X10 firmware update, when (if?) is it coming?

[Anonymous]

Seeing as how the rest of the world has this update (including O2 in Ireland) does anyone know if this will ever see the light of day in the UK?

The last I heard from tech support is that there was 'no timescale' for the new firmware. Back in my dark days in IT that usually meant 'when we can be bothered' or 'never'. A pity, seeing as it solves quite a few issues and improves performance of the phone.

Have O2 gone down the road of the X1, Aino and Satio and just abandoned the X10? Or is it worth waiting? Or do we just de-brand to get support from Sony Ericsson?

[Anonymous]

I sent a mail to O2 asking about the firmware and pointed out the difficulty many of us are having, I received this:-

> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:48:40 +0100
> From: o2selectservice@o2mail.co.uk
> To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: O2:- Firmware query (KMM520428681I103L0KM)
>
> Hello Neil
>
> Thanks for your email about the latest firmware for your Sony Ericsson
> Xperia X10 phone. I'm sorry to know that you were unable to get any
> information about this.
>
> In order to download the software for your phone, please click on the
> link below:
>
> http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/support ... c=gb&lc=en
>
> You can also call our Customer Services team, once again, on 0844 809
> 0202. They'll transfer your call to our Data Support team, who'll be
> happy to help you. They're available from:
>
> - Monday to Friday ? 8am to 9pm
> - Saturday ? 8am to 8pm
> - Sunday ? 8am to 6pm.


Suffice to say my reply was prompt and this was the email I sent :-

iThank you for your response to my question.
Unfortunately your reply has not addressed my query. You directed me towards the Sony Ericsson website which does have an update to download, but as mine is O2 branded it wont allow the download. Now without wishing to sound matter of fact I shall again explain the problem.
Sony Ericsson have released the firmware upgrade for the X10 and if you have a generic phone you will get this either via the website or via the air.
All major networks have had the software through the branding system and have released it to their customers, including some of O2s sister companies but O2 Uk has not and seems either oblivious to this or are not interested.
There are numerous X10 forums where many users with O2 are experiencing serious issues with the phones performance which would be helped by the firmware download.
In my contact with O2 I have been met with near hostility trying to explain this firmware exists and ignored when I explain that on the official O2 forum the problem has been discussed.
I can only conclude the following, O2 are so wrapped up in all things Apple that it has no time for us X10 users. Therefore, as I have a phone that has recognised inherent problems which the manufacturer means to address with an update I have a 'faulty' phone and as O2 are not releasing the required update I would be entitled to cancel my contract and take my business elsewhere. As an example, if this were a motorcar who's manufacturer issued a recall and my franchise ignored this recall to have the problem fixed there would be an outcry. Phone car or microwave oven it makes no difference.
I will allow you to investigate this again and see if someone makes a decision as to this matter, if not then I will be seeking the correct advice in parting company with O2.

This is what I found in my inbox this morning :-

From: o2selectservice@o2mail.co.uk
> To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: O2:- Customer Service (KMM521138215I103L0KM)
>
> Hello Neil
>
> Thanks for replying to the previous email. I'm sorry for the
> inconvenience caused to you.
>
> I'd like to inform you that the firmware software is currently not
> available with us Neil. I'm really upset to learn about the difficulties
> you've been facing in getting this resolved. However, you can get it
> from any O2 store. To locate the nearest O2 store, please click on the
> link given below:
>
> http://o2.asymmetry.co.uk/
>
> To get information on the firmware software, you can call the Sony
> Ericsson manufacturer on 0870 523 7237. Alternatively you can check the
> information on the link given below:
>
> http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/?direct=true
>
> I hope the above information helps. If you need any further help, please
> reply to this email visit our online Help Centre at:
>
> http://www.o2.co.uk/help
>
> Have a pleasant evening.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Radhika
> O2 Customer Service
>
> Getting your query right the first time you email us is very important
> to us. If your query has not been resolved this time, please reply to
> this email with the words 'Need More Help' in the subject field.
>
> Telefónica O2 UK Limited, Registered in England No 1743099. Registered
> Office: 260 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4DX.
>


WHAT A FARCE!

[Anonymous]

I agree with most of the above, the situation is now a disgrace. I have Tweeted O2 twice in the last week, but have had no reply. They reply to almost every other tweet within an hour or so, although most of them seem to be about iPhone related issues. It seems the network does not really care about non-Apple customers. Almost every other network in the world carrying the X10 has released the firmware update, even including O2 Ireland! I actually think the worst thing is the completely ignorant responses and emails that O2 provide when enquiries are made, such as by the poster above who was told to contact Sony Ericsson!

[Anonymous]

ive tweeted 02 three times today but twice in the past two weeks i was told ages ago 02 would have it by the end of the month, this is ridiculous there are many x10 customers being forgotten its just wrong.

seems the only way to get the update is to rebrand the phone but i cant without risking warranty and dont wish to rebrand it.

i think this is getting ridiculous i agree the o2 twitter page has a main response for iphone 4 users with signal problems and still continue to. customer service are usually kind with me but this stuff with the update is a joke it shouldnt be taking this long to sort out its totally out of line and should have been sorted long before now. i intend to keep tweeting 02 and ringing customer services until this is resolved im considering starting a petition page for this firmware update on o2

[Anonymous]

got this from 02's official Twitter page today after bugging them bout update



@MusicFanatic82 We respond to as many people as we can - a new software version will be appearing very soon on the SE site
Seesmic • 27/07/2010 10:57
 

[Anonymous]

FYI relating to my previous post, heard nothing since getting this auto response 7 days ago (21 July):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for your email.

A member of the team will contact you soon about the details in your email.

Kind regards

Complaint Review Service

(footer removed)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Still waiting O2... hello?.... anyone there?

[Anonymous]

btw - this was the email I sent them July 21:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please immediately note that this complaint does not refer to the announced upgrade of the Android version on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10i from Android 1.6 to 2.x which I am aware is likely to be released Q3/Q4 2010.

This complaint relates to O2 UK's inability / unwillingness / lack of care to approve the update to the Android 1.6 firmware as released by Sony Ericsson to the providers in June. This updates the phone from the current build R1FA016 to an improved version R2BA02x (the x varies depending on provider). This update fixes issues identified by Sony Ericsson including connectivity, performance and battery life issues that I as one of your users suffers from.

Given that most providers all over the world have approved this with Sony Ericsson and updated their phones over the air, O2 UK are not only failing to support their customers, but also giving the distinct impression that they don't care. Just type "xperia x10 r2ba020 o2 uk" into Google and you'll see what damage this lack of support is doing to your organisation, including posts on your own O2 forums that as an organisation you obviously don't read and manage the impact of.

I specifically say "O2 UK" as O2 in other countries (including Germany, Ireland etc) have supported this update already, as have one of your main UK competitors - Vodafone.

Summary:
I am not satisfied with the state of the equipment in the form of a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10i provided by yourselves. Sony Ericsson have identified, admitted and corrected defects with the released version via the update.
I am not satisfied with the support provided by O2 relating to remedying these defects by not releasing the update to its customers in a timely fashion.
I demand a suitable response to this complaint, which by implication includes an indication of the release of the R2BA02x update in the near future.
Failure to do so will leave me with little option to attempt to return the phone and cancel the contract, moving my number to another provider (vodafone?) who is providing an acceptable level of support to it's Xperia X10i users.
When I'm reviewing our organisation's phone contract later this year (150 phones/users) I'll recall how poorly O2 supports its customers.

Yours...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They have until August 1 to respond either directly or through a general announcement (the best would be my phone alerting me that it's updating); then I send them 7 days notice to discontinue my contract and requiring them to release my number to a new provider within that time.

[Anonymous]

Given the news in the thread on this topic in the Mobile Phone forum (http://getsatisfaction.com/o2/topics/wh ... are_update ) I may just grant O2 a few more days grace...

Just heard from work I've got an assignment with O2 in a professional consultancy capacity in a few weeks' time; might prove interesting when the subject of Customer Service standards comes up...

[Anonymous]

well according to a website there are two new updates coming out for the x10 the R2BA026 and R2BA028 , we havent got the R2BA020 yet so im getting worried that we wont get these updates 😞

[Anonymous]

Following my complaint to O2 I've just received a call from their complaints dept., and from someone who understands Android and had clearly done their homework prior to calling! In a nutshell (and he was happy for me to summarise this on forums, but be aware this can't count as official).

- apology for situation and can understand why it is frustrating.
- he had made investigations around O2 to determine situation.
- explained release process for updates like this and confirmed status on this set. Basically SE release generic to providers who then run acceptance tests on their networks/systems. O2 UK have run these tests and found issues which would compromise quality of service as a whole with this phone on their networks - although unable to provide specific details. Pointed out that all networks run different configurations (even other O2 countries) so no guarantee that what would run on one network would run on this. This information has been returned to SE; in order for there to be any likelihood of us seeing this SE would need to release patched update to address issues which would need to be run through acceptance tests again. His opinion (not official) was that this was unlikely to happen given timescales for...
- October release of Android 2.1 on Xperia 10i. He confirmed O2 have version of this already to test and prepare for October. My assumption/interpretation is that given non-acceptance of R2Bxx update that their engineers will be devoting energies to this rather than any other R2Xxx update that may be in the rumour mill - but I repeat, this is only my assumption.
- He explained that O2s's position is to thoroughly test anything like this before releasing it (both update and 2.1). They have had issues in the past caused by releasing untested updates on other phones leading to more complaints.

With regards to my complaint:
- O2 released Equipment with original SE spec which at time was deemed fit for purpose, any update does not mean that contract can be terminated on any faulty or not-fit-for-purpose basis.

My take:
- I explained that this was all well and good but that the main issue here was a lack of information from O2; that if they had released this information broadly to their Xperia10 customers then there would be a lot less dissatisfaction being spread around forums etc. He took that on board and will notify other departments (inc. Marketing) of this.
- There is evidence (if you care to look) that not all customers on other networks who have received this update are happy, indeed many are identifying new problems caused by it. The "better safe than sorry" approach may be the correct route in this case.
- Looks like we need to wait until October and live with what we've got. But who knows, we may be surprised by an interim update that is accepted and released...

Matter closed for me - I've got better things to do with my time than chase a lost cause.

[Anonymous]

http://xperia-x1.com/users-recommend-no ... 26-on-x10/

check this out just saw this and im guessing coxjul your message could be true as theres alot of problems with the latest update of r2ba026 maybe 02 are actually sorting this out for our own good but tbh an official stament would be appreciated as it would get people off their backs