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Cellular Phone Forum / Providers / Fido / February 2004Montreal bus schedule info
A few months ago, the STCUM (or whatever its name is this week) dismantled their system which gave each bus stop its onw phone number. So now, one must dial a single number and then punch in keys to follow prompts and finally some bus stop identification followed by bus number. This is therefore impractical to store all this info in the phone's address book, especially for phones which do not have the ability to insert "pause" characters in a dialing string. Has anyone found a solution for this ? A WAP site might be a good solution if you could bookmark your favourite bus stops and easily get to that information. I write a letter to tell them how shitty this new system is. Before that all my favorite bus stops where store in my phone. Now it's almost impossible. You can't use the SIM because the sequence of numbers and pauses is too long. In my Samsung S300 i was able to do it using the phone memory after a long series of experiments. The problem is these suckers change the patern of the system regulary. They add messages for surveys, strikes and various problems. By doing this the sequence like 1(pause)1(pause)5234 etc not work and you end in the wrong place in the system. Now I sold this phone I need to redo it again and I forgot to note all the codes so I give up. Also what take 30 seconds before now take 2 minutes if you had to manually input all the codes and wait. I suspect they do this to save on the phone numbers they rent from Bell. They raise the price and lower the service. They are a bunch of a....le. If you got spare time, you need to enter "autobus" then 1 or 2 pauses then 1 then pause etc.. then the bus stop code then # then the bus number then #.... good luck. > A few months ago, the STCUM (or whatever its name is this week) dismantled > their system which gave each bus stop its onw phone number. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Has anyone found a solution for this ? A WAP site might be a good solution if > you could bookmark your favourite bus stops and easily get to that information. > If you got spare time, you need to enter "autobus" then 1 or 2 pauses then 1 > then pause etc.. then the bus stop code then # then the bus number then > #.... good luck. My phone doesn't handle pauses (Siemens M55). So I really have to find some better way to get the schedule. It is a matter of "life or death". I get out of house, press one or two button on my phone, and while I walk fast, i can listed to when the next busses are. i then decided if I need to run all the way to the stop or run partway, or whether I can walk all the way. But now, this seems extremely cumbersome. I am in disbelief - Siemens does not allow pauses!!! I had heard good things of Siemens and hoped that Nokia had some decent competition, given my extreme dislike for Sony Ericsson phones and disappointment with Motorola. What about ringtones for specific numbers or caller groups? Basically, without pauses, i can't conceive of using a Siemens. Too many numbers and extensions I have that I use pauses in, the least of which is simple Fido voicemail. andrew >>If you got spare time, you need to enter "autobus" then 1 or 2 pauses then 1 >>then pause etc.. then the bus stop code then # then the bus number then [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > But now, this seems extremely cumbersome. > What about ringtones for specific numbers or caller groups? Yes, you have some 12 different ringtones (10 groups, one for number not insiude a group, one for number you've already gotten a call from but not in your address book, and a final one (the most important), for all other numbers. Unfortunatly, these selections apply to all profiles. So if you are in a business environment, the funny ringtone you use while out with friends will be the one ringing (profiles only control sound volume). So, unless you get the phone for $25, you are much better off going to a store that can lend you a real phone for about an hour for you to experiment through the menus, or download the manual from the internet and go through all of it. Another example: while speaking on the phone, to adjust volume, you need to make 5 keypresses on 2 different keys to get to the place when you can adjust the volume and obviously cannot do this while keeping phone to your ear. I cannot understand why any manufacturer would produce a phone without volume controls on the side which can be used without taking the phone off your ear. It is easier to go into speakerphone mode than to adjust volume. In fairness, the speaker on the M55 is far superior quality than on the Nokia 6190, so the sound quality while you are listening is much better. For adjusting the volume while in a call on M55 just push the UP arrow key. Note that the screen need to be clear. If you enter numbers clear them before. There a way to put pause because my voicemail number (that came from the SIM) has one in it and that works with the M55. I check it when it calls and it show a + sign instead of a p. So I try to program a number with the use of + (hold the 0 key)instead of p and it worked! Note that you can assign any fonction like vibration or profile change to any 2-9 key abd just hold it to go there. Alos you can assign voice command to almost anything. I found this phone great with more function than even my Samsung S300 (but with a worst screen) but some functions are very hard to find. For exemple I found that if you check a case after birthdate in the phonebook, the phone will beep the day of the birth. You need to read the long version of the instruction manual on the website because this phone is hard to use. > > What about ringtones for specific numbers or caller groups? > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > In fairness, the speaker on the M55 is far superior quality than on the Nokia > 6190, so the sound quality while you are listening is much better. > For adjusting the volume while in a call on M55 just push the UP arrow key. > Note that the screen need to be clear. If you enter numbers clear them > before. Yeha, that is very annoying. the minute you start to type in numbers, your phone goes into some different mode and stuff that worked before you pressed additional keys no longer works. > There a way to put pause because my voicemail number (that came from the > SIM) has one in it and that works with the M55. I check it when it calls > and it show a + sign instead of a p. So I try to program a number with the > use of + (hold the 0 key)instead of p and it worked! Wow ! Merci Beaucoup ! I called both Siemens and Fido and both had confirmed to me that there was no such functionality on the phone ! So now it is a question of calculating how long each + waits, and seing how many I need to put in to make that stupid autobus thing work. (and they also removed train schedules from autobus, you use dto be able to get them from there). > I found this phone great with more function than even my Samsung S300 (but > with a worst screen) but some functions are very hard to find. One gets used to it. But every day I find stuff that just doesn't feel right compared to the gold standard (nokia). > will beep the day of the birth. You need to read the long version of the > instruction manual on the website because this phone is hard to use. Yep. the manuals that came with the phones are the short version and lack many things. On the other hand, the long version shows a lot of items that Fido has omitted from the phone, so it is a bit frustrating. (For instance, this is suppose dto eb a tri-band phone, but they hid the menu that gives you information about which bands are available where you are). And interestingly in the games, Wappo is the 3rd item, but you need to press 4 to get to it, so there is a hidden/removed game before that. > > For adjusting the volume while in a call on M55 just push the UP arrow key. > > Note that the screen need to be clear. If you enter numbers clear them [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > many I need to put in to make that stupid autobus thing work. (and they also > removed train schedules from autobus, you use dto be able to get them from there). I will save you a lot of frustrating tries: Exemple bus 97 stop # 52138 5142886287+#1152138#97# "autobus" number then "+#11" stop number "#" bus number "#" this will work as long as they don't put some special messages between the "#11" sequence. Sadly this is often the case. > > I found this phone great with more function than even my Samsung S300 (but > > with a worst screen) but some functions are very hard to find. > > One gets used to it. But every day I find stuff that just doesn't feel right > compared to the gold standard (nokia). Compared to my Nokia 3595 the Siemens got more functions but it's tru is more complex to use. > > will beep the day of the birth. You need to read the long version of the > > instruction manual on the website because this phone is hard to use. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > interestingly in the games, Wappo is the 3rd item, but you need to press 4 to > get to it, so there is a hidden/removed game before that. You can restore these menus (and unlock the phone) if you got a data cable and some programs available on the net. > So, unless you get the phone for $25, you are much better off going to a > store that can lend you a real phone for about an hour for you to > experiment through the menus, or download the manual from the internet > and go through all of it. I got the Fido phone call offering the phone for $25 but I refused to buy it on the spot. I said I would do my research and then decide to buy (or not). I went to the Fido store here (one and only I assume) and tried one out. When I was happy with it I said I wanted one. I was quoted a price of $200 or more. "But I am a valuable customer" I said, "I was offered one for $25. Can't you call and get an authorization number?" "No" she said. "We can't sell you the phone in the store." I didn't have the time to sit on hold for an hour, so I still have my old phone. Fido, if you're listening: you have a serious problem with your upgrade program. > Fido, if you're listening: you have a serious problem > with your upgrade program. Two things here, - fido's upgrade program is pretty rich, comparitively - costs associated with this need to be minimized Meaning it saves money (and that's passed along to you in less expensive phones) through direct fulfillment from the 'mothership' to the subsriber when you circumvent a store (these cost money). That's the same with Rogers and probably everywhere. If you want to upgrade your phone, you need to go through their customer service, not the kiosk. : > So, unless you get the phone for $25, you are much better off going to a : > store that can lend you a real phone for about an hour for you to [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] : Fido, if you're listening: you have a serious problem : with your upgrade program. Actually, with Rogers you can get an upgrade in-store. You pay zilch for the phone in-store, and it gets billed on your next monthly bill, with a mail-in rebate to reduce the price of the upgrade 2 bills later (don't ask why!). With Bell, you pay full price for the phone in-store, but get a mail-in rebate for the upgrade. With Telus, you pay the reduced price for the upgrade directly in-store. Fido is the only one which does not allow for in-store upgrades. CU > That's the same with Rogers and probably everywhere. If you want to > upgrade your phone, you need to go through their customer service, not [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > : Fido, if you're listening: you have a serious problem > : with your upgrade program. > the upgrade directly in-store. Fido is the only one which does not allow > for in-store upgrades. My phone was actually "processed and shipped" by an outfit called MG Logistics out of Toronto. My guess is that Fido has outsourced the handling/processing of upgrades in order to reduce the load on its stores and better manage stocks/inventory. You don't want a store to start handing out upgrade phones to existing customers and be out of stock when a new customer walks in. However, one your account has been "approved" for an ugrade, one would think that the 4 legged furry reps at the dog house should be able to get into their computer and confirm that the customer wants the upgrade, after which it would get sent to the logistics company that would ship the phone to the customer. Really?? When did this change? I tried this out last summer. Nope, it HAS to be through Customer Service. Or perhaps the easterners get this offer but not those in western canada? : Actually, with Rogers you can get an upgrade in-store. You pay zilch for : the phone in-store, and it gets billed on your next monthly bill, with a [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] : > : Fido, if you're listening: you have a serious problem : > : with your upgrade program. Ah, yes. I sometimes forget to think outside of my little world: Montreal. You may be right, but I cannot confirm. I know that in Quebec (and probably Ontario as well), this is the case for upgrades. Please correct me if this is not the case for western Canada. CU > Really?? When did this change? I tried this out last summer. Nope, it > HAS to be through Customer Service. Or perhaps the easterners get this [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > : > : Fido, if you're listening: you have a serious problem > : > : with your upgrade program. >: On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 08:39:56 GMT, JF Mezei >: Fido, if you're listening: you have a serious problem >: with your upgrade program. > That's the same with Rogers and probably everywhere. If you want to > upgrade your phone, you need to go through their customer service, not > the kiosk. I'm not talking about a kiosk. I'm talking about their one and only proper store-front in Ottawa. If they can't offer phones for sale with the same policies elsewhere within Fido, I'm not interested. I don't buy from tele-sales calls, or through the internet, anything which I need to try out before I buy. And it makes absolutely no sense to try it out and not go home with one. Whether that is cell phone company policy across the board is moot. It isn't good customer service. .... > I'm not talking about a kiosk. I'm talking about their one and > only proper store-front in Ottawa. If they can't offer phones for [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Whether that is cell phone company policy across the board > is moot. It isn't good customer service. You can get it from the store... but you have to get the authorisation from Fido through customer service first, and get them put a note on your account. I did it twice, never took more than 15 minutes. It wasn't time I spent on hold, but rather the "negotiation". You go back and forth with the rep. to get the maximum upgrade amount, depending on what you tell them. The subsidize amount is spewed out by their computer, the algorithm is a secret. You need to tell the rep. a good story to get a higher amount. It may not be good customer service for you, but it translates to good service for new customers visiting the store. Instead of spending 15-30 minutes with you, they spend the time on severing new/potential customers instead, which is all the providers care about. : You can get it from the store... but you have to get the authorisation : from Fido through customer service first, and get them put a note on [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] : by their computer, the algorithm is a secret. You need to tell the : rep. a good story to get a higher amount. So,what's a good story? ;-) > My phone doesn't handle pauses (Siemens M55). So I really have to find some > better way to get the schedule. It is a matter of "life or death". I get out [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > But now, this seems extremely cumbersome. You need to use the "+" instead of "p" |
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