[3GScottishUser]

Well, well, well it appears that the same old problems are giving 6630/80 customers a problem when used on the 3 network.

Here's one workaround and reference posted on e-bay.

"The Nokia 6630 and the 6680 are great phones but have a few problems if you buy a Three network badged version.

Most networks customise their phones to offer specific menu features in a way they like but most of them also withhold certian menu features.

On most modern Nokia's there should be a network selection menu whereby you can search for new networks and select which band the phone will operate on ie GSM or WCDMA.

Please note that from now on when I refer to WCDMA I am referring to the 3G network operated by Three and likewise GSM will refer to the backup network used by Three which is O2."

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6413396842&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

Worth a try if you are experiencing the 'call dropping and failure owners have reported to date.

You can also download (and install at your own risk) a version of this software below.

[Ben]

AFAIK you can force your Series 60 handset to GSM using this utility: http://www.symbian-freak.com/quides/netmon.htm

DONT pay for something you don't need to!

[3GScottishUser]

Interesting that the need for this seems to have arisen again.

Perhaps it was to be expected.

[TheBrit]

Of course it was expected as there is no "handover" to O2 GSM network when leaving a 3 W-CDMA cell.

With Orange (and probably the other networks) the handover of a call from one technology to the other is seamless.

[Hands0n]

Clearly Three have some severe network problems in areas. I, personally, have not suffered too badly in the North Kent area and during this year I have had a successful 3G voice call from Dover to Gravesend uninterrupted - albeit along the A2/M2/A2. I have, of course, found holes in the area, but then I have found holes in Orange, Vodafone and easyMobile (T-Mobile MVNO) also.

I'll not be an apologist for Three - they are losing my business after Jan '06 - and they have had quite long enough to resolve many of their incumbent issues. They are also barking up very many wrong trees in my opinion.

It is therefore very encouraging to see that the Mobile hacking community is alive and well, and exploiting the very Internet that Three show such distain for in distributing software to release Three's users from the shackles of poor/inadequate 3G coverage and get around the usual Crippling ... oops I mean Branding.

[Ben]

Forcing it to stay on GSM is still crap. Locking it to O2 allows you to use free internet over GPRS, which is better then the shitty three network internet.
The Nokia 6630 and 6680 cannot be unlocked yet (unless 3 users pay them about £115 for a code) so this is the best solution currently available. Forcing the handset to stay on GSM at least prevents call drops when moving out of a 3G area. If you want your Three UK handset for cheap calls and cheap texts, this is probably a good way to go.

[Jon3G]

Clearly Three have some severe network problems in areas. I, personally, have not suffered too badly in the North Kent area and during this year I have had a successful 3G voice call from Dover to Gravesend uninterrupted - albeit along the A2/M2/A2. I have, of course, found holes in the area, but then I have found holes in Orange, Vodafone and easyMobile (T-Mobile MVNO) also.

I'll not be an apologist for Three - they are losing my business after Jan '06 - and they have had quite long enough to resolve many of their incumbent issues. They are also barking up very many wrong trees in my opinion.

It is therefore very encouraging to see that the Mobile hacking community is alive and well, and exploiting the very Internet that Three show such distain for in distributing software to release Three's users from the shackles of poor/inadequate 3G coverage and get around the usual Crippling ... oops I mean Branding.

How do you get Free internet on 3 while roaming on 02

[Ben]

You can't.

[Hands0n]

Errrr, I meant that the Mobile hacking community are exploiting The Internet to distribute their wares rather than getting around Three's walled garden. Thats what I meant :eek:

[3GScottishUser]

It would appear that the link to the file that can lock the 66XX series was deleted and I amended my post above accordingly.

Good news..... I have been able to upload the file here so if you need it just click on the download icon below and enjoy.

Please provide some feedback and remember that you use the software at your OWN risk!

[Ben]

Great stuff!

I'm just going to add, for the sake of emphasising this point again, that forcing your handset to use the 2G network will mean several things.

Firstly, some services may cost you more - check your tariff. Also, you wont be able to access all the 3 services - you'll be presented with the limited Voice and Picture Area selection. Lastly, there's no guarantee that 3 wont pick up on your pure 2G usage and ask/force you to return your handset to the normal dual operating mode.

Software like this is used at your own risk and only if you actually need it.

[3GScottishUser]

Agreed but if used sensibly most folks should be fine with this 'workaround' as 3 have a fairly limited geographic coverage even although their population coverage is still the highest of any 3G network. Remember that there are huge areas of Scotland and Wales with no 3 network but with 3 customers using 02's network almost exclusively.

Hope the advice and the resource is of some help and look forward to some feedback.

[cyberkid999]

It would appear that the link to the file that can lock the 66XX series was deleted and I amended my post above accordingly.

Good news..... I have been able to upload the file here so if you need it just click on the download icon below and enjoy.

Please provide some feedback and remember that you use the software at your OWN risk!

the instructions you have given are not totally correct in that to go back to Dual Mode you do NOT need to run the program again as you can do it from the normal Network menu.

[cyberkid999]

Well, well, well it appears that the same old problems are giving 6630/80 customers a problem when used on the 3 network.

Here's one workaround and reference posted on e-bay.

"The Nokia 6630 and the 6680 are great phones but have a few problems if you buy a Three network badged version.

Most networks customise their phones to offer specific menu features in a way they like but most of them also withhold certian menu features.

On most modern Nokia's there should be a network selection menu whereby you can search for new networks and select which band the phone will operate on ie GSM or WCDMA.

Please note that from now on when I refer to WCDMA I am referring to the 3G network operated by Three and likewise GSM will refer to the backup network used by Three which is O2."

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6413396842&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

Worth a try if you are experiencing the 'call dropping and failure owners have reported to date.

You can also download (and install at your own risk) a version of this software below.

Many thanks for using MY auction link which is the only one on eBay and I have had many happy users throughout the World including Melbourne, Australia. I have been providing this auction as a service more than a money making venture as many people could find the software if they new it existed and what to look for but then they dont get the support I have been able to offer..

updated link

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6416790693&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

[Schockwave]

Well, my phone, which is on the Orange Network and I only got on Friday, shows that in Network, I can either have Dual Mode or GSM, so I, should I want to, be able to change it accordingly, not that I expect to do that, so I would have thought that you should all be able to do that.

[Ben]

Three UK users are locked to the 3G network only, as Three do not have their own GSM network. It costs them more for customers to roam onto O2, so it is only allowed to happen as a matter of necessity (deemed so by the handset/network) and not by user choice. :(

[Schockwave]

Not very good then, let us hope things improve for three UK users in the not too distant future. :(

[Ben]

Not very good then, let us hope things improve for three UK users in the not too distant future. :(
Still, they're paying a fraction of what we are, so lets not hope tooooo hard, eh? ;)

[cyberkid999]

Three UK users are locked to the 3G network only, as Three do not have their own GSM network. It costs them more for customers to roam onto O2, so it is only allowed to happen as a matter of necessity (deemed so by the handset/network) and not by user choice. :(

not strickly true but I wouldnt expect you to know everything considering it was MY listing that was posted on here by someone. Three in Australia also lock their phones to 3G and I know that for a fact as I 'sold' the program to a guy in Melbourne who explained this to me.

[cyberkid999]

Still, they're paying a fraction of what we are, so lets not hope tooooo hard, eh? ;)

yes thats true and considering that you can now get a 6630 AND 6000 cross net anytime minutes AND 1200 texts for only £36 over a year I know where I would rather be and with this little program I can make calls to almost anybody at anytime and almost anywhere at no cost. Something you cant do on Orange. Dont forget that due to Three's roaming agreement with O2 they have the best combined 'network' in the UK.

[Hands0n]

The need for the utility discussed in this thread is precisely because 3 do not have a homogenous 3G/2G network such as the other operators.

That in itself can cause usage difficulties for the customer - such as call disconnect during fall-back/fall-forward. This is compensated for to some degree by some handsets (i.e. Motorola E1000 does not fall-forward to 3G mid-call and so limits the call disconnect problem). No doubt other manufacturers will follow if they have not already done so in their latest handsets.

In the end "you pays your money and takes your choice". My advice to those that ask is that if you want seamless reliability (as much as can be expected with any mobile telephony) you would do well to stay away from 3. If you can tolerate such issues then 3 is unquestionably the cheapest around. To paraphrase Caveat Emptor ..... Buyer be Aware.

[3GScottishUser]

As ever this will be determined by personal choice. If you want cheap then you will go for 3 and put up with the known drawbacks or try to find a workaround. If you want proven reliability you'll choose another provider that has both GSM and UMTS available and be able to switch between both seamlessely as required. I have now chosen the latter option as I am not really that tolerant of half baked functionality, if something has a purpose than i want it to work.

So bearing in mind the above, what kind of customers are 3 now attracting? High spenders who will buy content and use lots of call time outwith their inclusive minutes? Doubt it. It looks like the incumbents have manipulated 3 into becoming the 'Lada' of the mobile business. Cheap and partially functional and selling almost exclusively on price. Not a desireable market position really and one which will be very hard to change.

[cyberkid999]

As ever this will be determined by personal choice. If you want cheap then you will go for 3 and put up with the known drawbacks or try to find a workaround. If you want proven reliability you'll choose another provider that has both GSM and UMTS available and be able to switch between both seamlessely as required. I have now chosen the latter option as I am not really that tolerant of half baked functionality, if something has a purpose than i want it to work.

So bearing in mind the above, what kind of customers are 3 now attracting? High spenders who will buy content and use lots of call time outwith their inclusive minutes? Doubt it. It looks like the incumbents have manipulated 3 into becoming the 'Lada' of the mobile business. Cheap and partially functional and selling almost exclusively on price. Not a desireable market position really and one which will be very hard to change.


strange to see that if they are as crap as you say they have won so many awards.
If you dont like Three why dont you talk about the other 3g networks that have yet to catch up with the coverage of Three.
I would have thought that the most important factor to the majority of people is price and if Three get there customers based on this whats the problem.

[3GScottishUser]

3's UK network is not combined with anyone else's. They have to 'roam' to gain civerage outwith major centres of population where they have their own UMTS coverage. This means of course that calls will drop as handovers between operators cannot be made seamless. All of the other UK networks have both GSM and UMTS and all have 'integrated' those into one seamless carrier for voice traffic.

The 'workaround' for the Nokia is a good idea if you want to use 02 on the cheap with a nice handset but hardly something 3 UK will be happy about and one expects that they will monitor this type of activity. As with everything else this may end up a temporary fix but fine as long as it lasts I suppose.