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< Esato Forum Index > Sony Ericsson / Sony > General > is anyone else who has the k700i on orange missing the "shortcuts" menu? Bookmark topic

I'll jump onto the band wagon. Just sent this to SE:

I have an Orange branded K700i. As you are no doubt aware the phone's software has been butchered by removing features one would expect to be on a SE phone. After contacting Orange they informed me that it was your (SE's) fault that the Orange branded software is so unusable as you (SE) had programmed the software. With this advice they also advised me to try to get the phone reflashed at a SE centre. This failed becuase (I am told by the SE centre) the phone is locked. This in turn obviously means that I can never update the sfotware to fix any bugs that may become apparent. After telling Orange this, they again blamed you (SE) for not allowing the reflash. I would like to know your reply to this. My aim is to have an SE K700i phone with normal software, either by replacing the phone (because Orange have supplied a phone so unlike to the phone I thoguht I was buying, it is unusable) or have the software reflashed. This problem has been going on for over a month now and I would like a swift resolution if at all possible! Many thanks, Phil Small
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Posted: 2004-08-05 15:08:28
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Be very interested to see a reply from that phil!

This has gone on for far too long, Down with customization of software!!
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Posted: 2004-08-05 15:29:57
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Thanks DW123!

Just sent the following the the email address you provided:

Dear sir/madam,

I, like many other owners, wish to register my strong dissatisfaction at the poor customisation of the original firmware on the recently released Orange K700i phone. I have owned Ericsson/Sony Ericsson phones for several years and have become accustomed to and appreciative of the very useful shortcut features included with these phones. These remained after orange customised the T68/68i, and the T610, however it has for some reason been removed from
the K700i. This is not satisfactory, and neither Orange nor the retailer I purchased the phone from have been able to resolve the problem.

Please be assured that this IS a problem, and not an error in the manual as has been alleged by Orange customer services on many occasions. The feature is standard on all recent SE phones and is included on the un-branded K700.

I would like to have a phone that operates as it was intended to by Sony Ericsson. The loss of both shortcuts (the 'More' button as well as the joystick shortcuts) is in my opinion appalling!

I look forward to hearing how you intend to resolve this issue for me.


RESPONSE

Further to your recent email, I am sorry to learn of your dissatisfaction
with the Sony Ericsson K700i. Orange install their own software to enable
the phone to work at the optimum level with our SIMs.

We have no plans to introduce any new firmware for your phone. You can
download any available firmware from third parties, however, we do not
support this and it would be done entirely at your own risk.

Whilst I appreciate this may not be to your satisfaction, I trust this is
explanatory.



[ This Message was edited by: Penti on 2004-08-05 15:08 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Penti on 2004-08-06 11:28 ]
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Posted: 2004-08-05 16:06:22
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Ok - here is my contribution!!

I am writing to you to register my disappointment upon discovering that Orange has chosen to make, what I consider, major changes to the user interface on the Sony Ericsson K700.

I was intending to upgrade to the K700 when my contract comes up for renewal next week. However I have now discovered that you have chosen to remove at least two of the most desirable features of this phone.

You have chosen to completely remove the "shortcuts" system. I use this extensively since it gives me the ability to choose what function the "left joystick" function has. Since I use WAP an awful lot, I have the left joystick on my T610 set to "bookmarks" so that I can get to the bookmarks quickly.

I also note that you have chosen the replace the "more" soft key on the idle screen with an (additional) "camera" button. The phone already has a camera button on the side of the phone - so this seems particularly silly! The "more" button permits access to useful items like "switch off Bluetooth", "turn on silent" etc which are difficult to get to using the rest of the user interface.

I am now in a bit of a quandary.

I could leave Orange and go to another service provider who have not chosen to change the user interface, or I could wait until Orange "comes to its senses" and decides to restore these functions!

I look forwards to your reply.

Regards

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Posted: 2004-08-05 16:16:54
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I too have written to Orange - the same to both their correspondence and executive address. I wrote to the former 3 weeks ago but have received no response and they refused to put me through to the dept when I rang 150.

The email was too long to include here. I really encourage others to do this, in this commerical climate its only the weight of customer feeling that makes a difference.
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Posted: 2004-08-05 18:15:08
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I got my second reply from orange on tuesday and have send this back to them, i have also emaild the ex email addres and hopping for a reply, also emailed SE this evening too :

Thank you for your reply and I would like to be advised when a firmware flash is avaiable to rectify the problems listed and where I can obtain it from, also I would like to ask if your intending to do anything about the battry life. On the Sony Ericsson website they state that the phone has a maxium life off 300 hours on any GSM network I have about 2 days useage out of my phone after having it for 3 weeks now and I have been following all the recommended charging prociduers from sony for this phone and battry.

I would also like to know where my nearest sony ericsson service center is so that I can take the phone there if needed

Thanks in advance

Jody Farenden

-----Original Message-----
From: customer.services@orange.co.uk [mailto:customer.services@orange.co.uk]
Sent: 03 August 2004 18:43
To: lotk@blueyonder.co.uk
Subject: RE: Case 1215053 Technical Query

Dear Jody

Thank you for your mail Regarding the K700i.

I would like to advise you that it would appear that Orange have reduced some functionality of this phone which has been escalated to an area in technical support that deal solely with handset designs.

WE are investigating this to determine why this function was removed and if it will be restored in the near future.

I apologise for any inconvenience and trust this information is helpful to you.

Kind regards

Dave
Orange Customer Services


---------- Original Message: ----------
I have contacted Sony Ericsson on this matter and they assure me that the handset in question dose have the short cut menu, so I wish to know why Orange have decided to remove and not support option as all the other major network providers have enabled this function. In my opinion you have removed one of the most important features on the phone an I would like to see you either release a software patch/upgrade to rectify the issues with this handset (and so would many other users of the K700i), also I would like to point out that you should have initiated a recall for the misprinted manual's as this leads your customers like myself and many of the users of http://www.www.esato.com to believe that you are not committed to serving your customers, and just want our money, if so please let me know and I will purchase my K700i from another network and also take my contract there (I don't think they will mind providing me with an unbranded K700i that operates as the manufacturer intended it to)

I await your reply

Jody Farenden

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Posted: 2004-08-06 00:38:27
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Is anybody else here worried that Orange will do the same to the eagerly awaited S700?

I have to admit, that although they have their faults, I like the customer service of orange compared to other networks, but if they totally screw up the S700, I, along with many other Orange customers will start to look elsewhere. So c'mon, if anyone from Orange is reading this, please dont screw around with the S700!!!

Maybe we should all start emailing Orange and ask them not to do this?
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Posted: 2004-08-06 01:47:20
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Just sent:

--------

Thank you for your response to my enquiry. Whilst not being satisfied with the product Orange has supplied I'm grateful for your concise answers. If I were able to have my phone re-flashed with SE's original software I would do so, however it seems that Orange have even prevented this by locking the phone against it.

As orange has failed to provide a handset which works in the way it was intended to do so be SE, perhaps you could tell me how I can resolve this. Having upgraded my phone I am now tied into another twelve month contract. The retailer (Carphone Warehouse) would not stand by Orange's 7/14 day money back policy and your customer services were obviously unable to provide a fully functioning replacement handset. You should by now be aware that there are many dissatisfied K700i/Orange customers out there due to this issue. You should also be aware that by continuing this policy of removing functionality from handsets, both Orange and Sony Ericsson will lose customers:

http://www.esato.com/board/viewtopic.php?topic=61978

-------

I cc'd the address CPW provide for Ericsson but this failed. Anyone have a good email address for someone at ericsson who might actually care?
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Posted: 2004-08-06 13:14:28
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Guys, got this reply from SE, sounds good!!

I will try and answer your query.

We cannot remove Orange software from a phone under normal circumstances. You will have to talk to Orange in order to see if this would violate your contract with Orange.

If everything is OK, you would then need to talk to:
Hay's Technology,
Unit 2A
Appletree Road
Chipping Warden
Banbury
OX17 1LL

You can also contact them on
0129 566 2101

Fopr more guidance

Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again for further help and support.


Lets all give them a call!!
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Posted: 2004-08-06 13:36:36
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Are there any further new updates to this issue? I have just got my Orange K700i with the same problem!
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Posted: 2004-08-06 14:36:01
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