3G Modems for S10-3t are a messy affair

[bananaman]

Hi VideographyLab!

If you dial up with a 3G modem, your are on the 3G network, and you get network's 3G speed in all its glory.

According to AT&T, the username and password are not necessary:

http://www.wireless.att.com/answer-center/main.jsp?t=solutionTab&ft=searchTab&ps=solutionPanels&loca...

Hope this helps!

[VideographyLab]

I used "Live Chat" at AT&T Developers Forum in an effort to get a top level response to the issue posed on this forum Early in the chat we referenced this Lenovo Forum thread http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/IdeaPad-S-series-Netbooks/3G-Modems-for-S10-3t-are-a-messy-affair/td-p/2...

and he scanned through it but seemed clueless.

Here's how the chat ended:

Bob Kiger: The present issue is whether to use HUAWEI "Mobile Partner" or AT&Ts "Global Mobile Client" to make the connect.
Sam: I see. I don't know if the Huawei modem is supported. Let me check.
Bob Kiger: OK
Bob Kiger: The modem works whether it is supported or not. It can connect via "dial up"
Bob Kiger: And when your people up high read the thread they will see that the modem is recommended by Lenovo
Sam: ok. I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with the functionality. Is it working to your expectation?
Sam: Is it supposed to work some other way (other than dialup)?
Bob Kiger: No. Please escalate and have someone very familiar with these issues get back to us with their plan.
Bob Kiger: Yes it is supposed to work seamlessly
Sam: Can you please summarize the problem for me so I can direct it to the right expert?
Sam: Are you using ACM (AT&T Connection Manager)?
Bob Kiger: READ THE THREAD and then RESPOND as we have humbly requested. Please!
Sam: I will forward your link to our Tier 2 tech support and have them contact you directly in email.
Sam: Thank you. Is there anything else I can do?
Bob Kiger: Yes. Let me copy  this IM
Sam: When you exit, please complete our survey and you will be able to request an email transcript of this session.
Bob Kiger: Thank you Sam
Sam: You're welcome. I will send this transcript with your Forum link and you may expect email follow up.
Bob Kiger: Thanks again and Aloha!

Here is the follow up email from AT&T

Bob,

Thank you for using Live Chat tool to communicate with us.
I found out that  support for the Lenovo S10-3t will be available by Q4 this year.
If you have any question or feedback, please let me know.

HC
Sr Product Marketing Manager,
Developer Program, AT&T Mobility

Note from Moderator:  Employee name/e-mail/phone removed to protect their privacy per the forum rules.

[tulisan]

It amazes me why those first lines of support are even called experts when they don't even know a thing about their own product.

From the way he answered, I'd bet Sam is just another offsite call center agent who just looks at the books for answers and hasn't even seen the software or even the modem itself.

[VideographyLab]

A quick update on status of Lenovo after the 3G connection.

1. Frys Electronics agreed to refund $35 of the $100 charged for the installation which we agreed to . . . so they are cool for us.

2. Lenovo S10-3t is connected to T-Mobile at EDGE speed and T-Mobile says it will get to 3G by late August according to T-Mobile store techs.

3. AT&T says they will get the 3G messy business fixed soon so they are in HOLD status right now.

4. Bandwidth is going to be a big problem for all 3G carriers in US because no matter how big the broadband highway they provide, the demand for 3G is insatiable for now because of competition between Apple iPhone, iPads and Droid and Blackberry and Samsung devices.

SO 3G FOR NETBOOKS, TABLETS, COMPUTERS, AND SMARTPHONES ARE STILL A MESSY AFFAIR AND WE CAN EXPECT BIG RESTRICTIONS AND COSTS FOR BANDWIDTH USE HERE IN THE USA.

Cheers,

Bob Kiger - Videography Lab - Oceanside, CA - www.vidiots.us

[VideographyLab]

Ever since we got the T-Mobile connection via HUAWEI Mobile Partner and WiFi via Windows 7 we have been very pleased with the S10-3t UNTIL we tried it in tablet mode. The "rotate screen" button on the left side of the screen, middle button, no longer rotates the tablet screen 90 degrees with each touch.

Called into Level 2 support at Lenovo Philippines just now and very knowledgable guy  helped reload "screen rotation" and "display" drivers, but still the button does not work. He suggested that when the 3G card was installed at Frys Electronics that the tiny connector to the button may have been disconnected. So tomorrow I'm back to Frys  to let them check it and my backup is a Lenovo Repair Depot ticket. Any other thoughts on this?

If not, I'll report back when this next challenge is resolved.

Mahaloha, Bob Kiger

[VideographyLab]

Success! Thanks to all for your help and for an engaging conversation. Our S10-3t is working as it should now.

I did take it to Frys and let them scope out the Rotate Screen button and they agreed with Lenovo Tech that a OneKey Recovery was necessary. Removed all my files and did the OneKey Recovery. Than went to :

http://consumersupport.lenovo.com/ca/en/DriversDownloads/drivers_list.aspx?CategoryID=45252 which has pretty much all of the latest Lenovo software and drivers and just downloaded my modem and reinstalled.

After all we've been through on this I just downloaded the HUAWEI Partner software which is now up on Lenovo Software page and configured it for T-Mobile. And it worked faultlessly. So does the Windows 7 WiFi and the Rotate Screen button. Now we just wait for T-Mobile to get from EDGE to 3G data going and set Mobile Partner up for AT&T.

I think this group is the greatest.

Bob Kiger - Videography Lab - Oceanside, CA, USA

[posorioe]

Hi VideographLab, Tulisan and Leo

I was reading all the posts and i have a little question, where can i buy the Huawei 3G WWAN Card ? i bought my Lenovo S10-3T at US, but i live in Perú (Southamerica) so i want to know  if there are a special store in US where i can get the Huawei 3G WWAN Card or maybe i need to look a store in Japan, China, Philippine, Singapore etc etc ... i need your help ...

Best Regards ..

Patrick

[VideographyLab]

I have been very busy this summer and did not have time to check in with the group. The T-Mobile SIM that worked instantly with HUAWEI Mobile Partner, but at the time T-Mobile had not yet finished 3G infrastructure in my neighborhood.

They now have 3G up and running here and it appears that I can get it one of two ways:

           1.  Configure settings on Mobile Partner to PU the 3G signal
           2.  Get a copy of T-Mobile webconnect software, which comes built into all their USB sticks

Note: T-Mobile support site will not allow a download of the Webconnect software if they do not validate your account to having purchased one of their products for 3G connect???

What would be the best approach to getting and installing this Webconnect software?

Mahaloha,

Bob

[VideographyLab]

In my previous post the final question should have been:

Which of the two options would be the best software approach to bring in T-Mobile 3G service?

Sorry for the correction.

Bob

[flyingbug]

With Huawei em770w you won't be able to connect to tmo 3g as 770w doesn't have tmo's aws frequency (1700mhz); you could however connect in 2g or gsm without problem with 770w.  You need em770u or 770j to connect tmo in 3g speed.