Meteor. I sent my Tocco back to be repaired. They return it to me with THIS on it...

eskimo

My Samsung Tocco Lite would not read memory cards and it kept turning itself off, sometimes ten times in one day.

I sent it back to be repaired. 22 business days (almost 5 regular weeks) after I sent it off to them, I received it back.

It now has "The Apprentice" advertising on it. Whenever I lock the keypad a giant "The Apprentice - Meteor" advertisement takes over the entire screen.

I did a Google search for "samsung tocco screensaver" and this came up. Somebody left this message on the Meteor website forums:

"Bought the Tocco Lite this week with the most Irritating screensaver which can not, CAN NOT BE CHANGED!!
Tried to return it with a software malfunction, only to be informed that it was default and permanent. When the Apprentice is finished it will still be there. Every time I lock and unlock my phone after every msg and every call. Meteor never ever do this again!! The Wallpaper and Screensaver is what makes your phone yours!!! It's a Joke!"

"Glynn from Meteor" responded:

Hi j. block,

Your feedback and the feedback of others on this issue has been taken on board. If at a later date a version of the software without this screensaver becomes available I'll let you all know.

Thanks


I'm disgusted. This phone was my property, surely they had no right to go uploading software onto it like that??

The phone was also returned to me with a "Bebo" widget on it, that appears to be non-removable! Wtf???

the_barfly1

Hi eskimo, you mentioned the phone is yours... Well unless you bought it sim free, it isnt..
Any phone purchased with a contract attached is property of the mobile phone company until the contract is fulfilled afaik. Saying that, it does seem strange for them to do such a thing.
I reckon it can be taken off though, theres always a way. Google is your friend

eskimo

Thanks for the reply.

I'm Pay as You Go, though...?

They also say this on those forums:


This screen saver is actually set as default on the phone and can't be changed. The settings within the phone will not override this.

As far as getting the phone flashed I couldn't advise on that as we can only update the phone with the latest version of the meteor software and this would still have the screensaver.

Morlar

That really is shockingly bad. They are completely taking the piss there & guaranteed to lose current and potential/future business out of it. Unbelievable attitude for a company to have towards it's customers. You would think all their customers were 12 yr olds going by that behaviour and not y'know . . . adults.

drunkmonkey

eskimo wrote: »

As far as getting the phone flashed I couldn't advise on that as we can only update the phone with the latest version of the meteor software and this would still have the screensaver.

He couldn't advise because he dosen't know (maybe you could advise him:)), only the apprentice version has that screensaver, ask him to update it with the normal tocco firmware they use on all the rest of their tocco's. couldn't see any problem in doing that.

5500

Im not too sure if its possible with samsungs but does anyone knoq if can you change product codes and flash with non branded firmware as you can do with nokias?

Might save the op the hassle of sending the phone off again

EDIT - Have a look here - http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=573699

Mr E

When I saw the thread title, I knew it would be another Apprentice screensaver thread.
Very cheeky of Meteor to hardwire this onto their phones.

eskimo

Thanks for all the replies!

I am pretty pissed off with Meteor. As if it wasn't bad enough that they gave me a faulty phone, but to make it worse they left me phone-less for almost 5 weeks, and while they had my phone "repairing" it they uploaded a loada ****e onto it too.

They uploaded a few other pieces of crap onto it as well as this screensaver, including a "Blackberry" folder - entirely empty - no idea what it's for - contains about six empty subfolders. I haven't tried to remove it yet.

And also that Bebo widget, which seems to be the only widget without a "delete" option.

If Meteor do not undo all this for me, I will be leaving them straight away, and this time I won't be going back.

eireal wrote: »

Im not too sure if its possible with samsungs but does anyone knoq if can you change product codes and flash with non branded firmware as you can do with nokias?

Might save the op the hassle of sending the phone off again

EDIT - Have a look here - http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=573699

This is for the F480 (tocco) as opposed to the S5230 (tocco lite) though?

Ellajee

I've had a very similar experience, bought a new Samsung Tocco lite last week, didn't realise the 'The Apprentice' screensaver was on it and when I enquired in the shop as to how to remove it I was told by a (very sullen) shop assistant that I can't. I've now emailed Meteor for confirmation but if it can't be changed then I'll be moving to another provider asap. It's just too irritating and frustrating to have to look at that piece of shameless merchandising on my phone!

center15

What a joke of a company someone should seriously be fired over this.

Yenwod

That's insane! I hope every 'apprentice' phone owner bombards them with complaints!

As if meteor ad's aren't bad enough...

eskimo

I found the solution! I flashed my phone (not literally. but literally. lol)

After much searching online, the following worked:

EDIT: Note that with this particular firmware version, in your widget bar there will be a few widgets at the very bottom in some Eastern European language, and they seem to be unremovable. Personally I find them totally unobtrusive, especially compared with the Apprentice ad. I'm sure there are firmware versions out there without anything extra like this in them, but I guess that would be a case of trial and error. This one works great for me, plain and simple.

• BACKUP ANY IMPORTANT FILES, CONTACT DETAILS, ETC!! ONTO YOUR PC!
• Download this which includes the required firmware: http://megaupload.com/?d=EXT4A6TQ
• Open MultiDownloader.
• Select "BRCM2133" from radio buttons.
• Connect phone in "Download Mode" (press volume up + camera + power on) with usb cable and install drivers if need.
• Press "Port Search".
• Check "Boot Change" and "Full Download".
• Press "Boot" button and select folder with boot files from uncompressed firmware (i.e. S5230XEIG6)
• Select amss, rsrc1, rsrc2 (Use "Low")and Factory FS.
• Press "Download" and wait.
• After procedure is finished phone will boot and be ready for use.

I found this solution at another forum. It worked like a charm for me. The ringtones and wallpapers that came with the phone are all still there. The Meteor Apprentice ****E is gone!! :-)

Hope this works for you Ellajee!!

Ellajee wrote: »

I've had a very similar experience, bought a new Samsung Tocco lite last week, didn't realise the 'The Apprentice' screensaver was on it and when I enquired in the shop as to how to remove it I was told by a (very sullen) shop assistant that I can't. I've now emailed Meteor for confirmation but if it can't be changed then I'll be moving to another provider asap. It's just too irritating and frustrating to have to look at that piece of shameless merchandising on my phone!

old_aussie

eskimo wrote: »

I found the solution! I flashed my phone (not literally. but literally. lol)

After much searching online, the following worked:

• BACKUP ANY IMPORTANT FILES, CONTACT DETAILS, ETC!! ONTO YOUR PC!
• Download this which includes the required firmware: http://megaupload.com/?d=EXT4A6TQ
• Open MultiDownloader.
• Select "BRCM2133" from radio buttons.
• Connect phone in "Download Mode" (press volume up + camera + power on) with usb cable and install drivers if need.
• Press "Port Search".
• Check "Boot Change" and "Full Download".
• Press "Boot" button and select folder with boot files from uncompressed firmware (i.e. S5230XEIG6)
• Select amss, rsrc1, rsrc2 (Use "Low")and Factory FS.
• Press "Download" and wait.
• After procedure is finished phone will boot and be ready for use.

I found this solution at another forum. It worked like a charm for me. The ringtones and wallpapers that came with the phone are all still there. The Meteor Apprentice ****E is gone!! :-)

Hope this works for you Ellajee!!

Your flashing job makes Glynn and Meteor look like they are VERY unprofessional and ignorant of their products.

Top job on posting your results for others.

Yenwod

Insane that you have to do that but good job!!

eamon234

Couldn't resist!:D
http://tv3.ie/fired/video/index.php?id=1058641260702927

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

MacGyver

this is much appreciated. im uploading it to rapidshare now,download limit of ten until i can figure how to move it to my premium account http://rapidshare.com/files/320249373/S5230XEIG6.rar.html in case the megaupload one goes down

TheDoc

Thats is literally unreal from them.....talk about cheap and sly.

I'm buying a new phone for my girlfriend this week for christmas and I'm weary if they have all this apprentice ****e on them, I'll make sure to ask in shop and get a working demo before I buy, I'm not handing her a phone with that **** on it

Oafley Jones

Meteor have really crossed a line with this stunt. If they were using a model where you'd agree to opt in to ads and get a discount/free services fair enough, but this is unacceptable. I've been with meteor 5 years and they really seem to be going backwards in terms of customer relations and support recently, as an example just compare o2s forum with meteors joke of an effort.

who_ru

bloody hell i just filled in that 'getaheadstart' form on meteor's website as i was going to go bill pay with them and leave vodafone but this is very off putting.

quick question - can you send international texts on meteor's free webtexts? you can with vodafone.

thanks.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

eskimo

No prob!

I've now edited the post to include this:

Note that with this particular firmware version, in your widget bar there will be a few widgets at the very bottom in some Eastern European language, and they seem to be unremovable. Personally I find them totally unobtrusive, especially compared with the Apprentice ad. I'm sure there are firmware versions out there without anything extra like this in them, but I guess that would be a case of trial and error. This one works great for me, plain and simple.

I only realised this today.

I am still going to complain like crazy to Meteor. I think what they did to my phone is fairly unacceptable.

Morlar

TheDoc wrote: »

Thats is literally unreal from them.....talk about cheap and sly.

I'm buying a new phone

I am in the market for one too - no f***ing way am I paying for one with constant permanent adverts on it.

drunkmonkey

The Apprecentice version of the Tocco lite was a limited edition, the ones that meteor are selling for christmas are not the apprentice version so nobody else should have this problem.
Just a word of caution the o2 version has the o2 logo built into the home screen so if you've a picture as your wallpaper it will have an o2 logo on it, ruins the phone as well, there dosn't seem to be any way to remove it.

who_ru

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

that's a pity as i've family living in the UK and to be able to txt them free over the web is so handy espeically as it costs 25c to send a txt to a uk mobile number, well it does with vodafone anyway.

going to give the switch some thought now, although i think it would still make sense overall.

maybe meteor will bring in free international web txts?????

Yakuza

I'm with O2 (bill pay) and the missus is on 02 (PAYG) and we both get 250 texts (including international numbers) each month. You can also send long messages (but each 160 chars will use one from your total). For some reason, messages with accented characters use two text's worth of your allowance (probably due to needing a different character set) but we find it very handy as we'd be sending texts to Spain and the UK a fair bit. It's probably the only thing that keeps us with 02, tbh.

who_ru

Yakuza wrote: »

I'm with O2 (bill pay) and the missus is on 02 (PAYG) and we both get 250 texts (including international numbers) each month. You can also send long messages (but each 160 chars will use one from your total). For some reason, messages with accented characters use two text's worth of your allowance (probably due to needing a different character set) but we find it very handy as we'd be sending texts to Spain and the UK a fair bit. It's probably the only thing that keeps us with 02, tbh.

i hear ya, i'm beginning to think that i might hold off switching until meteor bring in free international webtxts.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

Hmmzis

drunkmonkey wrote: »

The Apprecentice version of the Tocco lite was a limited edition, the ones that meteor are selling for christmas are not the apprentice version so nobody else should have this problem.
Just a word of caution the o2 version has the o2 logo built into the home screen so if you've a picture as your wallpaper it will have an o2 logo on it, ruins the phone as well, there dosn't seem to be any way to remove it.

I wish it would be the case - just bought a phone today (well, more like yesterday) from the store in Dundrum Town Center and it still is the crappy apprentice version. I'll be going back to the store and try to get one without the apprentice garbage on it. I really don't mind if I see some Meteor logos here and there (it is a subsidized pre-pay phone afterall), but the unsolicited content spam I got is unacceptable.

ED E

There's a reason I buy o2.

Hmmzis

Meteor told me kindly to f*** off today when I asked them to replace the phone with a version that doesn't have the apprentice junk in it.
The good news is that the steps provided in this thread work fantastically well - just installed it and all the annoying stuff is gone . I can even select Latvian as the phone language (looks to be a good translation). Amazing, thanks.

bahhoweya

Hiya eskimo,
I bought the tocco today, and was horrified when I turned it on and found all the in-built stuff!! I can believe that the can sell the phones with no notice on the box or anything.
Anyhow, I'm trying the flash thing you recommended, got the programme downloaded and opened, but I just can't seem to get the phone into download mode! Each time, depending on the order I press, it says "fake call activated" (the most pointless feature ever invented, no?) or else switches off!
I'm not very handy with the DIY phone stuff, so if anyone could explain as clearly as possible which buttons to hit in which order, and how long it takes to activate I'd really appreciate it!!

Thanks