tipp Town are extremely obliging.

Darragh

edit: http://mobile-review.com/forum2/showthread.php?t=19526

Jammer

anywhere in dublin that does this? and how much would it cost?

darraghrogan

Jammer wrote:

anywhere in dublin that does this? and how much would it cost?

A good shop is the telephone centre opposite the mansion house on dawson street. They are a nokia service centre, so they do everything in house.

Darragh

tinkerbell

DubWireless wrote:

yeah that's what happened to me when trying a RTG SIM in it (in Dublin)... wondered how you had it working ok until you posted back there was no 3G coverage showing up...

when you manually select the non-3G Vodafone option while in 3G coverage what happens (any messages on screen etc.)?

Sometimes it says no access, but other times it works fine, and selects the normal Vodafone network. Then if it comes near a strong 3G signal, it keeps trying to switch over, but since it can't, it just goes no network. Vodafone Live is a bit dodgy as well in a strong 3G area. It goes a bit mental trying to switch over all the time, even turns itself off

Jammer

im gonna ring that place on dawson st on monday to see if they can sort it.