Windows Phone 8 questions

[ah06]

Few qns:

1. I know we cannot delete the first Microsoft Account associated with the device, but can we at least delete the email part of it? It automatically created a hotmail email account/tile and started syncing it. I don't want email on my phone, its my primary email and I usually have no security on phone. I know I can disable sync and it will remove the tile but anyone can re-enable it

2. Is there a way to select only specific people to appear on the People Tile? It allows disabling certain accounts but not certain people (either blacklist or whitelist), I don't want random people checking out my phone and wondering if they've been selected to specially appear on my home page!

3. The status bar shows no indication of whether it is connected to 2G or 3G network (Data is disabled so can't use the E/H icons), is this normal?

4. The Settings>Mobile network Highest Speed settings does not show a 4G option, I only have 2G and 3G

5. Marketplace does not show all the available on the home page (of the Marketplace or on the live tile), if I goto a specific app, THEN it shows the update and also reflects this on the home page and live tile.

 

[Slai]

1. You can choose to just not sync the email. Settings->Email+accounts->Microsoft Account->untick Email under "Content to sync".

2. You can make a group. then add those you want there, and pin that group to the startscreen. It only scrolls through members of said group.

3. It does, but its hidden most of the time. Try tapping the bar, and youll see the relevant information drop down for you, like connection (2g/3g/h+).

4. Your phone isnt 4G-enabled, its merely 4G-ready. This means you need a SW upgrade in order to use your 4G bit, which Nokia has said is coming around january for 4G-ready phones. This was a choice made by the importer of the phone, if I am to believe Telenor Norway and Nokia (which I do, because that makes sense).

5. I dont know, Im unsure what you mean. Could you rephrase that?

 

[ttsoldier]

5. I dont know, Im unsure what you mean. Could you rephrase that?

I believe he means that he does not get a notification update on the home screen (live tile) of the app. Nor does he see it in the market place. Only if he uses the app, THEN it shows the update.

I think :eck:

 

[Slai]

Oh. In that case, I have no idea.

 

[ah06]

Hi thanks a lot for the answers

Let me clarify some of the questions:

1. Re: Email syncing. I know I can disable it in content sync, but it can easily be re-enabled anytime by anyone without the associated Microsoft password. I do not want email to be connected in any way. Sort of like Android or iOS or Symbian, Email is not part of the initial baggage

3. It does not show those icons for me if I disable data. I want to know which network it is connected to when the data is disabled. Usually phones show this with or without data.

4. I bought this unlocked from retail (no carrier involved) in the Middle East. I'm assuming US phones already have 4G enabled. They were released in this country AFTER USA, is it still possible they're on older (different) firmware?

5. Yes sort of. I don't see it when I "use" the app though. I see it when I goto the app's specific page in the Marketplace. It does not show on the Marketplace/Store home/landing page or on the Live Tile. Once I visit the app page, it reflects everywhere.

 

[tripleM87]

5. A lot of people are reporting right now, that their store tile doesn't show new updates, mine neither. (You can find similar threads in this forum, without any solution).
Some say that it worked fine for some time and then stopped working. I think this is related to the Microsoft Store servers and hopefully it will work again anytime soon

 

[Slai]

It does not show those icons for me if I disable data. I want to know which network it is connected to when the data is disabled. Usually phones show this with or without data.

It doesnt have to, because its ALWAYS Edge. It doesnt mess with 3g and so forth when theres no mobile data. Its just edge.

4. I bought this unlocked from retail (no carrier involved) in the Middle East. I'm assuming US phones already have 4G enabled. They were released in this country AFTER USA, is it still possible they're on older (different) firmware?

They merely need an SW change in order to be 4G-enabled, its not older or anything, its just that particular thing is locked in your SW, and will be unlocked in a bit.

 

[ah06]

It doesnt have to, because its ALWAYS Edge. It doesnt mess with 3g and so forth when theres no mobile data. Its just edge.

Hi, No actually its 3G without the 3G indicator at times. I know because at work we do not have any 2G network reception (on anyone's phones including my old one). You can also verify this by switching and enabling/disabling data. If I enable data, it does not reacquire reception n simply pops up an H icon (so it was on 3G with data disabled), however if I switch it to 2G to 3G or from 3G to 2G, it always reacquires the network reception. Basically by testing with data ON, you can determine what its connected to while switching the 2G and 3G settings (by looking at the E H icons etc). When data is OFF, no clue

I think what you said was that the phone ONLY uses 3G for data and voice is only over 2G, but in my testing, that's not right (and it can't be because a lot of carriers sometimes don't offer 2G in certain areas).

Even in areas where I do get 3G and 2G both. I tested with data disabled and 3G and 2G have very different signal strengths so the phone can definitely use 3G without data (as is the norm in all phones)

They merely need an SW change in order to be 4G-enabled, its not older or anything, its just that particular thing is locked in your SW, and will be unlocked in a bit.

Just out of curiosity, why are phones being released without this functionality when it exists in other countries? I bought a 4G plan, it was pricey and now I'm......stuck. Was never warned that this was a "future update". I read around and it seems like they won't be an update till next year to unlock this. I'm losing money on this everyday :\

 

[Slai]

Ah my mistake about the 2g/3g thing, Ill take your word for it . Appreciate the info.

As for why phones are being released without the functionality... It seems from talking to people who are in the business that 4G is a very complicated thing to set up, its not just flicking a switch.
For instance, buying a 4G phone in Norway from Telenor doesn't guarantee that it will work in Sweden with Swedish Telenor.

I don't have the technical insight to explain or even reason why this is, but it seems like the SW has to be optimized for the 4G in your region, perhaps?

I agree, I was never warned either. There was no mention of this from neither my operator nor the place I bought my phone.

That being said, 4G is included cost free with subscriptions here, but the speed is throttled depending on your sub (big sub = fast speed, small sub = slower speed), so Im not losing anything on it.

Also, H+ seems fast enough for my daily use, since I don't use my phone as a wifi hotspot.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Hey. Have you considered trying the codes ##3282# and ##3282 in the dialler? From there hit the call button and one of those two will take you to the field test. From there click on the ellipses (...) and then click on the option that appears. From there you can force the phone into 2G/3G/4G (individual options dependent on firmware)