Results 1 to 25 of 32
- 02-20-2009, 07:10 AM
Thread Author #1
BB Bold as a Mobile Telephone
I have had a BB Bold for 6 months or so and it's great for email, contacts, diary etc etc, but mine seems to be a lousy mobile telephone.
My handset drops out regularly (2 or 3 times in a 5 minute call) when I'm on a call and driving. I live in Hong Kong and the cellular service is 99.9% everywhere including in elevators, metro stations, metro tunnels, underground car parks, tunnels etc. I have never had issues with calls dropping out before even with a BB 8800 I owned for 2 years so I can only assume it's the handset rather than my service provider (which has been constant for last 4 years with 4 different handsets).
When the phone drops out I check the signal strength and it has 4 or 5 strength bars ie. good signal reception.
A couple of people had mentioned the BB being a lousy mobile telephone and I thought they were joking but now I'm not sure. Anyone else having this trouble? and more importantly is there a fix?
Thanks in advance
Alan - 02-20-2009, 07:12 AM #2
I think I have had 1 dropped call since Thanksgiving.
Tronyx's Important & Popular Blackberry Links (This one is worth the visit, Kids)
Real post....
ive had the phone for 11 days now, upgraded os to .247, unbranded using a different vsm, and, worst of all, i have broken the warranty seal because i blacked the bold out... - 02-20-2009, 07:16 AM #3
Only had mine for two days but I've noticed calls cutting out or going real staticy at full signal strength.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com - 02-20-2009, 07:20 AM #4
I have not experienced any dropped, staticy, cutting out, calls on my Curve without having lost the entire signal.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com - 02-20-2009, 07:34 AM #5 I also live in hk and have no problems with my bold on smartone. Far better than the iphone on 3 that my partner uses. -
Originally Posted by ahmorris 
Have you tried changing your sim card? That cured what I thought was a lemon pearl before ( sound rather nice!)
Good luck anyway!
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com - 02-20-2009, 07:56 AMThread Author #7
Thanks - sounds like a good idea. How do I reinstall the BB Operating System? Originally Posted by garn3r
- 02-20-2009, 08:11 AM #8 This actually makes the most sense. Originally Posted by garn3r Tronyx's Important & Popular Blackberry Links (This one is worth the visit, Kids)
Real post....
ive had the phone for 11 days now, upgraded os to .247, unbranded using a different vsm, and, worst of all, i have broken the warranty seal because i blacked the bold out... - 02-20-2009, 08:12 AM #9
Check the BB 101 lecture series for instructions on installing a new OS, or the sticky for the newest official OS found at the beginning of the forums. My Bold on AT&T in the US is great. Far better reception than my previous Treo (which I had for 2 years) or any other phone I've had. Calls drop occasionally, I might get 1 a month or so, and usually I'm on the road when it happens. I just accept that as part of having a mobile phone.
For the problems you're having, I'd recommend trying out a new sim card. A fried sim would explain the dropped call issue. - 02-20-2009, 08:14 AM #10
Follow this: BlackBerry 101: How to Install or Upgrade to a New RIM BlackBerry Operating System (OS) | CrackBerry.com
Sim cards become faulty easily, so I would definitely replace - mine gets changed once a year to make sure! - 02-20-2009, 08:36 AMThread Author #13
Thanks for link to 101. Originally Posted by garn3r
Current OS is v4.6.0.126 (Platform 4.0.0.135)
My SIM is 3 years old so might be a cunning plan to get a new one first then reinstallign OS if that doesnt work.
Thanks to all for the advice - DenDen2008
Guest02-20-2009, 08:39 AM #14 Try the new Bold OS 4.6.0.237 I read no complaints thus far. I remember when I was on .162 the phone would cut off or even drop calls while I'm sitting on the commuter train. With .216 its been solid so far.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com - 02-20-2009, 09:55 AM #19 I'm curious as to where you are getting this "stay in warranty" "stuff" from? Originally Posted by garn3r
You simply re install the carrier OS if you need to return the phone. I have reurned my previous 8310 with Beta software and ATT could care less. Where does it say using beta software voids any warranty?
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com - 02-20-2009, 11:51 AM #20
Mine's been excellent, both for holding calls and call quality. It's been good enough to hold telephone conferences on with several people on speakerphone at my end - better than standalone dedicated telecon equipment (old though) at work.
Try that with g-phone, i-phone or htc and see how well they handle an international telecon...
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com - 02-20-2009, 11:58 AM #21 It might just be in the UK then as I work for O2 and Blackberry have stated that you can only load Network or Carrier versions... Originally Posted by giantfan30
You can downgrade if necessary before returning, but if people would prefer to stay in warranty without messing around, then stay with network version. - 02-20-2009, 01:04 PM #22 Your OS version being .126, i would recommend an upgrade. But, take enough time to get your head around the device and upgrade when you feel comfortable. Also, being a newbie, select an OS accredited by your carrier, for upgrade. After the upgrade, i'm sure that you will notice significant improvements in battery life, memory and overall performance... Originally Posted by ahmorris
I would also recommend to get a new sim card as your's is 3 years old.
If anything goes wrong, we all will be here to help...
Welcome to CB!8900/9000/9520Free memory on your BB l How to install/upgrade BB OS l How to reload OS on a nuked BB l Popular BB Links
Backup 3rd Party Applications l Remove IT Policy
ST79@crackberry.com - 02-21-2009, 04:40 PM #23
Hi Guys,
I am on OS 216, the highest that my carrier offer and my SIM card is also +-34 days old. The Bold is only +-34 days in operation.
I have two problems :
Out of the blue and I was not even using the phone, it switched to SOS mode on the radio ( the GSM ), its like total signal loss in area where there is good signal. First time it happened, I switched network to manual search and keep it manual once locked. It worked. I been doing this "manual" setting on GSM cell phone when I travel abroad. Being in "manual" it will have to stick to that appointed provider even in low signal area, otherwise it will jump to another carrier with better radio signal. Jumping around different carriers when roaming have proved that I could loose a few text/SMS between transitions and more so when I do not come back to the previous carrier and I hate when I keep getting annoying welcome text/SMS everytime a new carrier linked itself to my cell phone.
I know that when I use a phone locally I will not be able access other carriers since I am locked to only my own carrier, but it does make sense to me that if I select manual it should do better when radio signal indeed goes low because it won't try to switch to other carrier which has better signal. In some cell phone that can show SOS, it does also shows signal strength meter too if I remember correctly. This means I am not on home network, can not make or receive regular call but can make EMERGENCY CALL, Blackberry SOS is also described as this same emergency capability. I believe my old Siemens does show SOS and with signal strength meter but my N95 does not have SOS. The Bold shows SOS but no signal strength meter.
Then there was a day where I got a few missed calls where the Bold never rings or vibrate but keep registered "MISSED CALLS". Network problem maybe the case. I tried calling the phone, it was busy according to my carrier. So I make a call from the Bold, its do-able. I tried calling again to the Bold, can't get thru. So I remove the battery for a while, then all OK two way and no more missed calls. Network or Bold problem ??? I don't know, even though I never ever had such problem ( missed calls but no ringing ) on my Nokia-s. Nokia will ring+vibrate even though if a short ring.
Few days ago, I got the SOS again. This time I switched the phone off and on again. It worked, then I proceeded to go to manual network and choose my carrier. So far so good. I can't remember if the network was on auto or manual since I have removed the battery.
I am a two phones & numbers person for many years and I use the Bold on my secondary number which I maintain the number for close friends/family and VIP only because this is my international roaming number. I like keeping some limited privacy when I am abroad and this set up has worked great abroad or at home.
I never turned off this Bold since day 1 or any phone attached to this secondary number for that matter, unless I fly on a plane. Unfortunately my job been slow and I don't use this number ( Bold ) much to test the phone stability as much as I would like to. In busy time I will call USA at least 2 hours a day talk time and plenty of local calls, my phone need to be tethered to its charger often otherwise it won't last half a day. This number I can use Voip from the carrier, so its cheap to call, otherwise its US$1.70 a minute compared to US$0.15 on Voip.
As a phone, not as an email terminal, Bold I would say is not as reliable as a typical Nokia. I have not even pushed it for an hour non stop conversation to heat up the GSM radio modules, its already given me SOS twice in 34 days. I can only say that a phone is reliable when I can talk at least 1.5 hour non stop until it heats up but never hang or reset or whatever reaction that may cut my call off. Anyone who had experience with amateur radio will know how an hour of non stop transmission is a good test to show how reliable a transmitter module is for a non commercial unit. A cell phone is a two way radio basically.
To loose a signal from a carrier network fault and get SOS or zero signal is acceptable ( and beyond my control ) but having to manually able to recover the Bold from an SOS condition by some means of setting adjustment to the hardware, means its not the carrier network problem, hence its my Bold's problem ......... its not acceptable because I can't keep looking at the radio signal meter if I am in good coverage area. I rather have a dead phone that I can see it being dead so that I can replace it with a healthy one accordingly, than a phone that shows all OK on display except a small SOS shown....its the same as a dead phone but doesn't look dead and on top of that, the fault is intermittent and without a known cause. I can miss important calls this way.
I been using its 2G not the 3G because 2G backbone is much more reliable in my country and the battery sucks at 3G. I keep it locked to 2G.
I like the Bold as an email terminal, no doubt about that. If people said that its radio module is better than most phones, I don't know because my primary N95 is on another carrier, so I can't compare apple to apple.
The GPS receiver sensitivity on the Bold is GOOD !!!, compared to a Nokia N95.
Again as a phone.....and given that I am comparing to my abused & time proven Nokia N95 ( also as a common phone not its multi-media capability ), I would not have a Bold be the only "phone" I will carry. Its just too risky, even though Bold is claimed to be already at a very stable stage now. Such hiccups in only 34 days is not a definition of STABLE for a phone, for a baby PC maybe. I don't know if my problem is OS or hardware related.
In terms of priority, I need a voice phone. Second is text/SMS and third is email. Without a voice phone it will be a disaster and in emergency it may mean my life. My country has many remote areas that cellular phone coverage is much better than land line.
I accept the fact that a BB is a complex multi capable smartphone and not a simple phone, so I have to live with the "bugs", if those problems are bugs to begin with.
My first BB is Bold, so I have limited experience with it BB in general. I read the earlier models are more reliable because their OS been improved over the years.
So looking at 34 days of Bold so-so reliability as a phone, I am glad its one of the two phones I always carry and not the only one I am carrying. No matter what more love I will have for a BB ( I am loving it now ), Bold will never be only phone I will carry.....not yet.
You guys living in 1st world country has better land lines coverage and better overall government infrastructure for emergency respond, not me here. Mobile phone sometimes is the only tool for me that can make or break when certain unwanted situation arises.
This is my honest opinion on a Bold, which may differ from other users and I am considered lucky because some friends of mine have their Bolds reset itself ocassionally. Not many cases, but a few have compared stability with my own Bold.
Regards,
Iya - 02-21-2009, 06:22 PM #24
Never dropped a call with the Bold. Granted, I don't talk a lot, but no issues.
I've read that if one is getting an SOS error, the SIM card should be replaced. Even if it works in another device.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com - 02-21-2009, 06:26 PM #25
If I had to guess how many dropped calls I've had since Thanksgiving (around the time I got the Bold) I'd say two or three.
Coincidentally today I had a problem talking in the morning. I had an echo of what I was saying being relayed to me. But it's probably more of a network issue since I do remember experiencing that with my old Curve.
Reply
