Nokia e71 Crashes / Reboots with AT&T 3G

23rd April 2010, 06:34:13

I use a Nokia E71 U.S. version that I got unlocked off amazon a couple of years ago. Its a great phone, but being in the smartphone business for eternity, one would expect Nokia to have figured out the importance of frequent software updates. Whats worse, while the rest of the World gets some updates when Nokia feels generous, the U.S. version seems to have been abandoned (a search for 0569371 shows the mess).

Recently, I hit a serious issue with the phone. My phone now crashes and reboots continuously when I’m at home. Well, it eventually shuts off. The interesting bit is that I see this issue only at home. Turning 3G off does solve the problem. But where’s the fun in that? It turns out that AT&T is upgrading its network and is deploying a third WCDMA channel in certain markets. The e71 and other symbian s60 3G phones have a software bug that makes them reboot continuously in such areas.

Thats still okay, it seems to be a rarely used configuration and Nokia should probably be able to fix it soon enough right? Not so soon! I’ve found instances of people from other regions complaining about this issue since August 2009 and Nokia still does not have a software update with the fix. Here comes the kicker, the last available update for the U.S. e71 version is 200.21.118 (built 27th November 2008). Some versions seem to blessed with a more recent firmware upate though.

I do not think Nokia gets it! The days of releasing a new phone every couple of weeks is gone. Its all in the software now. A great phone like the e71 would have been far more successful with a company who understood the new realities.

PS: AT&T apparently stopped selling the e71x and other s60 in some regions.

Update – 5th May 2010

Nokia finally responded to all the 0569371 complaints and released firmware version 410.21.010 for this e71 product code yesterday. This update seems to have fixed the issue with the 3rd WCDMA channel.

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Rants,Tech

7 Comments

aarjay

How did you upgrade to 410.21.010? I have the same reboot issue with my E71 (0569371). When I try to upgrade the firmware using Nokia software updater, it tells me my firware is latest, which is 200.21.118.

http://jaidev.info Jaidev

When I upgraded, I could see that there was a new firmware version available on entering my product code on this page. However, today that page throws up an error – “Sorry, There was a technical problem. Please try again soon”.

Perhaps Nokia decided to withdraw the update or has server issues. These are not uncommon with Nokia’s firm updates. Unfortunately, you’ll just have to hope and wait for them to fix it!

http://www.tommymandel.com tommym

I experienced the same today as Jaidev’s July 22, 2010 post:
although v.35.0.002 was displayed as available two days ago for my N95 8GB RM-421, model # 0561948 (for the first time!) today there is the same “Sorry, There was a technical problem. Please try again soon”. message referred to in the above post.
That would be great if a new one was on the way. I’ve heard that v.35.0.002 continues problems: freezing when leaving the range of a wi-fi network connection for example; although it may fix the one bothersome bug in (my) v. 20.2.005 firmware – I can’t connect to big city 3G networks (AT&T NYC, e.g.) without random reboots occurring frequently. When I change the Network Setting to GSM, the problem disappears…
http://www.tommymandel.com tommym

Now it’s back up again. the v.35.0.002 N95 8GB update.)

I have heard one user say “DO the v.35 upgrade,”
and another one say “DON’T do it – it sucks!”

So I’m in limbo, but happy, with a working N95 8GB, (except for random reboots when connected by 3G in NYC) with the v. 20.002.5 firmware that it came with.
http://www.tommymandel.com tommym

I did the firmware update to v.35.2.002 today, and so far it’s been GREAT! ! ! ! !

(N95-4 8GB NAM, RM-421 #0561948. AT&T Network, NYC.)

The update didn’t take that long, and although I had backed up, I didn’t have to reinstall my music files, photos or videos. Just the apps. And settings.

Be sure to disconnect any wifi connection before leaving its range.
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