Sony Ericsson Satio U1a: Why is it still on Telecom's shelves?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Sony Ericsson Satio U1a: Why is it still on Telecom's shelves?

Indio

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#62790 14-Jun-2010 22:09

I posted in the Handsets Forum seeking help with my brand-spanking new SE Satio which I picked up last Friday - and either those who have them have no problems with theirs, or there aren't too many users. I am painfully coming to the latter conclusion.

The more I research into the Satio, the more I'm starting to wonder why Telecom is still selling a phone with as many problems as this POS - even in the 3 or so days I've had mine. Here are the issues I've experienced with this phone so far:
1: I have had calls switched to voicemail, without the Satio ringing at all. I've tested it by calling the phone from a landline with the phone on the table in front of me, same thing. I'm lucky if I receive 1 incoming call in 5-6. I'm not sure whether this is an XT issue or not: sufficed to say I never had this much trouble with the E75.
2: SE do not have any 64-bit drivers for this POS to enable sync'ing with my XP-Pro x64 OS. Believe me I've searched the www and even tried the recommended workaround - no joy;
3: I've syn'ced with a "normal" 32-bit OS PC and managed to communicate with the phone - until I tried to update the Satio software through the SE PC Suite: the phone froze, and then dumped the link!! No subsequent success!!
4: The touch-screen has its own mind: at times, it's very responsive. Most of the time it hangs - and then eventually responded!
5: Volume is pathetic;
... I won't even mention the number of times this thing freezes when I switch it on!!

I'm taking this rubbish phone back to Telecom Mobile in the morning and will probably go back to another E75.
Rant over....

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Spark NZ

#341724 14-Jun-2010 22:32

Do you know what version SIM card you have? If you have one from launch (V1) it might be worth while upgrading to V2 (free of charge) as some of the symptoms you are experiencing can occur in fringe coverage, or when you're phone's signal connection is moving from one site to another.

nzbnw

Indio

153 posts

Master Geek

#341737 14-Jun-2010 22:55

Thanks for the comments. I upgraded to the Satio as a replacement for my E75 which I lost last Thursday, paying the extra. I assume the SIM card is a V2: how can one tell if it's a V2?
I never had any problems linking to the E75 from my x64 PC. I did ask the shop sales assistant who served me and he assured me that I'd have no problem. Ironically, when I spoke to someone else at the same store, he had no idea.

The issue is not whether the sales staff are expected to be experts on a phone which from all accounts was removed from shelves by some retailers off-shore because of technical issues with it. Since I started searching for information of the Satio, I've come across a lot of unhappy Satio users all over the place - just none, evidently, in godzone.

nickd

447 posts

Ultimate Geek

#341740 14-Jun-2010 23:14

Indio: I assume the SIM card is a V2: how can one tell if it's a V2?

I also wish to know the answer to this.

Visionnz

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#341742 14-Jun-2010 23:55

Try updating the software always a good place to start,:)

http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/support/softwaredownloads/detailed/updateservice/satio?cc=au&lc=en

michaelmurfy

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#341757 15-Jun-2010 01:51

Visionnz: Try updating the software always a good place to start,:)

http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/support/softwaredownloads/detailed/updateservice/satio?cc=au&lc=en

3: I've syn'ced with a "normal" 32-bit OS PC and managed to communicate with the phone - until I tried to update the Satio software through the SE PC Suite: the phone froze, and then dumped the link!! No subsequent success!!

He's already tried.

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Behodar

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#341760 15-Jun-2010 03:16

The V1 SIM has a black bottom with the Telecom logo, and V2 is white with the XT logo.

Indio

153 posts

Master Geek

#341763 15-Jun-2010 05:59

Behodar: The V1 SIM has a black bottom with the Telecom logo, and V2 is white with the XT logo.

Thanks for the information: on that basis, my SIM card is V2.

The more worrying aspect about this phone is the apparent lack of support from Sony Ericsson - even the Satio Users' Forum on the SE website http://talk.sonyericsson.com/thread/1081 is full of unhappy Satio owners venting their frustrations at the lack of response from SE to the problems.

The silence is deafening from Telecom on why they're continuing to sell this POS to the public, knowing the raft of issues associated with it. I would not want anyone else to suffer the same experience I've had. Imho, Telecom should pull this product and dump is back on Sony Ericsson.

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NealR

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#341771 15-Jun-2010 08:20

Have you highlighted your issues to anyone in Telecom via 123 or in a shop?

Can I suggest you do.

I am terribley sorry that you found that the Handsets forum on this site did not provide you with a response however as you did not mention that you purchased this device from Telecom we struggle with telepathy.

My recommendation is that you take your phone back to a shop so they can attempt to resolve your issues.

The comments I write on this forum do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer and as such cannot be taken as official statements of my employer.

Indio

153 posts

Master Geek

#341779 15-Jun-2010 08:45

NealR: Have you highlighted your issues to anyone in Telecom via 123 or in a shop?

Can I suggest you do.

I am terribley sorry that you found that the Handsets forum on this site did not provide you with a response however as you did not mention that you purchased this device from Telecom we struggle with telepathy.

My recommendation is that you take your phone back to a shop so they can attempt to resolve your issues.

You might struggle with telepathy: every other respondent had no problem with comprehension. The title of the thread plus the reference to "Telecom" and "sales assitant" as qualifiers might have been strong hints for those who do not rely on telepathy, that I purchased this POS from Telecom...you think??

Thanks for stating the obvious: been there done that. None of the techos I spoke to before I returned to the Telecom store were aware of the issues with x64 XP drivers, nor could they help with the fact I was receiving 1 out of 5-6 calls. Nor could they offer any insight into why this POSS (POS Satio) freezes more often than not. Nor could they offer any insight into why I could not update the POSS software using the Sony Ericsson tools. Nor could they offer any insight <<insert your favourite defect here - this POSS probably has it!!>>

..so guess where I'm returning this POSS to...<<hint: thread title>>. And while we're at it, why is Telecom still selling this POS, given the technical problems associated with it? Someone within Telecom Mobile must know about the problems - I can't be just the unlucky sob who picked a lemon Sony Ericsson phone...

freitasm

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#341789 15-Jun-2010 09:09

Indio:
NealR: Have you highlighted your issues to anyone in Telecom via 123 or in a shop?

Can I suggest you do.

I am terribley sorry that you found that the Handsets forum on this site did not provide you with a response however as you did not mention that you purchased this device from Telecom we struggle with telepathy.

My recommendation is that you take your phone back to a shop so they can attempt to resolve your issues.

You might struggle with telepathy: every other respondent had no problem with comprehension. The title of the thread plus the reference to "Telecom" and "sales assitant" as qualifiers might have been strong hints for those who do not rely on telepathy, that I purchased this POS from Telecom...you think??

NealR was talking about your other thread, which is titled "Sony Ericson U1 Satio-PC Suite Problems". It doesn't mention Telecom in the subject on that one.

Indio: Thanks for stating the obvious: been there done that. None of the techos I spoke to before I returned to the Telecom store were aware of the issues with x64 XP drivers,

There aren't many Windows XP 64 drivers out there, even for more mainstream products. If you want 64 bit driver support, I suggest you upgrade to Windows 7.

Indio: Someone within Telecom Mobile must know about the problems - I can't be just the unlucky sob who picked a lemon Sony Ericsson phone...

Not necessarily. A lot of people don't return phones, don't even complain - simply dump on the next person on Trade Me and go about their lives buying a new device.

From what I've seen here in the forums, the last complain about a Telecom handset ended up with the tech folks finding a problem existed while updating the phone. They now have advised the stores about it and asked people who had the problem to return to store to have it updated.

If people don't complain, things don't get fixed. And I don't mean in store, but calling 123. Store people are not technicians and they have limited possibilities of fixing things - all handsets are just forwarded. If you don't notify Telecom, then Telecom can't notify the stores.

Yes, there are some tech savvy people in the shops, but you shouldn't assume everyone is a tech person.

NealR

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#341797 15-Jun-2010 09:24

My recommendation remains: take the device back to a shop and ask them to have it sent away to be checked.

We do know that there is a recent maintenance release for the firmware that improves overall performance.

The comments I write on this forum do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer and as such cannot be taken as official statements of my employer.

Indio

153 posts

Master Geek

#341799 15-Jun-2010 09:30

freitasm:

NealR was talking about your other thread, which is titled "Sony Ericson U1 Satio-PC Suite Problems". It doesn't mention Telecom in the subject on that one.

Fair enough. But I did post in the generic Handset Forum hoping to elicit replies on the PC Suite-Saito problems, not a specific thread about Telecom. I assume Neal is from Telecom?? I still believe it's a valid question to ask why Telecom has this product on their shelves. The problems I've experienced, and experienced by many Saito owners, are not network- or provider-specific: they appear to be technology specific. Perhaps the fact there aren't many complaints (that we're aware of, in NZ)about this specific SE phone is an indicator of how many have been sold. Sony Ericsson's silence is frighteningly ominous..

Yes, there are some tech savvy people in the shops, but you shouldn't assume everyone is a tech person.

The techos referred to were on 123.

joff_nz

446 posts

Ultimate Geek

#341842 15-Jun-2010 10:57

Just for the record, my Satio works perfectly, hasn't had any of the issues described above.

Just follow the advice you have been given. Return it to a store, have it sent away to be serviced. The device will be fixed or replaced, all will be well in the world.

astra

69 posts

Master Geek

#341858 15-Jun-2010 11:13

Surprisingly this sort of thing does happen with hardware. Doesn't mean that it doesn't happen to a few people. This could just be a one off problem with your handset.

Not much point having a go at people from Telecom, due to the fact they supply the hardware. The problem is with the hardware and Telecom can get it sent away for you to the repair agency which can then look to diagnose the problem.
It's not really Telecom's fault that the product is faulty? They provide a solution, which is to get it sent to the repair agency to get it looked at - under warranty.

That's all you can do!

Indio

153 posts

Master Geek

#342168 16-Jun-2010 08:01

joff_nz: Just for the record, my Satio works perfectly, hasn't had any of the issues described above.

Just follow the advice you have been given. Return it to a store, have it sent away to be serviced. The device will be fixed or replaced, all will be well in the world.

At last - someone with the same phone. When you updated your phone software, what version did you end up with? I've managed to update mine on yet another PC, and I ended up with the following:
Software version: 1218-9500_R1CA037, Software version date 19-11-09.
Custom version 1224-3789_R1BA027, Custome version date 29-11-09

Some on the SE forum are saying the s/ware version ought to be R2AK006, dated February-2010.
Ah well - back to the Telecom shop

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