N95 on 3UK / 3G networks

swing wrote:
How much does having the phone on a 3G network all the time impact the phone's battery life?

With a combination of a few calls, a few texts, running a few applications - how long are other people finding they get between charges??

If you're not a heavy user of Wi-Fi & Music Player and you only make a moderate number of calls/texts a day, you will EASILY get a whole day battery life on a 3G Network.

Get into the habit of charging your phone every night, even if it doesn't look like it needs charged.

swing wrote:
Is it true that 3UK prevent firmware updates on their smartphones?

A network CANNOT remove the Firmware flashing capability - it's required by Nokia service engineers.
However, a network can refuse to approve the release of specific FW versions on their handsets.
You may need to change your handset product code using NSS before the latest V12 FW is available via NSU

Thanks for the comments.

dez_borders wrote:If you're not a heavy user of Wi-Fi & Music Player and you only make a moderate number of calls/texts a day, you will EASILY get a whole day battery life on a 3G Network.

However, a network can refuse to approve the release of specific FW versions on their handsets.
You may need to change your handset product code using NSS before the latest V12 FW is available via NSU

Worst case 3G scenario : streaming internet radio via a BT HS - from full to flat is around 2.5 hours.
Normal activities (limited 3G and WiFi) will get you around 8-12 hours.
With 3G switched off, you can prolly add 20-30% to battery life on normal activities.
If it's battery life you need and you're into internet radio, get a Sony dumbphone (if it has a streaming-featured app.).
That or carry a second battery around.

To be honest, I'm not into Internet Radio, nor do I want a Sony dumbphone; I'm after a new smartphone to replace a long line of well specced Nokia smartphones, so the N95 looks the most likely next phone.

Although a second battery may be an option, I'm more inclined to get multiple chargers and leave them around home / work / car etc.

swing wrote:
Although a second battery may be an option, I'm more inclined to get multiple chargers and leave them around home / work / car etc.

swing wrote:I'm considering the N95, but having heard (and read) about all the concerns over the battery life, I'm nervous about the N95. I'm thinking about getting the phone on 3UK due to the X-Series and "unlimited" (yes I know it's not unlimited) internet access deals.

However, given one of the tricks to increase battery life is to turn off 3G whenever possible, this concerns me.

How much does having the phone on a 3G network all the time impact the phone's battery life?

With a combination of a few calls, a few texts, running a few applications - how long are other people finding they get between charges??

Are there any specific gotchas about the 3UK branded N95? I believe the WLAN scanning information is removed from the Standby Screen, but are there any other issues?

Is it true that 3UK prevent firmware updates on their smartphones?

I have an N-95 on Three's Talk & Text 900 with an X-Series Gold add-on. X-Series may not be properly unlimited, but it's pretty close, and when I investigated a couple of months ago, it seemed to be the best data deal around.

I'm a reasonably heavy data user. Push email is always on, Widsets gets updated two or three times a day. I stream videos using Orb on my PC, Messenger is usually running, and I update Podcasts every day (Poscasting is the only app I use WiFi for). Believe it or not, I also make phone calls and send a few texts (these phones and their hidden functions, eh?). About the only thing I don't do is video calls (but then, who does?).

I've never run out of power during the day, and usually have 5 or 6 bars left on the battery meter. Having said that, I got into the habit of plugging my phone into the charger every night a long time ago.

I do have a car charger, but only use it when the using the Sat Nav. This seems to drain the battery quickly, but I suspect that's mostly becuase I have the backlight on all the time while navigating.

It's true that there's no WLAN scanning info on the standby screen, but I don't find it too troublesome, especially with a healthy data allowance on 3. It also helps that I get pretty good 3.5g coverage, even out here in the wilds of Shropshire.

As far as firmware goes, I would say Three are a bit on the slow side, but they do release updates. I had an N80 on Three previously, and I installed a couple of updates over the year I had the phone.

All things considered, the tariff I'm on from Three to be the best I've had, and the customer service is OK too.

deebr wrote:I have an N-95 on Three's Talk & Text 900 with an X-Series Gold add-on. X-Series may not be properly unlimited, but it's pretty close, and when I investigated a couple of months ago, it seemed to be the best data deal around.

I'm a reasonably heavy data user. Push email is always on, Widsets gets updated two or three times a day. I stream videos using Orb on my PC, Messenger is usually running, and I update Podcasts every day (Poscasting is the only app I use WiFi for). Believe it or not, I also make phone calls and send a few texts (these phones and their hidden functions, eh?). About the only thing I don't do is video calls (but then, who does?).

I've never run out of power during the day, and usually have 5 or 6 bars left on the battery meter. Having said that, I got into the habit of plugging my phone into the charger every night a long time ago.

I do have a car charger, but only use it when the using the Sat Nav. This seems to drain the battery quickly, but I suspect that's mostly becuase I have the backlight on all the time while navigating.

It's true that there's no WLAN scanning info on the standby screen, but I don't find it too troublesome, especially with a healthy data allowance on 3. It also helps that I get pretty good 3.5g coverage, even out here in the wilds of Shropshire.

As far as firmware goes, I would say Three are a bit on the slow side, but they do release updates. I had an N80 on Three previously, and I installed a couple of updates over the year I had the phone.

All things considered, the tariff I'm on from Three to be the best I've had, and the customer service is OK too.

Pheonix SZ wrote:Your first post.
You Nokia people pop up in every, single bl**dy forum to poo-poo the N95 battery complaint threads.
I'm getting sick of it.
5 or 6 bars after a full day's usage ?
6 bars is a full charge, FGS.
Do you people HONESTLY believe that anyone's buying this BS ?
What a **** !

I don't work for Nokia.
I've never worked for Nokia.
I don't work for any company in any way connected to the mobile phone industry.
My last phone was an N80
Before that a RAZR. Made by Motorola.

My N95 has 7 bars for a full charge, I've just counted them.

Everyone has to have a first post, you know. All I was doing was expressing my opinion, and giving an honest answer about my experiences of using the phone.

I also really like my XBox 360. I don't work for Microsoft, or any gaming company.

If you want something that *really* annoys me about the N95, it's that "view the last picture" button on the side, I keep catching it when I'm holding the phone. Wish I could disable it. I don't like the lack of RAM, and it isn't as stable as previous Nokias I've owned.

Thanks for the welcome, Phoenix, it's nice to know there are people who can raise the art of being wrong and unpleasant to a whole new level.

deebr wrote:I don't work for Nokia.
I've never worked for Nokia.
I don't work for any company in any way connected to the mobile phone industry.
My last phone was an N80
Before that a RAZR. Made by Motorola.

My N95 has 7 bars for a full charge, I've just counted them.

Everyone has to have a first post, you know. All I was doing was expressing my opinion, and giving an honest answer about my experiences of using the phone.

I also really like my XBox 360. I don't work for Microsoft, or any gaming company.

If you want something that *really* annoys me about the N95, it's that "view the last picture" button on the side, I keep catching it when I'm holding the phone. Wish I could disable it. I don't like the lack of RAM, and it isn't as stable as previous Nokias I've owned.

Thanks for the welcome, Phoenix, it's nice to know there are people who can raise the art of being wrong and unpleasant to a whole new level.

How long have you had your 95 ?
If it's less than a week, wait a month and report back about battery.

If you don't work for Nokia, my bad, welcome along.

If you do however, my OP stands.

😉

Pheonix SZ wrote:That WAS me being pleasant. 😃

How long have you had your 95 ?
If it's less than a week, wait a month and report back about battery.

If you don't work for Nokia, my bad, welcome along.

If you do however, my OP stands.

😉

I had my N95 on 9th August (I think), in the first couple of weeks when it was available on 3. I've switched of the continuous WiFi scanning, which probably helps battery life, but I really don't have a problem.

I've had a few Symbian phones: 7650, 6600, N80 and now N95. They've all had their faults, but they've always been ahead of the market. I've also owned a Psion 3a and 5 (I queued outside Dixons to get my 5 on launch day).

I don't work for Nokia.

deebr - thanks for your feedback, which seems nicely positive about 3UK.

swing wrote:Thanks for the comments.
Hmm, that's not as good as I was hoping. I had some early S60 phones, so was used to charging every couple of days, but daily sounds extreme. I guess I'll need to get a car charger - that way it'll get charged most days without me thinking about it.

As I understand it, 3UK held off on the N95 until the v12 firmware came out, so that's not a problem. I guess my question should have been - "is it true 3 rarely approve new firmware releases?". Changing the product code is likely to lose the 3-specific X-Series applications, so I guess I may just have to accept I'll be on v12 firmware for some while.

From what you have said I imagine you will get away with charging the N95 overnight and not need to charge more than once each 24 hours. Apparently it's best with Li-Ion batteries to charge them before they run down to flat, therefore charge it overnight every night regardless of N95s charge indicator.

Generic V12 FW is near perfect, so unless 3UK have seriously messed up, it should not matter too much if the never release another FW update. You are correct in saying that if you de-branded, you might lose some of the 3-specific content, although you might be Ok if you write down all settings and if most of the apps are in a memory card and not internal memory.

For what it's worth, though I suspect this thread has reached its conclusion, I too have found that on 3G I CAN get through a day and still have 4 or 5 bars of battery left. HOWEVER, what actually kills the battery is not the being on the 3G network but actually using it with a data connection, especially in between cells of moderate weakness (like where I work). So, if just having the phone on 3G, and not using IM, with its permanent always on network call, but making the odd email check, my battery is fine at the end of the day. Contrast with (my usual) high data use and IM running all day flattens it in no time, and I generally have to recharge before I leave for home. So I tend to stay on GSM unless I know I'm about to make a heavy data download and so switch to 3G for the increased speed.

Hope that helps and I don't work for Nokia either. 😉