Help CPW branded handsets and ICS

[matttye]

I know that nobody has been able to try this yet as Samsung's unbranded UK firmware hasn't yet been released, but does everybody think it will be safe for those of us with CPW branded (unlocked) handsets to install the unbranded UK firmware via Odin tomorrow?

From what I can see, other than having "CPW" in the CSC there are no actual differences between CPW branded and unbranded firmwares anyway. Correct me if I'm wrong

Clearly I will only do this if CPW doesn't release the update tomorrow too; which I think is almost certain.

 

[ironass]

I know that nobody has been able to try this yet as Samsung's unbranded UK firmware hasn't yet been released, but does everybody think it will be safe for those of us with CPW branded (unlocked) handsets to install the unbranded UK firmware via Odin tomorrow?

From what I can see, other than having "CPW" in the CSC there are no actual differences between CPW branded and unbranded firmwares anyway. Correct me if I'm wrong

Clearly I will only do this if CPW doesn't release the update tomorrow too; which I think is almost certain.

Shouldn't be a problem. People were/are using the Polish and Indonesian ICS firmware, released last week, on their handsets, having used Odin to flash it. It, "may", void your warranty though as this will not be an official update from your company.

Operator branded phones are reliant on their operators adding, or deleting, stuff to the stock ICS firmware and then giving it back to Samsung for release.

My personal feeling, at the moment, is that LPQ may not be considered good enough by some carriers to release with their branded firmware and that they may well wait for updates to ICS before releasing.

Operator branded firmware release is entirely down to the carriers whim and discretion and nothing to do with Samsung.

 

[matttye]

Thanks

I've been patiently waiting for an official UK firmware for some time now, as I used to root and flash custom firmwares on my HTC Desire but I found that with most of the ROMs the stability of them degrades over time.

 

[dan524844]

I know that nobody has been able to try this yet as Samsung's unbranded UK firmware hasn't yet been released, but does everybody think it will be safe for those of us with CPW branded (unlocked) handsets to install the unbranded UK firmware via Odin tomorrow?

From what I can see, other than having "CPW" in the CSC there are no actual differences between CPW branded and unbranded firmwares anyway. Correct me if I'm wrong

Clearly I will only do this if CPW doesn't release the update tomorrow too; which I think is almost certain.

hi i have the same thing a sg2 from carphone warehouse, unlocked and unbranded apart from the cpw thing as on 03:45 am there is still nothing..... dam thing makes me wonder somtimes i mean what reason does it have to have carphone warehouse on the firmware and i cant see anything in the phone that relates to it?

 

[rozel]

I too am on GB 2.3.4 on a CPW phone.

Waiting patiently for an official update to ICS.

I am getting conflicting opinions however: -

My SGS2 is rooted via cf-root 4.2 although I have since flashed a Stock Kernal over it, which has preserved the root to allow me to use the SkyGo app. Am running the original Stock ROM which came with my phone.

Will Kies notify me of any new firmware in my particular case?

 

[ironass]

The ICS update for UK is for unbranded, generic, UK handsets only via Kies.

CPW handsets, running CPW firmware, are branded.

You will have to flash the ICS unbranded firmware via Odin if you want it on your branded phone.

as on 03:45 am there is still nothing.....

Don't hold your breath... ICS for the UK is scheduled for the week commencing the 19th March.

 

[evohicks]

Looks like there is a Kies update for CPW handsets 2.3.6 according to my twitter

 

[rozel]

CPW handsets, running CPW firmware, are branded.

This is the area of conflicting info. CPW phones do not have any software or bloatware on them that you could recognise as being CPW's own. So why are they deemed "branded"?

And we have heard before that CPW rely on Samsung for their updates so are we sure about this?

 

[matttye]

This is the area of conflicting info. CPW phones do not have any software or bloatware on them that you could recognise as being CPW's own. So why are they deemed "branded"?

And we have heard before that CPW rely on Samsung for their updates so are we sure about this?

It's very simple. When you go into the dialer and type in *#1234# a screen with some information about your phone and software versions come up. In this screen there's a bit of information with "CSC" which contains information about your phone, branding and firmware version.

Mine says:

I9100CPWKH1

Where I9100 = phone model, CPW = branding and KH1 = firmware version.

Because my phone says "CPW" that actually means it's running the Carphone Warehouse's branded software. Even if that software has no changes to it, we still have to wait for CPW to release their own version of any updates that are released.

 

[ironass]

Looks like there is a Kies update for CPW handsets 2.3.6 according to my twitter

It must be true then!

 

[slatyford]

mine is from CPW and mine says
PDA: I9100XWKI4
PHONE: I9100XXKI1
CSC: I9100XEUKH2

Build Info: Wed Sep 14 20:34:11 KST 2011

So is mine unbranded then

 

[matttye]

mine is from CPW and mine says
PDA: I9100XWKI4
PHONE: I9100XXKI1
CSC: I9100XEUKH2

Build Info: Wed Sep 14 20:34:11 KST 2011

So is mine unbranded then

XEU is generic/unbranded firmware, so you'll be able to update straight away

 

[Deleted User]

Hold on so the CPW firmware is carphone warehouse? So no bloatware or branding but its a carphone warehouse branded software whereas XEU is completely unbranded? Carphone Warehouse aren't a network so why do they have their own software?

 

[matttye]

Hold on so the CPW firmware is carphone warehouse? So no bloatware or branding but its a carphone warehouse branded software whereas XEU is completely unbranded? Carphone Warehouse aren't a network so why do they have their own software?

There's absolutely no changes from the unbranded software from what I can see. I have no idea. No CPW branding, no bookmarks leading to their website, no wallpapers, no nothing. No pre-bundled apps either.

Makes no sense.

 

[Deleted User]

There's absolutely no changes from the unbranded software from what I can see. I have no idea. No CPW branding, no bookmarks leading to their website, no wallpapers, no nothing. No pre-bundled apps either.

Makes no sense.

Exactly, I can't understand it! Why would CPW have their own software that is EXACTLY the same as the usual unbranded software? Makes no sense at all - are we sure its a Carphone Warehouse software and not just version number "CPW" and its a coincidence that CPW stands for Carphone Warehouse?

 

[matttye]

Exactly, I can't understand it! Why would CPW have their own software that is EXACTLY the same as the usual unbranded software? Makes no sense at all - are we sure its a Carphone Warehouse software and not just version number "CPW" and its a coincidence that CPW stands for Carphone Warehouse?

See my colourful post up there ^ for an explanation as to what each part of the CSC number means.

 

[Deleted User]

See my colourful post up there ^ for an explanation as to what each part of the CSC number means.

Ahh okay, so even though it's exactly the same we have to wait for CPW to release the updates? (Like we would have to with a network)?

 

[Deleted User]

Could that also explain why some Galaxy S2 boxes (The box that it comes in) have "1.2GHz" written under "Samsung Galaxy SII" and others (like mine) don't and just say "Samsung Galaxy SII" Because its a box from a CPW branded phone?

 

[matttye]

Ahh okay, so even though it's exactly the same we have to wait for CPW to release the updates? (Like we would have to with a network)?

Could that also explain why some Galaxy S2 boxes (The box that it comes in) have "1.2GHz" written under "Samsung Galaxy SII" and others (like mine) don't and just say "Samsung Galaxy SII" Because its a box from a CPW branded phone?

My box says 1.2GHz and mine is a CPW one.

CPW could have simply reserved the ability to add future branding to the firmwares I guess... there's nothing to stop them slapping wallpapers and stuff on in the future. Clever move if they did

 

[Deleted User]

My box says 1.2GHz and mine is a CPW one.

CPW could have simply reserved the ability to add future branding to the firmwares I guess... there's nothing to stop them slapping wallpapers and stuff on in the future. Clever move if they did

Lol yeah that is clever!! - Mine is not from CPW, mine was from Phones 4U, it doesnt have the 1.2GHz thing - I got mine in October.. When did you get yours?

 

[matttye]

Lol yeah that is clever!! - Mine is not from CPW, mine was from Phones 4U, it doesnt have the 1.2GHz thing - I got mine in October.. When did you get yours?

Same, October!

 

[Deleted User]

Same, October!

Did you get yours from CPW? & What network you on?

 

[matttye]

Did you get yours from CPW? & What network you on?

Yeah walked into the CPW on the high street and got it. I'm on O2 but it's definitely a sim free phone.

 

[Deleted User]

Yeah walked into the CPW on the high street and got it. I'm on O2 but it's definitely a sim free phone.

Ah okay so I presume you got it on an O2 contract but its an unlocked SIM free phone right?

Hmm, mine is XEU so not the CPW one, got mine from Phones 4U like I said and does not have the "1.2GHz" on the box.. I have had 4 Galaxy SII's (Kept having to replace them because of faults) and they have all been the same.

 

[matttye]

Ah okay so I presume you got it on an O2 contract but its an unlocked SIM free phone right?

Hmm, mine is XEU so not the CPW one, got mine from Phones 4U like I said and does not have the "1.2GHz" on the box.. I have had 4 Galaxy SII's (Kept having to replace them because of faults) and they have all been the same.

Yeah that's right.

That's unlucky, I've actually never had to have a phone replaced!