Data 'roaming' notification when I move outside of my Wi-Fi hotspot

[jsp_1983]

Whenever I leave my home Wi-Fi hotspot, my phone seems to pop up with a notification, asking me if I want to go in to roaming mode (or something along those lines - I can't remember the exact phrase and I can't recreate the notification without leaving the house). I've only noticed this when I've come to pull the phone out of my pocket. I tell it to just carry on using my mobile network for data connectivity.

When I return home, instead of returning to the Wi-Fi network, it carries on using my mobile network for data connectivity.

How do I get the phone to automatically switch to using my mobile network for data when I'm not in my hotspot and then to automatically switch back to it when I am in the hotspot? It's driving me mental at the moment, and there doesn't appear to be anything obvious in the phone or any documentation!

What do I need to do for network connections to be implemented automatically?

 

[jsp_1983]

Any ideas on this? It's driving me mental!

 

[pulsarman]

press menu, settings, wireless controls, mobile network settings, then un tick data roaming. This should hopefully stop your problem.

 

[jsp_1983]

press menu, settings, wireless controls, mobile network settings, then un tick data roaming. This should hopefully stop your problem.

Yeh, I tried that, but for some reason, I cannot get an Internet connection when I'm out and about, away from my home wi-fi, unless it has the roaming settings on. Strange, because why would I even opt to go to 'roaming' when I'm still in my own country?! I've never had to bother with this crap before on any other phone.

 

[pinkeyes]

Have been having the same problem, and all i could do was add a widget for each connection (wi-fi, mobile etc) to my home screen to manually switch on and off. Not very advanced but its handy to control battery usage.
Would be interested to hear any better solutions.

 

[vikingisson]

It doesn't sound like you have any cell data connection. You'd have to go a lot farther than the street to start roaming unless there is no local tower with data available. Or the wrong provider. Or your phone is setup with the wrong provider. System/About has info about what it sees.

 

[DexKen]

This is 3 UK network issue, if you are in an area with no 3G coverage the phone defaults to 2G which with 3 is roaming as they have no 2G network and farm it out to others. You will not be charged international rates as they know you are still in the UK. My hero even came with a note about this in the box. You can safely let it roam but you will only get Edge data. In a 3G area it will switch back and with wifi on will switch again when you are at home.

 

[jsp_1983]

Okay, last night, I got the error "You have lost data connectivity because you left your home network with data roaming turned off" - even though I was still at home and, from what I remember, my wi-fi should have been on (I can't remember - it might have been switched off on my Hero).

This afternoon, I go a mile down the road, try to use data, with no luck. Roaming was set to 'never', but I tried to see what happened when I turned it to 'automatic'. Nothing. I come back home and the phone still cannot use data, and there is now an 'R' symbol where I normally see an 'H' or the other symbol.

In the 'about' display, it says the following:

Mobile network type: GPRS
Roaming: Roaming
Mobile network state: Disconnected

Seeing GPRS surprised me, as I wouldn't have expected 3 to provide me with a GPRS connection. The only time I would expect to see something like that is if I'm in the arse end of nowhere and might have to fall back on to Orange's network - but that's only ever happened in deepest, darkest Wales.

I've just tried using Cellfinder and it's prompted this message: "You are now roaming. Both mobile network and data roaming are enabled. Using data roaming may result in significant charges. Allow roaming network connection?", which when I allow it to, it starts to display the Google Maps element, but it's incredibly slow to load.

I'm now virtually at the end of my patience with this phone... I can only conclude that it, at best, serves as a marvellous paperweight, but doesn't offer great value for money. As a working phone and communications device, it's sh*t.

 

[bluenova]

As previously stated 3 do not offer 2G (GPRS/EDGE) so if you are in an area without 3G you will have to roam to another network. The message 'you left your home network' has nothing to do with your wi-fi, it's informing you that you are no longer using 3's network because of the lack of 2G (GPRS/EDGE support). It's an issue with 3 not with the phone.

 

[jsp_1983]

As previously stated 3 do not offer 2G (GPRS/EDGE) so if you are in an area without 3G you will have to roam to another network. The message 'you left your home network' has nothing to do with your wi-fi, it's informing you that you are no longer using 3's network because of the lack of 2G (GPRS/EDGE support). It's an issue with 3 not with the phone.

I'm very, very doubtful that it's 3 who is at fault, as they've managed to provide me with faultless connectivity for the past four years. For the past few weeks, I've had all the problems listed above. As I mentioned before, I can only conclude that the Hero is inferior - particularly when compared to other devices.

 

[DexKen]

Trust me, it is an issue with 3 and the hero specifically. In fact the recent firmware update (a bug fix release) fixed this problem (the msg about roaming I mean). If there is an R above your signal strength bars it means the phone can't lock on a 3G signal and has reverted to 2G which with 3 means roaming.

The hero is not the best with signal strength, mine drops to 2G in areas where my old N95 didn't but luckily for me not too often

 

[lekky]

Have you tried calling 3 support? If they have had the problem before they might be able to sort it out for you in an instant.!

 

[jsp_1983]

Trust me, it is an issue with 3 and the hero specifically. In fact the recent firmware update (a bug fix release) fixed this problem (the msg about roaming I mean). If there is an R above your signal strength bars it means the phone can't lock on a 3G signal and has reverted to 2G which with 3 means roaming.

The hero is not the best with signal strength, mine drops to 2G in areas where my old N95 didn't but luckily for me not too often

Fair enoug - I'll take your word for it! I did try the firmware update last week, however the phone just froze when I tried updating it. I can't win!

Have you tried calling 3 support? If they have had the problem before they might be able to sort it out for you in an instant.!

They're usually the last people I try when I have a technical problem!

 

[DexKen]

They're usually the last people I try when I have a technical problem!

I totally agree with you on that one