w950i successfully de-branded from Orange UK

[richardgnz]

I am with Orange and I could not find any record of anyone de-branding the w950i and posting their results. So I thought I would do it and let you know how it went...

I followed the instructions from the website below after purchasing one credit.

http://blog.artesea.co.uk/2007/02/de...00i-w950i.html

The application looks confusing with lots of options and tickboxes. BUT The only thing you need to do is check the CDA Change checkbox and use the correct CDA - in my case CDA162014/1

Once you have put a valid userid and password just click flash - it took about 30seconds. After which I gave it another 30 seconds just to be sure and disconnected the phone.

When I powered it on again it started up with the orange startup screen. I followed the instructions: Wipe your phone via the hidden service menu. Up * Down Down * Down * -> Format internal disk

Once I did this the phone reset and came up with a select your language screen. At this point I powered off the phone. Removed the battery - and reinserted the battery,

Started the Sony Ericson Update Service

Held down C while I connected the USB cable when prompted ...
Released C when prompted

and Bingo - I was World 1 and an update was now avaliable for my phone!
Upgraded phone through site (took about 15mins) and it started with the SE startup screen and all orange branding is gone.

I can't guarantee that it will work for you - but it worked for me !! Best £4 I ever spent.



Update:

I use to have a problem when streaming music to my motorola stereo bluetooth headset. About 5 seconds into every song I would loose the sound for 1 half second. This update has fixed that problem!
I brought this phone becasue of the stereo bluetooth streaming ability - Orange are useless for not updating the firmware that this phone so desperately needed.

I was :
Phone: CXC 162037 R9C001
Bluetooth: CXC 162058 R3A01
Organiser: CXC 162088 R1B01
CDA: CDA 162017/2 R1A21

I am now :
Phone: CXC 162037 R9F011
Bluetooth: CXC 162058 R3A01
Organiser: CXC 162088 R6A16
CDA: CDA 162014/1 R6A13

As the bluetooth version has not changed the fault must have been with the walkman application.

One more thing I have noticed - art associated with callers use to display all grainy and pixelated. If you viewed the photo on the phone it looked fine - it was just when it came up with an associated caller. Now with the new update the picture comes through great!

Another thing thats fixed is the bluetooth bonding. To get my motorola stereo bluetooth headphones to work I had to delete the assoication and do a new search for devices and bond the device. I had to do this everytime I wanted to use them. Now with the new firmware I simply turn my bluetooth headphones on and straight away I get asked to put in the code of "0000" - works everytime. The weird thing here is I would have thought this to be a bluetooth issue which has been resolved but the bluetooth version has not changed....

[petemahon]

Hi richardgnz,

Just wanted to say thanks - I've had a Vodafone branded w950i for 4 months - they unlocked it for £20 but I still had NO end of problems with my Orange sim card.

Now I've got a free upgrade from Orange - a 3G simcard, which is all I wanted - fast internet outside and all that - but the Orange branded phone is APPALLING - they've taken off the simplest functionalities such as TrackID, one of the phone's selling points, and generally it is user-UNfriendly.

Anyway, I purchased two logins from Kulankendi yesterday, I'm going home tonight to flash both the phones and unlock the Orange one, and I'm REALLY grateful that someone else has risked their phone first!

Cheers, Pete

[kai666]

i did this with my vodafone w950 about a month ago. The vodafone branding wasn't too bad, just start up and switch off logo's, but at least no i can get updates as and when they happen, rather than waiting for vodafone to get round to it!

[mcvpjd3]

Has anyone done this with an O2 phone? was there much difference?