Payt Dongle And Sms

[Mark64]

Hi there

Hoping someone can clarify something for me? I'm using a Vodafone 3G dongle on my laptop (the white Huawei one) and it has automatically installed SMS software which doesn't seem to work. I'm not using a SIM card: I'm just using the dongle to connect to the net.

I've read that the dongles are only set up for data transfer and not SMS and I've read elsewhere that you can receive SMS messages but not send them. So I guess I've got two questions . . .

1 Can you receive SMS messages using the "phone number" on the dongle?

2 If SMS either way doesn't work: why does Vodafone package the software on the dongle in the first place?

Many thanks.

[grahamjones139]

Hi,
I am having exactly the same problem as the person who asked this question originally - using a Top Up and Go dongle, and have been through the following:

Connects to the internet with no problem (Using the supplied software on Windows XP - haven't got it working on Linux yet...).

I can not register for online services like top-up because I do not recieve the SMS message with the registration code, which the web site says it has sent.

I have put the dongle SIM into my phone and tried the following:

• *#100# gives the same phone number as reported by the software.
  
• If I try to make a call or send a text from the phone it fails (I think this is expected as it is a Top up and Go dongle/SIM??
  
• If I try to send a text to the phone containing the dongle SIM, I get a 'Not Sent to xxxxxxx' response, and no SMS message is received.
  

I tried the Text Message troubleshooting web page as suggested, but it does not solve it - it says I need to call customer services. I haven't done that yet.

Any further suggestions appreciated!

[Mark64]

Hi Kirsty


Thanks for the message. I'll have a go at what you suggested and see what happens!

I can send an SMS from my Virgin PAYG phone and the message sends OK but I'm getting nothing on the SMS software.

Like grahamjones I've also tried sending an SMS from my phone (with the Vodafone SIM inserted) with no joy. I haven't even tried registering yet or topping up! Hope it's easier than the SIM side.

But if the techie guys know there's a problem hopefully there will be a resolution soon.

What I would say though is that if the SMS software is packaged with the dongle it should be a bit clearer that, in theory, you can only receive SMS messages. It would save people like me spending ages trying to get it to work both ways.

Thanks again for the reply. Much appreciated.

[Neil_Brown]

Graham - do you mean sending/receiving SMS on VMC for Linux (receiving supported; it sounds like a network issue at the moment), or just getting it to run at all?

[grahamjones139]

Graham - do you mean sending/receiving SMS on VMC for Linux (receiving supported; it sounds like a network issue at the moment), or just getting it to run at all?

Neil,
It's probably best not to clutter this already very busy thread with Linux issues, but for info, it was connecting to the internet I was struggling with - haven't tried SMS from Linux. I had had trouble with the VMC software not running (trouble with python dependencies I think, and haven't had chance to un-pick it). NetworkManager kept just disconnecting with no helpful errors, and wvdial kept bombing out with 'no carrier' errors.
Oddly, after I had put the dongle in the kids' WinXP computer to try to get the SMS bit working, and I put it back in my Ubuntu 8.10 laptop, NetworkManger connected with no trouble. The settings were APN="pp.internet", Username="web", Password="web", which is different to what a number of articles on the internet suggest.
I wonder if the dongle has some settings in flash memory that I had messed up when I was playing....

Thanks for the interest!

Graham

[RetiredTom]

Hi Mark64 and grahamjones,

Thanks for trying the Troubleshooting pages to resolve this. As we've exhausted all the options for solving this on the forum, I've sent you both an email asking for some account details. There must be an actual account issue if neither of you can receive any texts at all, so we'll take a look and figure this out

Tom

eForum Team

[Mark64]

Hi Mark64 and grahamjones,

Thanks for trying the Troubleshooting pages to resolve this. As we've exhausted all the options for solving this on the forum, I've sent you both an email asking for some account details. There must be an actual account issue if neither of you can receive any texts at all, so we'll take a look and figure this out

Tom

eForum Team

Hi Tom

Many thanks for the reply. I've just picked up the email so I'll get those details off to you now. Much appreciated!

Regards, Mark

[Neil_Brown]

Graham - feel free to pop over to Betavine to get some guidance on this- I'm sure we'll be able to help you.

[Mark64]

Yay! Finally managed to receive SMS messages and register (which, in theory, now enables me to top up the dongle using a credit/debit card).



But only after supplying all my relevant details (login name, password etc etc) to Vodafone by email.

The two verification codes I got initially were out of date (they are only valid for 20 minutes). So I started from scratch on my laptop and re-entered my phone number and voila, a new code appeared and everyone lived happily ever after etc.

I guess my original question remains, though, given that this whole process has been slightly less than straightforward:

Why package the SMS software on the dongle if it is not working? From the numerous posts on this forum that much is pretty obvious.

And . . . please, please, please make it clear to future users that the functionality is one way: ie you can receive but not send SMS messages. This isn't clear at all.

Thanks to everyone (the Vodafone moderators, the forum members) for all your help. Very much appreciated.

I'm off to give Adebayor some tips on how to hold onto the ball for more than three seconds.

In a word: effort.

PS I'm not the best striker in the world but, then again, neither is he.

[Retired-Wayne]

Hi Mark64.

Thanks for coming back to us. We'll definitely feedback everything you have said so that implimentations can be made to make things easier for everyone.

You job sounds interesting

Let me know if you have any more questions and we'll be more than happy to help you further

Thanks

Wayne

eForum Team

[Mark64]

Let me know if you have any more questions and we'll be more than happy to help you further
Thanks
Wayne
eForum Team

Hi Wayne

Thanks for the reply. No questions now everything seems to be working: I might be back when I try to top up though!

I suppose in conclusion I'd just like to say that the connection side of the software on the dongle is great. Very straightforward and intuitive: 10 out of 10. So congratulations on that. The SMS side and the registering part though is pretty awful: 0 out of 10. But it sounds like you've taken that on board.

I'm a great believer in credit where it is due (and the moderators do a pretty good job here fighting fires). But if the SMS side was a little better maybe you wouldn't have quite so many fires to put out in the first place.

Hope that helps . . . !