Orange homescreen freedom… at last!
Orange need lessons in listening. Their customers scream at them telling them they’re doing something completely wrong but they just carry on regardless. I’m referring of course to the Orange homescreen that they’re seemingly going to insist is applied to every new phone they release. Their customers don’t want it and it looks like they’ll lose customers if they carry on ignoring us. What to do to get rid of the Orange homescreen.
If I could show you a graphic of what it did look like I would but I despise it that much I won’t have it adorning my blog under any circumstances. Here’s an image provided by msmobilenews.com which is very reminiscent of the homescreen on the Nokia 6680. However, the homescreen on the Nokia 6680 cannot be turned off or altered in any way – well done Orange.
Luckily there is at least one way around having this abomination on your beautifully crafted Nokia 6680 and that is to have it flashed with a generic version of Nokia’s firmware by your local Nokia Service Point (NSP). After doing a lot of reading on nokiafree.org and allaboutsymbian.com, having it flashed is literally the only way to properly remove it and re-instate Nokia’s Active Desktop which, I might add, knocks spots off Orange’s crappy colourless implementation.
There is, I’m told, a few side-effects of having your phone flashed but I’m yet to discover any with my phone. Those of you with a “Line 2” might be affected (so I’ve heard) but I can’t say because I haven’t got “Line 2”.
It is noteworthy that the first time I went to get my phone flashed I was given “bad news”, they said they couldn’t do it as the software (I presume Nokia’s flashing software) was only offering them the operator firmware versions. It turns out that this was down to the fact that Nokia have split their software into two versions; their own (generic) software and the operators’ own abominations.
Ladies and gentlemen, I now present you, Nokia’s Active Desktop on an Orange 6680.
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Orange, do yourselves a favour and ditch the homescreen idea, it’s woefully inadequate and, to be quite frank, shit.
Hi Lewis,
I’ve just found this blog from your link on a mobile forum. I’ve just upgraded to a 6680 and have been researching getting rid of this awful Orange Home Screen. You mention the first visit to NSC they said it wasnt possible, what changed the 2nd time when it actually worked? and also what version of software is now loaded on your phone *#0000#
thanks for any help
Alastair
youngatwork@hotmail.com
Alistair, I must apologise but I accidentally marked your comment as spam which seems to have deleted it! Hopefully it doesn’t affect you posting in future. I’ll wade through the database once I get home and see what I can do to retrieve your comment. Sorry!
You wanted to know what happened the first time I went in to the NSC. Well I was told they couldn’t do it because they (the engineers) were only being offered the Orange software to put onto the phone. The fix turned out to be that they needed to download alternative software for the generic version of Nokia’s firmware. Other than that I wasn’t really given any information so I have to assume that they needed nothing more than that. The people that did it for me were Fonefix in York. I guess you could ask them how they solved it directly: Fonefix website
The software version currently on my phone is:
V 3.04.37
01-06-05
RM-36
I hope this helps!
Have followed the forum on Nokia Free and found this blog entry. All I can say is can’t wait to get rid of the Orange home page – it’s ruined a really good phone – and I’ll be getting my phone re-flashed soonest. Anyway, I’ve done my part and complained to Orange about their awful software. No reply yet, but every 6680 user should do so too.
Thanks for your help – keep the info flowing!!!!
hi, it seems odd to me that after reading on another forum that someone thats been working in orange complaints for nearly 3 years has only seen 1 complaint about the orange homescreen. my local nokia service center won’t flash my phone with the unbranded software. I’m pulling my hair out with frustration over this crap piece of software.
Hi,
Me and my bro both have the 6680 on the 3 network. My bro has the black one a special only available on 3, but it also doesn’t have standby mode instead it has 3s own homescreen. He hates it and is pulling hes hair out about it too. He now wishes he got my colour as it doesn’t have the 3 homescreen (Thank God!!).
Thanks for this info. I also live in York and will try to do the same with my N70. You’re a prince.
I think your site is very good and complete. I bookmarked it. Thanks for your great site!
If you are that upset over a homescreen on a mobile phone maybe getting out in the world may help you get over it.
Wonderful insight there Jim – perhaps rather than reading my blog and making a pointless remark, you should get out in the real world?
I live in the real world and found this link in error. Do not fear I will not post any more comments as no doubt you are a busy pesron.
If you found the link in error, why did you feel compelled to leave an offensive remark? Ignoring the site and moving on would have been far more productive.
Hi lewis, did you have to pay to get the phone re-flashed? i have a N70 and not really too impressed at being told on the phone that there is a £20 software upgrade charge!
Cheers
Jonni
Hi Jonni, I did have to pay yes. In my opinion it’s worth every penny to have the Orange software removed. In some ways I can understand why Orange do it to their phones but the fact that these types of phones (DCT5?) can’t be unlocked for other networks yet has obviously escaped their attention altogether.
So I’m afraid the answer is yes, there is a charge but believe me when I tell you it’s worth it.
Orange do take note on what customers say all you need to do is call 156 for data support from the phone to get help with mainly MMS/WAP. What other company will give 24-hour advice on how to link your 3g phones with a Mac running Script 10 or above. Orange lock data into a home screen as do Vodafone (Voda live). The Wap content and 3G content requires the Orange apn to use and download the programs, as we know. The Orange logo placed on mobiles makes the user aware that the phone is locked to the network and its features follow suit.
Symbian operating system does not take kindly to being ” flashed ” as this can and will often remove the drive from and Fire player or Music manager. The best bet is to buy a Generic 3G phone and download the Opera browser. After all many phones do not carry the Orange logo and it is choice on what to purchase.
Orange will not lose customer and have not lost customers just for having a home screen. Try a Merlin 3g data card in a Windows xp laptop and then see what you think. Also a brand re launch is going on as from April 2nd this will in include packages to run Sat nav and most Tom Tom Systems that the N70 and others run.
Orange lost me as a customer and whilst this kind of fixed branding on their handsets was not the key issue it did play a part in my decision to leave after 10 years uninterrupted custom.
As for Orange customer service: I found that Orange would not provide me any support whatsover when it came to anything other than airtime. I spoke to several people on this issue and was told such at every level. Rather than be left with a crippled phone I transferred to a provider who satisfied my needs as a mobile data user.
Good on you Mr. Roberts for endeavouring to find a solution to this problem!
a two part comment: first do a google for the Orange Homescreen Removal Petition, it’s on ‘petition-online’ website i forget the dotwhat, also, JIM, if you found the link in error and left your comment why come back two hours later to talk more shit, them two hours spent on your computer (probably w*nking) could be better spent in the [Real World], tell me, do you know what a “job” is? go’n get one ya donkey w*nker!
sorry but this is how much OHSC annoys my box!!!
furthermore – pink floyd rock.
the future’s pink, not orange.
r.i.p. syd barrat.