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Help Signal drops completely - HTC Desire S

Removing the battery for an hour? Wow. Doing this every time it fails to get onto the network properly just isn't practical at all. If I still weren't brave enough to downgrade the phone, providing the only long term fix, I think I'd rather sacrifice the 3G connectivity and try the GSM route instead. At least I'd have a consistent 2G signal I could trust, rather than a 3G one I'd have to keep taking out my battery for an hour for and not having a phone at all!
 
Not each time. Just the once. It is a permanent fix, apparently, for signal loss issues on several phones, including the Desire S.

I've no idea if it will solve the problems listed in this thread, but it has to be worth at least a shot. Anyone who tries it will know soon afterwards if it's solved things.
 
My phone got bricked by this update.....I have been dealing with the CarPhone Warehouse in Liffey Valley and they sent my Desire S off for repair 3 weeks ago. I see by their Track Repair online that its now with the manufacturer.

I am dreading getting this thing back and its still got 1.47 on it and I am in the same boat as everyone else.

Anyone else dealing with a third party like this, can I go direct to an O2 Online or store and demand a Sensation replacement like some others have received?
 
notebook said:
Not each time. Just the once. It is a permanent fix, apparently, for signal loss issues on several phones, including the Desire S.

I've no idea if it will solve the problems listed in this thread, but it has to be worth at least a shot. Anyone who tries it will know soon afterwards if it's solved things.
Click to expand...

I can't be 100% but I'm pretty sure I tried this amongst several other similar attempts to fix it and it didn't help. I think a factory reset would be more likely to as per HTC's recommendations but with similar outcomes. Don't get me wrong, if it fixes it for people then great.
 
IrishFamilyGuy said:
My phone got bricked by this update.....I have been dealing with the CarPhone Warehouse in Liffey Valley and they sent my Desire S off for repair 3 weeks ago. I see by their Track Repair online that its now with the manufacturer.

I am dreading getting this thing back and its still got 1.47 on it and I am in the same boat as everyone else.

Anyone else dealing with a third party like this, can I go direct to an O2 Online or store and demand a Sensation replacement like some others have received?
Click to expand...

To my knowledge, and it may be worth checking on something like the moneysavingexpert.com forums for a true position, if you bought the phone from the CPW then your contract is with the CPW and O2 wouldn't have to do a thing.

I don't think that demanding a Sensation is the right way to think about it all. I didn't demand one - I was very kindly offered one from a range of phones having rationally and reasonably explained the situation to several people outside of the usual customer service loops. The Sensation is a noticeably more expensive phone and I consider myself lucky and grateful to have received one. I told everyone so at O2 who helped me along the way.

If you can convince them that the Desire S is currently borked, and you'd be hard pressed on this thread to find evidence of otherwise, the store can offer to refund at least part of your monies paid if it's within a certain time limit from taking it out (which I think is six months) and cancel your contract, or offer you another item of similar specification. Given the range of phones that are out there, there are plenty you could be offered which wouldn't be up to the level of a Sensation. And some of similar spec to the Desire S but which you might not want. That's down to your preference and you can't entirely blame the store for not being able to offer something identical to the Desire S that works - but it does still give you rights.

Your options include:

1) Getting a new phone. See above. Screaming and shouting may get you somewhere - either a replacement phone, or the back of a police car. Being polite and rational may get you further, or may get you nothing. Just remember that the person in the store will probably not be knowledgeable about the issue but it will definitely not be their fault. Speaking to a manager will almost certainly get you further. You takes your chances.

2) Waiting for an official fix that may come tomorrow or may never come. We have heard anecdotal evidence that one is coming from O2 on September 29th, but to be honest I wouldn't believe that fully until it's installing on your phone. You would also have to assume it would fix the issue - personally, I'd be surprised if it didn't, but you takes your chances.

3) Try one of the workaround fixes that have been suggested on here - taking the battery out and waiting an hour, switching to airplane mode and then switching back, switching to GSM only and having just a 2G signal.. Personally I don't believe any of these work or are practical in the long term, but you takes your chances.

4) Downgrading the software yourself. HTC, O2 etc. say it can't be done. Consider HTC and O2 incompetent in this regard because they're wrong. There are risks involved but you are virtually guaranteed to get your phone back to the same state it was in before you upgraded. This is assuming you wouldn't rather do #1. Instructions for this are in my signature, and you would have to balance out the small risk of making a mistake against the number of calls you miss while you wait for an official fix. To my knowledge, the process does not invalidate receiving any future official updates.. but you takes your chances.
 
@clubber1974

You have to tell the phone you don't want it look for the latest version of the ROM, otherwise it will keep prompting you to download it.

Menu > Settings > About phone > Software updates > uncheck 'Scheduled check'. You can do a manual check whenever you want to download the then current version.
 
Unfortunately even with the old software I'm still having the issue - at work or at home (both of which aren't great for signal so a good test) I have no signal still. In the car, it's very on and off.

Previously I would get enough signal at home/work that I'd get emails and call and I could use the phone while driving between them without it dropping out. Now it's constantly dropping and I basically get no calls/texts at home or work.

I'm now thinking that the phone itself is knackered and it's just a coincidence that the update seemed to coincide with it.

I think I'll update back to S-on (any suggestions how?) and redo the 1.47 update then return it to t-mobile. Hassle :mad:
 
I've PM'ed you how to return to S-ON.

I believe posting how publicly on this thread (yes notebook, I know it's already out there in more technical places) may hinder people's ability to return their phone under warranty in the long run.
 
Same problem here guys!
I've been on to Vodafone- same old same old with them.
I alos emailed HTC, to which they replied with:

"HTC are aware of this current issue, and are working on a software fix to solve this problem. We are unsure of exactly when this update will be ready, but any news will be available either through our facebook page, or through our website."

So they are on the case!:rolleyes:
 
Hi tazzababe and welcome to the Android Forums' HTC Bingo!

You've already marked off the first line of your card containing "We are aware of the problem and are fixing it (but we don't know when)."

To win the game though, you also have to mark off:

- "Try changing your SIM card, it's most likely that."
- "Try a factory reset, it's most likely that."
- "Send us your phone to repair it - that'll fix it."
- "Sorry, I don't know my a*se from my elbow!"
- "It's a network issue and we are not responsible."
- "Problem..? What problem!"

Why not try contacting HTC again for an entirely different response and seeing if you're a winner!

Thanks for playing HTC Bingo - free with every HTC Desire S! :)
 
:rolleyes:"HTC BINGO" haha love it!

So, I phoned Voddafone today. Told them what HTC said and they offered to send me a new phone. They don't know if it will have the new update on it but I can check and send it back if I'm not happy.

Likelihood is it will have the new version on it. Aaah well, I'm happy that Vodafone seem so keen to help me- not used to this level of service:D
 
@tazzababe,

I am glad to hear that Vodafone are offering to replace your phone. But I can be almost 100% certain that it will be shipped out with the latest problamatic firmware installed. As other people who have had new phones sent out to them have had it preinstalled.

The only way to downgrade would be to "Private Message" Schnide and ask him to talk you through the process of downgrading the software yourself, or await a new software version to come out. There is talk of one for O2 coming out around the 29th Sept. So I would probably hold on downgrading and seeing if a newer software comes out to fix the problem first.
 
solorize said:
@tazzababe,

The only way to downgrade would be to "Private Message" Schnide and ask him to talk you through the process of downgrading the software yourself, or await a new software version to come out. There is talk of one for O2 coming out around the 29th Sept. So I would probably hold on downgrading and seeing if a newer software comes out to fix the problem first.
Click to expand...

Not quite - Schnide posted downgrade instructions here:
http://androidforums.com/htc-desire-s/396171-signal-drops-completely-htc-desire-s-5.html#post3213686 which work perfectly (though read them carefully!)

He PM'd me details on something different.
 
Thanks solorize - a permanent link to the instructions are here:

http://androidforums.com/htc-desire-s/396171-signal-drops-completely-htc-desire-s-5.html#post3213686

It should be in my signature but I think keeps getting removed somehow.

As for waiting for a new software release or deciding to downgrade.. that really is your choice. I do think it's possible your new phone might arrive with the older software as each company's stock will differ, but the option is there either way. It might be worth pushing Vodafone to find out if/when a new version is coming and decide from there.

Edit: clubber1974 beat me to it!
 
I sent an email requesting changing phones due to this issue, preferably to a non-HTC phone as what they have done is a school boy error and for a company trying to dominate a market is unacceptable. I guess the positive with the iPhone is all the phones run off the same OS so updating the firmware is straight forward to them as they can concentrate on the same thing. I certainly won't be ugrading to a new HTC at the end of my contract….

Anyway, my response from o2:

Under the terms of the manufactirer's and suppliers warranty, a handset can only be exchange for an alternative model within 14days of the contract starting or upgrading. Once outwith this period, it falls upon the manufacturer's warranty only. Based on this knowledge, it is highly unlikely that HTC would pay anything towards another handset even if still one of their own. Inscribed in the O2 T&C's and the manufacturer's warranty, a handset has to be attempted to be repaired first and only if it cannot be repaired would it be replaced, replaced with the same model. If you would like to discuss the options available regaridng your warranty, please feel free to call HTC on the matter on 08458900079 or visit HTC .
Click to expand...

So it looks like I will be struggling to get anything except a brand new HTC Desire S with the old firmware installed. An inconvinience for me as I will lose all my contacts, settings etc and probably not have a phone for a while due to the incompetence of HTC.

My main issues with this firmware:

1. Phone Calls. Many phone calls don't come through and go straight to voicemail.
2. SMS. Yesterday for example, 6pm I received around 10 text messages, all with time stamps between 2pm and 4:30pm.

Not impressed with HTC, especially as this has been happening for a while now and they have produced no fix.
 
Winchy, I was three months - quite noticeably over 14 days - into my contract and I have a brand new Sensation. I'd strongly advise you to read back over this thread for your real options, which include making the handset you have workable again by fixing it yourself or not just relying on an email to get everything sorted.

solorize has already benefitted on here from switching tactics and also has a replacement phone from O2.

Let me put it this way, which of these three options would you be most likely to cave in on when you owe me
 
schnide said:
Winchy, I was three months - quite noticeably over 14 days - into my contract and I have a brand new Sensation. I'd strongly advise you to read back over this thread for your real options, which include making the handset you have workable again by fixing it yourself or not just relying on an email to get everything sorted.

solorize has already benefitted on here from switching tactics and also has a replacement phone from O2.

Let me put it this way, which of these three options would you be most likely to cave in on when you owe me
Click to expand...
 
I understand and I'm usually the same but trust me, this is not one of the occasions where email conversations (especially with O2, who at least until fairly recently had their email helpdesks in India) will get you very far. You'll have proof of conversation, but only proof of how little you've got. Everyone on here I'm aware of has got somewhere by talking to someone - again, I urge you to read back through this thread.

A seemingly random tip: When you're talking on the phone, if you have confidence issues then stand up when you talk! It works :)

Additionally, I'd suggest you don't ask for a Sensation because it'll look like you're taking the p*ss. They legally only have to replace like for like, assuming that the laws I have in mind even cover contract phones where you may technically just be getting a service and the phone for free. Let them offer you what they say is reasonable and if you don't think it is, explain why. I was only lucky that they offered me the Sensation from a range of phones after several avenues of resolving it kept me running in circles.

I would also suggest that if you're on the same network as your mum, you do both at the same time and cite us on the forum as being in similar situations. It will add weight to the argument that this issue exists, where it's currently not being consistently admitted to by the networks.

A good tone for you to pursue is to talk to a manager and say "We have phones that we can't currently use as a phone, and so we're paying you money for a network we can't use reliably either - what can you do to help us?"

Not because it's cynically exploiting your position, but because it's true.

(Or downgrade your phones, or wait for an official fix. Again, read through the thread).
 
I can confirm exactly what schnide has said. I went the route of emailing and also sent in a complaint email. Which didn't get me anywhere. So I called up customer services who then put me onto another person and ended up with a reconditioned Sensation. I got my Desire S back in April this year so was well out of the 14day return policy. I feel the reason I got the Sensation was because I explained my problem and all the things I did to try and get it sorted. Then said I couldnt use my phone for its primary function. The network providers do not have to give u a better phone they can offer an exact replacement model at the most. And generally its only after u have given them chance to try and repair it first. You have nothing to lose by giving them a call and a lot to gain. :) If you call them up just write down some quick bullet points of the problem, what you have done to try and get it resolved so far. so when you are on the phone to them you can have something infront of you to help get your point across. I always do this do so i don't forget something if the conversation drifts away from the point i am trying to make. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
 
Knowing that I wouldn't resolve it soon and I had no phone effectively I gave in and just used the guide to revert it to a previous firmware using that ROM.

I didn't read the instructions underneath the video though, I thought that was after thoughts, so I think I've rooted by phone too.

Time to research what that means……..
 
Guys, hello there. This has been a marathon of a journey you have been on. Took me a good while to read through all the threads.

Over the weekend I have experienced 2 instances off 'total wipeout'. I am with Orange network but purchased phone via Carphone Warehouse.

The phone has been fine today but will be onto the CPW like a rash if I see it appearing again. Love the phone but pretty much raging as two months in to my contract CPW had to send the phone back to HTC as the battery catch was loose which ment the phone kept switching off.

Even though this is a separate fault. Does anyone have a view of on what my strategy should be when going into to speaking to CPW? The phone has been sent away already (which to just under 4 weeks), sending it back again will take another 3 weeks, and not even fix the issue?
 
Winchy said:
Knowing that I wouldn't resolve it soon and I had no phone effectively I gave in and just used the guide to revert it to a previous firmware using that ROM.

I didn't read the instructions underneath the video though, I thought that was after thoughts, so I think I've rooted by phone too.

Time to research what that means
Click to expand...
 
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