Switching between 2G/3G

[Masca]

Hi! I have recently purchased a Nokia 6120 on 3 PAYG and have a problem. Sadly my 3G signal is not very strong at home, and the phone takes a very long time (maybe a minute or two) to switch between a weak 3G signal and a strong 2G signal. During this time I am effectively off line. I use the phone for business calls, so this is a problem for me. Is there a setting I can use to force the phone to stay on the 2G signal whilst I am at home? I apologise if this matter is covered elsewhere - I have looked but could not find anything. TIA!

[pje1979]

If you bought the phone from 3 then no. They don't like people locking their phone to 2G as it costs Three money as they have to pay their roaming partner Orange.

[Masca]

pje1979, thank you for your reply.

I have just spoken to 3 customer services, and they talked me through trying to manually select the O2 network (for which I have a good signal), but I get the error 'No Access'. If I do the same with 3, it either gives an error indicating that the network is not found ('cause there is no signal, I assume) or it connects (when I do have a very weak 3 signal, I assume). This suggests to me, that not being able to select O2 is a restriction on the sim (like being locked?). So, why did customer services get me to try this? He suggested that if the sim worked in a 2G handset on O2 - which it does - I may need to get the handset checked at a 3 shop. Can anybody confirm this, please? Thank you.

[StuBFrost]

In my area Orange is the 2G supplier for 3. Have you tried selecting Orange instead ?

[Masca]

I have just put my 3 sim in my old Vodafone 2G handset and I now have an Orange signal, not O2! I am now completely confused! Please help!

[Masca]

StuBFrost - sorry, I only saw your reply after I made my last post. No, in the 3 handset, I have 3 (sometimes twice!?), O2, Vodafone & T-Mobile. Thank you.

[StuBFrost]

It could be that the 2nd "3" is what the handset is calling Orange to hide from the fact that they use Orange. Have you tried selecting the 2nd "3".

[Masca]

I did wonder whether that was the case! I have selected it and will see if it makes any difference. Interestingly, after selecting it, the phone network setting has changed back to automatic rather than manual. I will see how things go. Thank you for your help.

[StuBFrost]

No problem. The main reason why I am interested is that I am thinking of joining 3 and I will have the same problem. I bought a PAYG 3 sim to try it out the network and my 3G phone switched to Orange.

[Masca]

I have now had a play with this. On selecting the first '3', the phone states that the home network has been selected. On selecting the second '3', the message states that the network has been selected, but no mention of home, so it would seem that this '3' is different. Initially I have a full 2G signal, but pretty soon it goes back to 3G and I have the same old problem.

Why is the setting going back to automatic as soon as the new network is manually selected? On my old SE510i, if you select manual, it stays on manual. If you lose the network completely you are told there is no network and you have to select another one. On the Nokia 6120, it seems to reselect the home network as soon as the signal fails as it once again on 'Automatic'.

[StuBFrost]

I am guessing that 3 have done that deliberately so that you don't stay on Orange which costs them money.

You could try and see if the phone can be changed to a generic firmware which may solve the problem.

My 3G phone does not do this and it is not a 3 branded phone.

[mrtivo]

The only other 100% sure way of achieving lock on to 2G, apart from buying a SIM free phone, is to use an application called Field Test Display. It allows you to alter the dual mode setting to be GSM, which the 3 branded handsets remove from their menu stucture.

Here is the problem, this application is only written for Nokia S60v2 handsets, as far as I know. I used to have it on my 6630. I now have a E61i, and because it is a S60v3 handset it won't work. (Then again my h/set is a SIM free, so no need).

In theory, 3 can't do anything about FTD, as it doesn't break the T&Cs of your agreement. The phone isn't unlocked, the firmware is the original and it's the phone that was supplied with the contract. I think your handset is S60v3, so it won't work.

[acoolwelshbloke]

No No No!!!

First of all, all new connections do not connect to 02 anymore! (That is the reason no doubt you get the "No Accesss" message when trying to!)

The two networks you will be able to use are 3 and Orange! Not "02" if it's a new connection.

However Orange will not be shown as Orange but as 3, 3UK rename it so you think your constantly using their network!

If you want to lock your phone to Orange/2G then the only way is to debrand your phone and flash it with Nokia's generic firmware!

You can do that by changing the product code of the handset and then update it via Nokia updater.

Easy

[Masca]

acoolwelshbloke - thank you. That sounds promising, but please can you explain how I change the product code of the handset? Will this invalidate my warranty, etc?

Another question - would I better off trying to return this handset and buying a sim-free one? Trouble is, this will cost another 80 quid or so (I paid £99.99 with 3). Is the extra expense justified?

Thanks.

[Masca]

Help! I have followed the instructions for updating the Nokia software (to version 3.7 which is what was already on the phone, but with a product code of 0546326). The update was interupted by a internet connection failure, but otherwise completed with no errors. However, now I get 'Phone start-up failed. Contact the retailer.'. I have not yet reset my product code back to the original, as this message came up as soon as the NSU software finished the software update. Please help. Thank you.

[Masca]

OK, panic over!! I did what I think is a hard reset (standby, green, 3 & *) and it now appears to be OK, and I think my original problem may be fixed!!!!!! Yipppeeee!

StuBFrost - I now have a GSM option in the phone network settings, which was not there before, and I hope this might do the trick (so long as 3 don't cut me off as a consequence!). Only time will tell.

acoolwelshbloke - I think the panic experienced in the last 30 mins may have knocked a few years of my life ;-), but THANK YOU very much for your advice. If I have any more problems, I will be back...!

[acoolwelshbloke]

hahahahaha lol!

Should only update firmware on a reliable pc with a reliable internet connection or your heading for trouble!

Glad it all worked out for you in the end though.

[a_ukboy]

Just make sure you put it back to dual mode every so often.. Maybe just lock it to gsm when your at home.

[Neil201]

Just make sure you put it back to dual mode every so often.. Maybe just lock it to gsm when your at home.

Hi Masca, just read your post and you are having exactly the same problems with regards to Three's roaming on to Orange and loosing calls whilst the phone searches for Orange GSM. Part of the problem is that the phone being a 3G phone will always 'hunt' for a 3G signal and as Orange's 3G coverage is broadly similar to that of 3's own, once the phone finds Orange GSM, it them trys to roam on to Orange 3G and this can take the phone offline for up to 2 mins. Around parts of W.Yorks where I drive often it was proving to be a nightmare, together with the fact that Orange's GSM coverage in these places (west of Huddersfield) wasn't too hot to begin with anyway! I've got an N73 which was de-branded some time back and I'd been using it locked to Orange GSM for about 2 Months without any texts warning me of contract termination etc.

I managed to get out of my contract early due to all this and after lengthy discussions with Three's Executive Office got a PAC out of them. I'm now on Vodafone and glad to say coverage is broadly back to what I'd come to have had with O2 for the 8 years previous (to being with Three for the last two)! When I forst joined Three and as they used O2 for roaming, I was more than happy with them and their tariffs were pretty groundbreaking at the time. Problems for me started when Orange emerged as their new roaming partner and although renewing my contract last Jan, when they changed the roaming to Orange on my SIM in April or May, I noticed degraded coverage.

[Masca]

Neil201 - It does sound as if we had exactly the same problem! I am pleased to report back that the efforts outlined above have definitely resolved the problem for me. I have a reasonable Orange signal here.

The only problem I have now is that I get a terrible echo back during some calls (interesting not all, and there seems to be no difference between mobile-mobile or mobile-landline). My side of the conversation echos back to me with a delay of only about a second or two. It is very off putting! The person on the other end says that to them it sound like I am under water!

[Neil201]

I've also heard the same echo you mention and this is something I've heard on both my previous 6680 and newer N73, I too found it very offputting at times. I wasn't sure whether this was a network related issue or a phone fault as I heard reports that some people claimed the echo disappeared on a phone reboot. It's something I've not noticed at all since moving to Vodafone so presume it's something to do with Orange or Three? I'll keep a close ear out on my N73 when on a call for any echo now I'm on a different network and let you know the results.

[acoolwelshbloke]

I have a 3 N80 which has been debranded using the euro 1 generic version and I have not had any sound quality issues!

So doubt it's anything to do with three, I have good signal so do not use Orange. Maybe a problem with the Orange network but try factory reseting the phone to make sure!