N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Hello maemo community :).
Im new here and ive just got my n900 yesterday and i was trying to access the new firmware update for the ovi store but its not letting me.
Investigating its giving me a 404 error on the Nokia Software Update catalouge.
But then again i read somewhere that vodaphone have their own custom firmware installed....which sucks.
Is this true ?
I cant even access the extras-testing
or the extras-devel catalouge and i have a feeling it may be locked out.

The firmware version is: 1.2009.42-11.205.1

If this is custom firmware is it possible to use the flasher and flash it with the normal updatable, bug fixing, with no vodaphone 360 **** included, no voip locking, money charging for wi fi in a foreign country even tho your in a hotel and the wi fi is free, firmware ?
:)

I should explain that.. had a n96 before, went to amsterdam you no as you do to smoke some herbs and at the hotel i used the wi fi, i come back to england with a ****ing 465 pound phone bill.
And i only used it to update my facebook status.. :(.
Apperently in a foriengn country they charge you, well its not apperent they do and its the most stupidest thing known to man.
Now since this is a INTERNET TABLET phone, with WI FI, and i will end up going to another COUNTRY, i dont want this vodaphone firmware on my n900, and i advise anyone else going to travel to another country with the n900 to do the same :).

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

There is no custom firmware, and I'm quite, quite sure that Nokia wouldn't let even Vodaphone do this to the n900.

It sounds as if you don't have any internet access at all. Can you use your home wifi? If not, there may be a configuration problem there.

If you told the person selling you the phone that didn't want any internet access other than wifi, they won't have enabled your sim card for data. That would be why you can't connect. Even in the UK, data costs. Always. If you don't have data and want it, you need to ring voda and find out what their charges are. You should be able to get a bolt-on type package for a reasonable amount - but it will still not be 'unlimited': check the terms and conditions (my limit is 500mb/month on Orange).

As for being billed for net access overseas, not having proprietry software won't make any difference to that: the only way to prevent that is to not access the intenet other than via wifi when you're out of the country. Most phones will ask you whether you want roaming connection - n900 certainly does. Tell it no, every time. It sounds as if you didn't actually have the wifi set up, and were connecting via data roaming.

Phone companties most certainly do tell you - on their websites and in the terms and conditions that roaming charges will apply to data access in another country. Check the price before you go.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

stuff Vodafone... LOL.. I love to be brand free. Nokia and nothing else to annoy me.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

they have branded it some how if they stuck vodafone 360 on it.
there is another thread where n900's on vodafone cant get the update also.
edit: heres the thread http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...light=vodafone

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

You are kidding me? They have branded the thing? And Nokia let them? Now that sucks BIG time.
Why would you want vodaphone 360? n900 address book already does that. :confused:

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

they probably just stuck vodafone widgets and bookmarks on it.
so probably not branded in the way they do on other nokia devices where they block anything that they are competing with.
if its locked to vodafone i believe they will have to wait as vodafone have to agree and hit the ok to release button. operators have way too much power with devices what are branded and locked.
i would not put it past them to be blocking the software update repo

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Damnit that just plain sucks. I though with n900 we'd got past all that sort of crap. Presumably Voda will have to check the update - and then the big update as well. And then stick their sparkles on it. It could be ages before the voda-people get updated. In fact, there were updates never made available at all by some of the carriers on other systems.

GRRRRR

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

i am on contract with vodafone on my N900 and i have no problems with software, and there is no branding whatsoever, but then i did get my phone from mobile phones direct and not direct from vodafone.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

my n95 8gb i had on vodafone never used to get updates until 2 months after nokia release the generic versions, vodafone used to add loads of bloatware on it before allowing us to update

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Hiya, Im on contract with Voda, and had no problems in updating the firmware. Make sure you are online using vodafone GPRS, and update the application manager. It should just pop up.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Do you guys getting the update have the 203 or the 205 versions?

Do you have to be online via voda? You can't do this over wifi?

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

did you get yours from somewhere other than vodafone like MPD or Nokia Retail ?
i think the problem is only with the devices sold recently, early batches on contract was unlocked devices

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

If you get it from voda direct then it will be branded if not now, then in the future with firmware updates, i got mine from mpd so i hope mine is a proper UK generic sim free n900.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Simple check: is your firmware version 203 or version 205? 203 is unbranded UK.

(menu>settings> about product: version 1.2009.44-1.203.4)

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Duno lol my n900 is at home, i did update my firmware with you guys tho monday so i think its generic from MPD :D

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Just to be doubly aware. The Vodafone update issue will only affect people who have bought their phones direct from Vodafone. If you bought it direct from Nokia or MFD and are using a Vodafone sim you will be ok.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Ah so the 1s from MPD are generic UK n900, ta

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

You leave it at home? Heck - mine goes everywhere!! ;)

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Like others mentioned here, I'm on a contract with Vodafone in the UK and have had no update problems. ("Unlimited" [500MB/month] data is £5 a month)

However, I got mine from the Nokia Flagship Store and it definitely isn't a 203 or 205 firmware revision, or locked. Interesting to see they're branding it.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Yeh my work phone is a 8600 luna, my baby stays at home till i get a case/scree protector etc to baby it lol, dnt want to scratch it.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

so you went to amsterdam, got smacked up on waccy baccy and ran up a huge phone bill??? HAHAHA sorry mate thats funny as ****

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Interesting choice for a work phone :) I got E90 currently as a work phone, but should get new one in a 2 weeks. Always been interested about the 8xxx series so maybe i should get Luna or 8800 ;)

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Well its a good phone if you just want to call n text while at work, and its so classy lol, built like a tank, fits in pockets easy and feels very expensive, you can pick them up in UK from ebay for around £90, well worth it IMO

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

haha yeah it is, but i only used the wi fi on the n96 nothing else because i didnt even have it connected to vodahpone netherlands.
neither did i make any calls.

I do have mobile internet on my contract and it is 500mb with unlmt landline + texts

But they say that wi fi is chargeable outside the uk !
Which in my reply, i shouted and went look, the hotel has the wi fi ! and its free, so why am i being charged and then they said wi fi or 3g it still counts on the data charge.
At this point is when i debranded and went i dont think so.

i have the 205 firmware guys !
ive got it from vodaphone direct since it was a upgrade to the ultimate fail of a mobile that was the n96.

Ive gotted connected on my wi fi here at home, just had it for one day tbh.

not letting me on the extras devel or the extras testing.

the nokia software update catalouge is showing 404 error when you go into details.
Ive seen other threads about this, but is there a fix to this.

i know vodaphone 360 is the worst piece of software created in the world.
When the phone has widgets and a contact book and all the other software.
Why would you go and install it.
Mine has some vodaphone ads on it as well !!
Argh, wat did they give me, full on with crapware.
Also on a side note, mine keeps rebooting when im doing something like adding contacts, although its happend 3 times to random things like coming here on the browser and then playing music.
Is this fixed or a problem ?

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Surely, due to the nature of the N900, people could just flash the device to firmware of their choice manually? I can't see how far this branding could really go!! It was easy enough to unbrand the N96 which was running Symbian (which I did when I got my phone directly from Voda).

Thankfully I'm a T-Mobile MPD contract for my N900, although using my vodafone contract from the N96 as it hasn't run out yet. Sold the other contract to a family member for half price due to the heavy subsidy I ended up with for my N900 :D

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Thats what im thinking of doing now, but im not even sure if its branded or not.
Heres the firmware version that i started this thread with: 1.2009.42-11.205.1

is that branded ?

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Yes, the 205 in there seems to indicate that it's the Vodafone branded version. 203 is the non-branded UK version.

And yes, you should be able to re-flash it with the 203 firmware - you'll almost certainly need to use flasher rather than NSU though.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Arghhh that is so fricken annoying !
203 is also in the uk right ?

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Is there a tutorial on how to change it from 205 to 203 ?

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

203 is the vanilla Handsets (No Branding) 205 is Vodafone direct handsets. If you got it from MPD or CFW even though the contract is Vodafone and its exactly the same if not better than Vodafone Direct, their handsets are 203 (Vanilla)

Only handsets DIRECT from vodafone have 205 and are "Branded"

It seriously sucks if theyve locked out all the features that make the phone what it is.

Think you need a reflash, but I'm pretty sure this will void your warranty with Vodafone direct, as it is not the "series" of firmwares "they" designed to be run on the handset.

Sucks if thats the case, I know thats the policy they had towards unbranding the Voda N97 with "Vanilla" firmware.

Hope this helps.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Why on earth do they have to be so fricken difficult !
Its annoying as hell !
any guide on changing it to 203 ?

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

so im guessing this is to get rid of Voip apps right ?
same as the n96, if your in another country they dont want you using that !
so im guessing thats why wi fi is included in data charges that chargeable

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

The thing with this warranty nonsense though is that it doesn't void your warranty with Nokia directly!

I had this with my N96 - Voda nattered on about how I shouldn't unrband as I couldn't send it to them for repair. They bang on about their Nokia trained repairers, but hey, Nokia have those too!

With previous phones, like my trusty *COUGH* n73, I always sent to Nokia directly. I think you should flash, ignore vodafone and if you have issues, use the Nokia 2 year warranty!

Vodafone do great contracts but are awful with branding!!

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Dont i need to change the product code and stuff ?
for it to properly install or can i flash it directly ?

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

if i were you i would return the phone under vodafones 7 days returns policy, and get one online or from Carphone Warehouse as their phones are all unlocked.

yeah a reflash might work but thats a hassle and risk IMO.

Vodafone are an excellent provider but their customer services and branding is a real problem, i remember seeing a N95 branded Vodafone, they removed the radio access and wanted you to sign up to their paid internett radio servies.. tut tut...

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

I made a point of *not* getting my N900 from Vodafone for this very reason. Went to NFS Regent St and they did me an upgrade to my existing contract for the same minutes/SMS/data allowance, £5 less per month and the N900 was free!

As consumers, we need to be demonstrating to the carriers that all this branding nonsense is simply not acceptable - probably the one thing we owe a debt of gratitude to Apple for with the way they did the iPhone with O2 is the fact that they refused to allow branding.

Nothing that a reflash can't put right, but the whole point of the N900 and Maemo is that we shouldn't have to go to such lengths simply to get the functionality that Nokia intended.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

Very well said ;)

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

You should be able to flash it directly using the "flasher" application.

Re: N900 on vodaphone issues*
 

you dont need to change product code to debrand like we have to on s60.
its as simple as downloading the image and flasher.
but like someone said vodaMone might not be happy and void warranty