Nokia Phones

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Brock

Joined
May 23, 2000
Messages
190
Does anyone know of a forum or FAQ talking about the programing of the Nokia 5100 phones or know stuff about them? I want to be able to change some of my power on defaults, like in the system area, change from automatic (searches for any service) to home (only looks for local coverage, no roaming). The local cell company says it can't be done, and that I just have to change it every time I turn the phone on.

Any ideas?

Brock
 
Hi!
I'm quite familiar with Nokia phones... but I really do not understand what you want to do or why?

Hugo.
 
I know exactly what Brock is trying to do. When you power up a cell phone, the software tells the phone what kind of signal to look for. The choices are generally to Look for an A line signal, take a b line only if no A is found. Second choice is reverse, B-a, third is A only, fourth is B only, and fifth is Home service only. If for example B only is selected the phone will accept only a B service carrier, it will tell you that there is no service if it can't find a B carrier even though there may be an A carrier with a strong single present. This feature is generally used to avoid roam charges for services you have already paid for from your own carrier.

Unfortunately, I do not know anything about Nokia phones. On a Motorola it is simple, you pull up the right menu, make the change, and it stays changed until you change it back. Nokias don't seem to work that way.


Mike
 
Exactly, My local carrier is B, and A is roam. We just got digital, and it will roam digital instead of going to analog home. If I choose home it isn't a problem, but when I shut the phone off it resets itself back to looking for any signal. If I forget to change it the phone will be ringing and I look and I am roaming. Then I don't take the call. I know I can get analog local in that area since that is what my old phone was and it always worked fine there. Does that make since?

I am really temped to just return the phone and stick with analog. My local cell company says that is normal, but it seems crazy they can't make it look for their digital first (B), then their analog (B), then roam digital. Am I asking to much from them?

Brock
 
it can be done. Mine does exactly that. It only roams if all local options are exhausted. I had a devil of a time convincing the idiots at Sprint to try it though - - they wouldn't even give it to their technician because they said it couldn't be done. Then their technician did it in about 5 minutes. I've found that the people working in cell stores are about as stubborn as people working at the DMV ;)

 
Brock, I don't think that I can help you with reprogramming your phone, but I wanted to give you more info.

Your phone probably searches for a digital service before reverting to analog mode. It's unfortunate that your digital service has you roaming when the analog service is local. That should change as the service provider adds more digital cell transceivers (or whatever those towers are called) in your local area.

gm
 
There are certaiin locations that I have a problem with and I told my cell company. I was just hoping there was some funny key depress thing to lock it in "home" mode. I know one of my older phones had this, it was something like holding the clear while turning the phone off. I guess I will try Nokia support. If that fails I will just have to bug my cell company until they change the hunt order.

Thanks

Brock
 
The other choice is to return the Nokia and get a phone that has that feture available.


Mike
 
This is what I know. The 5100 does not have power on defaults for that. When it discharges or the battery is removed it resets the network services and the time among other settings. Unless you are locked into service contract I would suggest that you upgrade to an 8200 series Nokia. I have had several 5100, 6100 series Nokia. The 8200 sets the time and retains power on defaults. Good luck with your phone problems.

------------------
Drac Noroc

You only know if you have been there...
 
I have the 5185. That is the sort of thing I am looking for. I will look around that site (didn't work on my phone). If I don't find anything there I will take the phone back to my cell company. I figure I will ask them to change it, if they can't/won't. I will have to try another phone. I can't imagine why they would choose a hunt order of home digital, roam digital, home analog, and roam analog. I just don't get it. Do they want me to pay roaming charges?

Thanks all for helping

Brock
 
Brock, I think I got your problem now... but still I'm a bit confused... as here in Finland currently we only have GSM (which is digital) and I've never seen phones that can work with digital or analog services.

Also my phone can find total of 6 networks currently (here in Finland) and if I try to set any other network than mine I get "No Access". If I set my own network I get "Home network selected". (If I'm abroad then I can oviously roam in different networks.)

But how did the phone know that I selected my "home network"? The only way being that it is programmed to the SIM card, and that the phone asks the SIM card for the home network and then tries to connect to that. So, I bet the problem really is at the SIM card which is telling your phone that the home network is the digital even though for you it really is the analog. Maybe this is what you should ask from your network. This leaves 2 choices, either get your phone company to reprogram the SIM or change for the digital service (why would you want to stick with the analog?).

Hugo.
 
Ya, I got then to change the hunt order on my phone. They said the reason they program the phone that way is most people don't want to use analog for battery life reasons. They also have a plan that is a bit more expensive , but it shares another digital channel so most people get that plan and then they also don't roam.

Either way it works now and I am happy.

Thanks again for all the info it helped me convince my cell company to "re-program" the phone to suit my needs.

Brock
 
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