Problems with 3

vinylmusic

I received a free sim from 3 promising lots of advantages
free text, free internet usage (up to a limit)
free calls to other 3 users
free use of skype and msn

The sim didnt work on my phone which was not locked to a provider
A 3 store rep told me I needed a 3G phone

I really wanted a Nokia 5800 but at the time 3 didnt have that phone on paygo
so I bought an unlocked one from carphone warehouse for £199
Installed the 3 sim and everything worked except skype and msn
3 were very helpful. I spent hours on the phone with them trying everything possible
and they finally concluded that my phone was not compatible.

Unbelievably they suggested I trade my nice new expensive phone in on their website (for a rediculously low price) and buy one of theirs

I saw they have exactly the same phone for their contract customers and since then they have introduced it as paygo too

So how on earth can they say mine is incompatible?

Even without Skype and MSN I am better off staying with 3. My son has a 3 handset so we can call eachother for free which saves us both a lot.

I'm curious if anyonre has had similar problems as me and wether anyone has found a fix

OneADay

Have never tried skype myself but have looked into it before.

If you visit the skype web site - you can find compatible versions of Skype for specific phones. There is also Skype Lite version which you can try...

Some discussion regarding skype and 5800 here http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=264211

fiendishlyclever

I've had a Nokia 5800 sim-free on Three since June. Phoning them for help was useless as all they said was unsupported handset. I even had a blacklisted phone (ebay) and they couldn't tell me it was blacklisted, just that it was unsupported (I managed to get a refund for that and buy a new one).

I use Skype downloaded from the Three website and it works fine. There is a problem with MSN messenger because it needs certificates on your phone that are only installed as part of the Three firmware. I have seen people who have pulled off what you need and put it on the internet for download. I don't use messenger so I didn't keep a record of where I found it - either here or here .

Support has improved a little now they have the 5800 on their list of supported phones, but with Three support is always a gamble anyway!

(btw have you updated the firmware on the phone? you can do it from the handset by pressing *#0000# and selecting the update option from the menu)

Jon_01

I believe, from a post on here a while ago, that 3 handset's has amended firmware for use with Skype and MSN which is why a vanilla model won't work. . .

LeeSouthEast

They are working on it. You need to go to the three 'intranet' (for want of a better term) and download their copy of Skype. It doesn't work like a normal skype system (it goes through the phone system, not over the internet).

If you don't have the link, let me know and I'll find it.

Snakeeyes21

fiendishlyclever wrote: »

There is a problem with MSN messenger because it needs certificates on your phone that are only installed as part of the Three firmware. .

Where did you get this nugget of misinformation?
Ive had multiple unlocked, unbrandesd phones on 3 and never had a problem getting MSN to work

robpiggott

must ge tthe version of skype from 3 home site...using the version from the skype home page will not work as it should for free. Im getting a 5800 2morrow so hopefully ill get it to work or the phone will go to the misses!!!

robt_2

Snakeeyes21 wrote: »

Where did you get this nugget of misinformation?
Ive had multiple unlocked, unbrandesd phones on 3 and never had a problem getting MSN to work

Not misinformation at all. Possibly handset specific though.

I have an E71 from 3 (on contract).

Once I installed generic firmware I could not longer install MSN for exactly the reason given. Certificate error.

vinylmusic

fiendishlyclever wrote: »

I've had a Nokia 5800 sim-free on Three since June. Phoning them for help was useless as all they said was unsupported handset. I even had a blacklisted phone (ebay) and they couldn't tell me it was blacklisted, just that it was unsupported (I managed to get a refund for that and buy a new one).

I use Skype downloaded from the Three website and it works fine. There is a problem with MSN messenger because it needs certificates on your phone that are only installed as part of the Three firmware. I have seen people who have pulled off what you need and put it on the internet for download. I don't use messenger so I didn't keep a record of where I found it - either here or here .

Support has improved a little now they have the 5800 on their list of supported phones, but with Three support is always a gamble anyway!

(btw have you updated the firmware on the phone? you can do it from the handset by pressing *#0000# and selecting the update option from the menu)

I just updated my phone like you said

The phone restarted then I got the message
Phone Updates:
Package not compatible with the phone. Contact your service provider
Well I connected wirelessly using my home network. not 3WAP

Also I forgot to mention earlier that I have succeeded in downloading and installing both Skype and MSN but the versions I got were notr from 3
I believe that means I will be charged by 3 for the packet data that gets used during the function of those apps except when I connect wirelessly through home network or a wifi hotspot.
When installed properly through 3 I believe I dont get charged for using them through 3's WAP which is why I wanted 3 in the first place

fiendishlyclever

Snakeeyes21 wrote: »

Where did you get this nugget of misinformation?
Ive had multiple unlocked, unbrandesd phones on 3 and never had a problem getting MSN to work

Here

To get free unlimited messenger on PAYG you need the signed version. Otherwise the internet comes out of any package or credit.

Where did you get your nugget of misinformation from?

fiendishlyclever

vinylmusic wrote: »

Also I forgot to mention earlier that I have succeeded in downloading and installing both Skype and MSN but the versions I got were notr from 3
I believe that means I will be charged by 3 for the packet data that gets used during the function of those apps except when I connect wirelessly through home network or a wifi hotspot.
When installed properly through 3 I believe I dont get charged for using them through 3's WAP which is why I wanted 3 in the first place

To get Skype to work you need the version from Three from their website. It is a rebadged version of the iSkoot program which uses a voice call over the three network rather than packet data.

To access the Three pages to get this you have to connect over their network (or at least I do to view my bill on my handset) rather than over your home Wifi.