Vodafone sold Incompatible 3G Data Cards to their Customers so get free upgrades.

Sponge Bob

I though a thread to warn potential Voda 3G customers is in order. The voda technology works fine and the pricing is fine. The only issue is with certain cards.

Voda is selling all their 3G cards on the promise that HSDPA with speeds of in excess of 384k is imminent.

The following assertation is also in the larger quote below together with a link. I would advise some of ye with the 3g cards to print that page right now and monitor it for any 'changes'

Mobile Connect Cards are future proofed for 3G broadband connectivity when our HSDPA network is launched later in 2006 and will offer access speeds of up to four times faster than existing 3G solutions.

The problem is that Voda is currently selling 2 cards.

1. The Huawei 618 (rebadged as a voda wotsit)
2. The Huawei 620 (rebadged asa voda wotsit too)

The Huawei 618 card apparently WILL NOT SUPPORT HSPDA meaning that the max speed you can get is 384k , not multi megabit speeds.

It may be that it will not support HSDPA as it is being tested now or that it will NEVER support it . It may suddenly start to work, just like that

The future proofing issue has arisen in a few posts on boards such as this one here and this one here

The current Vodafone claim (which may change as they test further ) is here on the voda website and states ( in full as of today the 13/09/2006 )

Laptop Connectivity

Mobile Connect Card


The Vodafone Mobile Connect datacard allows you to get online from any location* without having to find the nearest phone socket. No more wires, no more fiddling with incompatible connector plugs. The Vodafone Mobile Connect datacard simply slots into the side of your laptop, giving you access to your company network anytime, anywhere. The connection is secure too because Vodafone Mobile Connect has been specifically designed to integrate seamlessly with leading VPN software.

The Vodafone Mobile Connect software is so easy to install, you are just a few mouse clicks away from wirelessly; Reading and replying to emailAccessing your office filesSurfing the internet Sending an SMS message
You can choose either the 3G or the 3G with WiFi version, depending on your needs. With either card you can wirelessly connect substantially faster than dial up modem speeds to access your email or send text messages. If you are out of coverage, the Mobile Connect datacard software will seamlessly reconnect to the to the well-established GPRS network. With the 3G service you can get speeds of up to 7 times faster than GPRS*.

Benefits With speeds of up to 384 kilobits per second, the 3G Mobile Connect datacard gives high speed access to email on the move.Always on, always connected. Because costs are based on the amount of data transferred, and not the time spent online, you can remain always connected without the fear of running up large bills.The Vodafone Mobile Connect datacard is compatible with most equipment providing a PC Card (PCMCIA) slot. No additional equipment is necessary.Increased responsiveness - business information available at any time to your mobile workforce means more time in the field or with clients.Value - fast access to critical information at a low cost, seamlessly integrated with your existing IT systems.In touch, in control. Send and receive emails, download files - extend the boundaries of your business.The 3G datacard with WiFi gives you access to thousands of Vodafone hotspots in Ireland and the UK.Mobile Connect Cards are future proofed for 3G broadband connectivity when our HSDPA network is launched later in 2006 and will offer access speeds of up to four times faster than existing 3G solutions.
* Subject to 3G coverage and availability.

Keep an eye on any changes to that page and be ready to get your money back or a free upgrade to the 620 model if you have been sold a pup with the Huawei 618 card.

If you live in a 2g only area and never use the card in a 3g area you will not be affected in any way.

SalteeDog

I'll see how I get on with Vodafone...

For anyone who's interested - here's the specs for the cards on the Huawei site. I believe the E618 is a Vodafone badged version identical to the E600 - and as such clearly doesn't support HSDPA.

Sponge Bob

Ring their data support and tell them they have been rumbled. Any 3G card sold since mid June should be

"future proofed for 3G broadband connectivity when our HSDPA network is launched later in 2006"

as Voda put it so nicely themselves , and yet they have been selling non future proofed 3g cards on the qt. Mid June 2006 is when that assertion was put on the Voda website and released to PR bunnies for PR bunnying around the place. .

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single6595

Persons who got the card in early June are in a bit of a grey area but Voda did tell their shop staff it was future proof.

Persons who got the 618 card before the first of June , before there was any indication of a HSDPA launch , have no comeback because Voda had not made any comment on HSDPA .

bminish

I have the 618 and it works perfectly under linux, anyone know the story with linux and the 620 before I go bugging voda for a card swap

.brendan

Sponge Bob

I got a PM just there from someone who contacted them and got it swapped. He rang the data support people in Voda rather than go back to a shop and they sent out the 620 while he sent back the 618.

All very amicable and professional so good stuff Voda .

Expect to see a batch of Fast 2.5g cards on the market very soon

Stokolan

Sponge Bob wrote:

I got a PM just there from someone who contacted them and got it swapped. He rang the data support people in Voda rather than go back to a shop and they sent out the 620 while he sent back the 618.

All very amicable and professional so good stuff Voda .

Expect to see a batch of Fast 2.5g cards on the market very soon

Hmm might try that myself. just noticed i have the 618 card.

Is there any info on when speeds might increase?

EIN

i have the e618 card also...mmmm makes me think.. has anyone actually used the HSDPA network yet? is it any good?


apparently i heard that some people are already using it..

will contact voda to get the card swapped out, generally i find their support quite good... and helpfull .. so i doubt there will be an issue.

SalteeDog

Apparently the Data team assumed all the Huawei cards were HSDPA and they're only finding out now that the E618's aren't. They told me to go to the retailer I bought it off - that they themselves cannot replace my card. I told them that's not good enough I'm cancelling the contract if the retailer doesn't swtich it.

Will pop down to the shop in a while and see what happens.

Patrickof

I got the card on the launch date in a voda shop in Newbridge, but it's not either of the Huawei cards - I can't remember the exact model now, it's at home I can find out tonight.

Anyway, is there an upgrade plan in the event that my model won't support high speed data, > 384K?

SalteeDog

Just back from the shop. I managed to get the card changed for an E620 but I had to fight for it. It took several calls to the store manager and a clear insistence that I had asked for HSDPA when I bought the card and that if it wasn't changed I was going to terminate the contract.

Sponge Bob

dearie me, they have not told the shops yet.

Better print out the T&C's claim in the link above about the oul "future proofing" and my original post which should explain it to the shop droid and bring it all with you to the shop when you go for the free upgrade to what you should have had all along .

better ring the data people and ask them to send a memo to their dealers .

SalteeDog

Well the data people gave me some spiel about it being a matter for the retailers whether to switch it or not. And the shop people told me that the word of the data people wasn't really enough and it would have to come from their management. And they tried to fob me off by claiming the HSPDA version of the card is a new thing and wasn't available when I bought it so they couldn't have offered it blah blah blah. I had a printout of the website and insisted that he guy who sold me the card (who happened to be off today) had confirmed the card was HSDPA (although in fairness he mightn't have hadn a notion what that was) and that for sure I would be expecting to terminate the contract if the card wasn't replaced.

smellslikeshoes

I can't believe that a company the size of vodafone could have made this terrible oversight. Ive got the E618 and Im not too happy with vodafone right now.

uncle_sam_ie

So, is the new card working ok?

SalteeDog

It's worth pointing out that the box the E620 card comes in is clearly labelled 'HDSPA/3G/GPRS datacard'. The E618 ihas an identical package apart from showing '3G/GPRS datacard'. Of course, never having seen the packaging of a E620 when I bought the E618 - how was I to know that the card didn't support HSPDA? Anyway it raises the question that this isn't news to Vodafone at all and there is possibly a deliberate effort to flog off the 'older' cards to unassuming new customers.

smellslikeshoes

It seems more like a simple oversight on vodafones part. I dont think that they would have known about it because in the end its going to bite them in the ass when people start looking for their 1.8meg or whatever its going up to.

uncle_sam_ie

SalteeDog wrote:

It's worth pointing out that the box the E620 card comes in is clearly labelled 'HDSPA/3G/GPRS datacard'. The E618 ihas an identical package apart from showing '3G/GPRS datacard'. Of course, never having seen the packaging of a E620 when I bought the E618 - how was I to know that the card didn't support HSPDA? Anyway it raises the question that this isn't news to Vodafone at all and there is possibly a deliberate effort to flog off the 'older' cards to unassuming new customers.

I don't know if they are deliberately selling the older cards. I do know that the sells people in the Vodafone shops are useless. I was told that the cards only work on Dell laptops and it wouldn't work on a Mac. Which is not true.Only Dell? I asked them if it would work on a Think Pad and they answered "what thats? No we only support Dell"

SalteeDog

Actually I think you're right. Newer cards may not have been in stock at the end of July. Given that, the folks who work in the shops would have probably (based on the marketing info) believed all 3G cards were HSPDA compliant - an honest mistake (since I made it myself). Still they shouldn't be giving customers grief when they try and upgrade their card.

EIN

howya went into a vodafone store with my e618 card and got it swapped out no hassle and no questions asked !


cula bula... the new card has HSDPA on the cover....


the old 618 didnt.

Random

uncle_sam_ie wrote:

I don't know if they are deliberately selling the older cards. I do know that the sells people in the Vodafone shops are useless. I was told that the cards only work on Dell laptops and it wouldn't work on a Mac. Which is not true.Only Dell? I asked them if it would work on a Think Pad and they answered "what thats? No we only support Dell"

In fairness, everyone in the phone shop can't be expected to be a technical whizz. It's proberly their shops policy to support only one particular brand (Dell must surely be 80% of laptops in Ireland or so?) and then send you to Data support for the rest.

At the end of the day they aren't a tech support clinic.

Patrickof

Checked mine last night, the card is a Qualcomm 3G CDMA card (made by Option) model no: GT 3G QUAD

Anyone know if this supports HSDPA? Or if it can be swapped for the E620?

Sponge Bob

Patrick.

If you were sold the card post mid June then you may qualify as I said in the first post.

Option 3G Cards are actually made in Cork . Which one of these is it Precisely

http://www.option.be/products/overview.shtml


# HSDPA/3G/EDGE/GPRS: GlobeTrotter GT MAX 7.2 Ready

* Specifications

# HSDPA/3G/EDGE/GPRS: GlobeTrotter GT MAX

* Specifications

# HSDPA/3G/EDGE/GPRS/WLAN: GlobeTrotter FUSION + HSDPA

* Specifications

# HSDPA/3G/EDGE/GPRS: GlobeTrotter HSDPA

* Specifications

# 3G/EDGE/GPRS: GlobeTrotter 3G EDGE HSDPA READY

* Specifications

# 3G/EDGE/GPRS/WLAN: GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA READY

* Specifications

# 3G/GPRS/GSM/WLAN: GlobeTrotter FUSION QUAD

* Specifications

# 3G/GPRS/GSM: GlobeTrotter 3G

* Specifications

# 3G/GPRS/GSM: GlobeTrotter 3G QUAD

* Specifications

# EDGE/GPRS: GlobeTrotter EDGE

* Specifications

# EDGE/GPRS/GSM/WLAN: GlobeTrotter COMBO EDGE

* Specifications

# 3G/GPRS/GSM/WLAN: GlobeTrotter FUSION

Again if you were sold a non HSDPA 3G card by Voda for use on the Voda network and on the understanding that all their 3G cards were HSDPA compatible you may take it back to them and get a card (be it Huawei or Option) that IS HSDPA compatible.

I suspect yours is not HSDPA compatible based on that link and the list above.

Dirk_Swords

EIN wrote:

howya went into a vodafone store with my e618 card and got it swapped out no hassle and no questions asked !


cula bula... the new card has HSDPA on the cover....


the old 618 didnt.

I have been to the Vodafone-Shop in Swords (Pavilions) they don't want to swap my 618 Datacard. They are so unfriendly and absolutly NOT customerfriendly!

Anybody else have this problem and do someone can advice how I could swap my card?

Thanks for your help!

Dirk

Sponge Bob

Get the data support people to ring the shop and explain why they must and get a name in there. Ring data suport now.

Then go into that person in the shop.

Dirk_Swords

Sponge Bob wrote:

Get the data support people to ring the shop and explain why they must and get a name in there. Ring data suport now.

Then go into that person in the shop.

Hi,

I called data support team and after putting me on hold for 10 min he came back to me and told me he have to figureout and will call me back next week.

????

I realy dont understand why Vodafone Ireland is so different in customerservice!?!?!

BillyJoel

Sponge Bob

Your comments are very negative toward's Vodafone. True the E618 is only a 3G card like the pervious version's from option. Its clear that Vodafone must have changed their card vendor to Hauwei. However I think its harsh on your part to blame Vodafone for this, you read up on the product before you purchase it (i do anyway).Vodafone have a site on MCC www.office.vodafone.com Hsdpa will be initially rolled out in Dublin then to the rest of the country shortly after this. All reports are postive about this as Vodafone have the technology in place for this. I called their helpdesk and was sent to their "second line support" who I must say were excellent in their resolution of my issue (bluetooth attaching to the com ports). I know that they have a new plug and play 3G USB coming as well which looks really good.

cgarvey

You couldn't have researched the product all that well before buying, because Vodafone don't guarantee what card you'll get. They've been advertising HDSPA when it becomes available, but weren't issuing the hardware to match (i.e. the logistics didn't match the marketing), so SB is being very fair, and is doing many a favour by highlighting this. Vodafone are solely responsible for this.

Sponge Bob

BillyJoel wrote:

I think its harsh on your part to blame Vodafone for this

You are doing your best to represent Voda Billy and you should leave the representation of Vodas Interests on these Boards to some senior long established members of the boards community as has always been the case. They know who they are and may feel free to correct anything I say by PM ...as always. If I agree with their representations I will edit my post or ask the mod to do so for me . So far my first post stands in its entirety .

I have received a recent PM from one of these community members who tells me that the 618 card from Huawei is still in some Voda shops and that there is no plan to withdraw this technically inadequate piece of technology from the sales channel. Like I said before the Huawei 620 card is fine. Pull that Huawei 618 from the sales channel now and repackage it as a GPRS card with _some_ 3 G capability and then there is no issue whatsoever.

Shame on Voda, there should be a no quibble swap policy in all shops by now. Do not try to **** on your early adopters please .

bminish

Just to answer an earlier question asked by myself!.

Today I popped into my Voda dealer and tried the 620 card under linux. It appears to function exactly the same as the 618 and the kernel recognised it as a 3G datacard.

My Dealer is going to see what voda say about a card swap.

.brendan