Just got a Cingular 8125 over the weekend, and I have a few questions.

[MattS]

Is there any updates I need to put on my phone for security, or preformance?

Pop3, ActiveSync, and Msn Messenger seem to lock up the phone, is there a fix for this or am I doing something wrong?

I have successfully got it working with my WiFi router at home, and I have successfully tethered it to my Mac powerbook and so far, I am rather happy with it with the exception of the lack of ability to sync to a mac, and the lockups.

I was also told that tethering to my laptop that they would charge me 1c per kb.. How can they tell the difference if I tether or if I dont? I dont plan on using this as my primary internet connection, but when I am out on the road it would be a very nice feature to be able to tether and get weather, hotel reservations, email, and the like.

[MattS]

Also..

I goto notifications and set 'new email' notification to a sound, and then when i get a new pop3 email, i get no sound... Why? How can I get it to play a sound on a new pop3 email?

Thx

[Jerry Raia]

One thing to get rid of right away is the proxy server setting. Unless you need to go to Cingular's goofy sites removing the proxy cures the ActiveSync problem, at least it did for me and many others.

Start>Settings>Connections>Connections>Manage Existing Connections>Proxy Settings. Un check the box "This network uses a proxy server to connect to the internet" Make a note of the server first because it will disappear and you might want to put it back someday.

[MattS]

Thanks.. I had already done that, the tech support from cingular told me to do that actually.

I get EDGE network across the state where im at, but i never seem to get over 4 KB/s downloads.. Whats up with this?

Is there actually a differnce in using [email protected], [email protected], or anything else?

[Jerry Raia]

I have seen no consistency with EDGE speeds myself. Sometimes its a dog and other times it does a nice clip. In the same location. I've tried changing those log ins when I have had trouble, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I was having that same activesync problem you are. It would just seize up. Try a soft reset before you active sync and before you do anything else. Also it can take a long time. The 8125 is not fast and what you might have been used to might make you think it has hung up.

[MattS]

I am considering upgrading to This (http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=47052) ROM (2.17). Would you recomend this?

[Jerry Raia]

I just did it last night. I can't recommend it though because you will have no recourse if you turn your 8125 into a paper weight. Read through what they have there and decide for yourself. It worked fine for me and performance is much improved. There were some POP/IMAP issues which I have gotten solved but again, if you mess up you might have a door stop in your hand. The issues that you mentioned above can be worked out with the ROM you already have. Bottom line is don't mess with it unless you are comfortable with the process and the possible consequences.

[MattS]

i'm still under my 30 day no questions asked return :)

[hmorse]

I couldn't take it anymore. I returned the 8125 and went back to my Treo 650. Cingular knows nothing about the phone. No repeating alerts for a missed call or voicemail!! Too compliocated, too confusing. No included manual. I got the HTC unlisted support number and spoke with them a dozen times. None of them even owned the phone.

No manual included. Only one person at HTC knew where the manual was: Go to the activeSync disc, open it and find a folder called OEM. The manual is in that folder!! Why not simpy tell people where it is?? No cingular person even knew either.

[MattS]

I couldn't take it anymore. I returned the 8125 and went back to my Treo 650. Cingular knows nothing about the phone. No repeating alerts for a missed call or voicemail!! Too compliocated, too confusing. No included manual. I got the HTC unlisted support number and spoke with them a dozen times. None of them even owned the phone.

No manual included. Only one person at HTC knew where the manual was: Go to the activeSync disc, open it and find a folder called OEM. The manual is in that folder!! Why not simpy tell people where it is?? No cingular person even knew either.

As for the manual, I found it on their website (http://www.htcamerica.net/support/cingular_8125.htm).

As for the alerts for voicemail/missed calls -- that would be consistant across the board with all WM2005 phones.

So far I am happy with the phone... I unlocked it and upgraded the ROM and it runs faster and more stable now also. Trying to crash it, I cant .. So I hope everything that I have found wrong with it has been cleared up. I hope:)

I thought about the 650 myself, with my corporate discount contract with cingular, the 8125 was cheaper actually, however I would have liked to be able to synch wiht my mac, but aparantly a program is coming out to do that.

[hmorse]

The manual on the Cingular site is an abbreviated manual. The comprehensive manual is located on the ActiveSync disc under a file called OEM, and is almost 200 pages long.