New SE w815a Issue

[Dragon77]

Ok my friends, help me out a bit here.

I just upgraded my (beloved) w580i to the w518a (mostly as it has a better camera and I couldn't afford the Sony Cybershot, lol)

So here's the BIG problem - the blasted center button auto-connecting to MediaNet (which I NEVER use). I've yet to find very much info on the w518a. Feature and usage-wise, I'm fine with everything BUT this blasted Media Net. I contacted AT&T and they said it was an SE issue - contacted SE and (using an UNBRANDED version), they said the button to them straight to settings, so that it was *definitely* an AT&T branding issue. I'll be raising some hell with AT&T over this. My question is this: is there a way to change this without de-branding, or i that my only way to go, and if so, HOW do I go about unbranding it and locating the appropriate firmware?

Thanks much!

---Dragon77

[Dragon77]

Ok, checked with upper AT&T techs and they said that they are not aware of any way to change this, and did not know how to go about contacting the development (firmware) department. Going to attempt to contact upper echelon of AT&T Wireless regarding this issue as it *really* p**ses me off. If necessary, I will see if I can get them to give authorization to SE to provide me with an appropriate unbranded firmware. I'd rather not have to do this, but if they leave me no choice .... (and for those of you who think I can't get it done the "hard" way, lol, you don't know me).

I'll keep everyone posted on the progress, but if anyone knows of an easier way, I'd sure appreciate knowing about it

Unbranding is *not* my first choice - I remember the issues with unbranding the 580 - like turning IMs into data instead of text, etc. I'm also VERY irked at this 300k MP3 limitation. I went through a LOT today to get this phone, and I'm going to be even more ticked off if I find that the only thing this phone has over my 580 is the 3.2mpx camera vs the 2mpx. Not a happy camper at this point.

[Dragon77]

I am waiting to here from the developers at AT&T (yes, a message was sent to that dept).

In the meantime, I have seen that Ultimate Unlockers 4.01 indicates "Instant Full Unlock of DB3200 & DB3210 CID53 supported" and I have read that the w518a is a DB3200 CID53.

I have located several firmwares for the 518a -

W518a_1220-7732_R6A_ATT_USA
W518a_1220-7732_R7A_ATT_USA
W518a_1220-7732_R10A_ATT_USA
W518a_1220-7732_R12A_ATT_USA
W518a_1220-7732_R14A_ATT_USA

How can I tell which firmware is the appropriate one for my system?

Thank you!!!

[pakraider]

You should be able to debrand your phone in the same way that other A2 phones can be debranded; either by using a customize_upgrade.xml that changes the CDA and then running SEUS, or by downloading firmware and flashing it to your phone.

there's plenty of information about that, so please search.. if you can't find it, then ask

[Dragon77]

Pakraider:

I did about 2 hours of searching last night and an hour this morning. I am asking *because* I do not know. There appears to be very little information I can find on the w518 - and I do NOT want to risk bricking it a day after i got it.

Thank you for your understanding (not all of us are phone wizards).

[Dragon77]

Ok, I got the current specs from my unit:

R1EB009
prg1218-6174_ATT_BR

EROM: 1200-4341
SEMCBOOT R6A019

Customization:
1220-7732-R24A
1216-7632 R1EB009 ATT

So clearly, the latest firmware I have been able to download is the R14 - which I'm guessing is not as current as the R24. If, in replacing the current R24 with the r14 I have, will then running SEUS update it to the current R24?

I have the following tools to use X++ 3.1, SE-Tool Lite v1.1, A2Updater, Gordon Gate drivers, SEUltimateUnlocker (v3.05 & 3.06Beta, and 4.01 - but as I understand it, you must purchase credits on their server to use these 3 programs), SIMLockPatchGen v2.2, and A2 CDA File Generator v1.8.

I'm sorry that I do not see a CLEAR guide to doing anything with respect to the w518a (which is a DB3200 CID 53).

Simple, clear assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

--- Dragon77

[lohan]

good sher bos.......................................

[pakraider]

I did some checking; it seems there isn't any unbranded firmware for the W518 since it's an AT&T exclusive version of the W508. You could probably flash your phone with unbranded W508 firmware, but then you would unfortunately lose GPS functionality with that firmware. Sorry.

[Dragon77]

As indicated in my new post, i was able to successfully debrand my AT&T w518a to an SE w508 Not concerned with losing the GPS or the IM apps, as I don't use the data plan (and I'm told by AT&T Tech that you can get the IM apps separately as a download, so you can probably also get the GOS app, I don't know).

[pakraider]

Awesome, yeah if you don't need GPS then you're good to go. Enjoy unbranded freedom!

[Dragon77]

Yes, the phone is unbranded, but not unlocked (which doesn't matter much as I'm not switching carriers.

However, I'm trying to reset the upper 2 silver button. I can't remember what the default AT&T firmware has for the right button (SE has Search), but my main concern is changing the function of the upper left silver button from Media (not MediaNet), but back to the camera functon that the AT&T firmware had.

--- Dragon77

[Dragon77]

BTW, these are the necessary files to debrand the w518a to the SE w508 -

W508_R1EA030_MAIN_GENERIC_BR_RED53.mbn
W508_R1EA030_FS_APAC-ANZ_RED53.fbn
and W508 (C905)_1209-4780_R7A_GENERIC_APAC-ANZ

Just want to change the defaults of those 2 silver buttons.

[DarkDuck]

Here you go!

install in
tpa/preset/custom/

[Feggui]

I agree. Want the upper left button to be camera, not media, and want to have control over ALL the buttons, not just some of them. Sucks to loose GPS, but not that big of an issue.

I debranded to the 508 as well. Highly recommend it. Very little is lost and now Google Maps works like it should.

Anyone else have any other adds to the 518 to 508 update? Get GPS working? Take control of those buttons?

How about making Opera (HIGHLY RECOMMEND ADDING THIS) to the default browser? Opera is so so so much faster than the media net and is a dream to work with.

Thanks guys!

[donwhi]

very interesting thread. I just got the W518a for ATT and I see Dragon77's issue with the "ding me for data connections" button right where one can hardly avoid it. I've modded my Razr a bit, for what it's worth, so I need a bit of help to unbrand this SE. Where can I find the 3 files mentioned in the 9-5-2009 post and what do I use to load them? I have software R1EB009, configuration CLDC-1.1. I don't know where to find the other numbers referred to in the 8-18-2009 post. thanks for any help.