vB Easy Archive - Compatibility issues with AT&T and SE in NYC?

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Compatibility issues with AT&T and SE in NYC?
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Posted by: Bambellini

I'm on the verge of getting a new phone and am leaning heavily toward the Sony Ericsson W810i, but also considering the W610i and the K550i flashed to 610.

The only reason I'm still a little hesitant is because of my previous bad experience with SE and AT&T.

I should start out by saying I had AT&T years ago, when it still had its digital network. I had a cute little Panasonic Allure EB-TX310:

(that I still have!) and it always worked like a charm. Too bad I can't use it anymore!

Then AT&T switched to GSM and I got the SE T616. Everybody raved about it - but despite its coolness factor, personally, I hated it. From day 1 it gave me nothing but grief. Bad reception, dropped calls, static... you name it.
AT&T told me this was because their GSM network was still growing and hadn't reached its full capacity yet. Then AT&T merged and became Cingular, but nothing changed. In fact, reception got even worse! My phone would constantly "ping" in the middle of conversations, a warning sign would come on with the text "encryption switched off" (or "on") and I would often lose the connection.
I sent my phone in to get it 'repaired'. It came back and nothing had changed. I sent it in again and was sent a new phone, but the problems persisted.

Throughout all of this AT&T was never very helpful, telling me it was my SIM card one day, my settings another day, and my phone the next. Now I'm beginning to suspect it was probably AT&T all along, and perhaps a firmware update would have solved everything... But whatever. My phone is antiquated and I'm over it. Time for something new.

The only thing is: I need to make sure this was just a fluke, and that there isn't some kind of compatibility issue with AT&T and SE in NYC! I've never heard of anyone else with these specific issues, but I do hear about ppl here and there who have audio issues with their SE. I've never had a problem with phones from any other brand. But I do hear about ppl who have issues with AT&T. And there are also plenty of ppl who rave about SE...

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Posted by: fractured

...the older SE phones, particularly the T68i and its replacement (the T616), got terrible reception. That said, when the T68i was released AT&T's GSM network was in its infancy and needed to be improved. AT&T's network has greatly improved and SE's phones have also improved greatly in this specific area (reception). I have heard some people complain about the earpiece volume on the W810i, though. It is quite possible that these people just got duds, but it's hard to say. Anyway, all the phones you mentioned are quad-band phones and therefore fully compatible with AT&T's network; in fact, they'll work on any GSM network worldwide. I can't speak to the actual quality of these phones, but I do live in NYC and can speak to the actual quality of AT&T's network.

Posted by: Bambellini

Ok, bad news, and I need help now more than ever! I just bought a brand new unlocked and unbranded SE W810i. I was so excited to get this phone! But after just a few days, I'm already experiencing some of the SAME issues as with my old phone!

Yesterday I received a call on my home phone from someone who had been trying to reach me on my cell, but kept getting an odd, very short busy signal. My cell had been on all along. And it hadn't rung. When I checked, it had a symbol on-screen of a phone with a cross through it. That means I had disabled incoming calls. WTF?! I never touched it! And this is exactly what used to happen with my old phone too.

Also call quality has been sketchy. The signal strength looks fine, but the audio is choppy. And volume low.

OK, so I should mention that I have a really old plan, dating back to the days of AT&T Wireless, before the merger with Cingular. I've been told here that it's called AT&T Blue. My SIM card is really old, and I've tried to get a new one, but AT&T won't give me one unless I switch to a new plan - which I have no intention of doing. I'd rather switch to a different carrier than indulge them.

I have no idea whether the old SIM could be causing problems? There's an expansive thread about it I started here: http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1278564

The strange thing is that none of this was happening in the past few weeks when I had borrowed a friend's Motorola Rizr. Which leads me to believe it must have something to do with SE. But how can that be???

I haven't adjusted any settings or updated anything on my phone yet, not sure if that could help?

Please, I hope someone can give me some good solid advice and explain why this is happening. I'm so upset now I could cry!

Thanks.

Posted by: I have a phone

I don't remember anyone "raving" about the 616, ever. That mobile was terrible

Posted by: bodeh6

You might want to try a SE K850i with 3G.

I have never had a problem with SE phones.