[banlec]

Lumia 800 is unable to login to 3G network while in roaming when mobile data transmission is disabled.

This was not the issue for Symbian phones. 

[7thSense]

Might be that you are in a country with a different 3G band than the one in your home country?

Different phones support different 3G bands.

[banlec]

This is a CV PL phone and I am in France now where I am using SFR operator. When I turn on mobile data connection the phone immediately catches 3G service, when I turn data connection off, it switches back to 2G. 

[7thSense]

If you turn off your data connection, how do you expect to get 3G?

[93tid]

---

7thSense wrote:
If you turn off your data connection, how do you expect to get 3G?

---

Given that there are whole major networks which operate exclusively on 3G for all services including voice calls I do not consider the OP's expectation as unreasonable.

[banlec]

---

7thSense wrote:
If you turn off your data connection, how do you expect to get 3G?

---

I would expect the same behavior as with Symbian phones. For example, you need to log in to 3G network in order to use HD Voice. I do not need data connection in roaming, just 3G network for voice services only. 

Turning mobile data connection off should not disable 3G network.

And Lumia 710 behaves, unfortunately, in the same way. 

About 3G voice calls: 

http://press.nokia.com/2007/02/09/nokia-and-sfr-complete-the-first-wcdma-900-voice-call-in-france/

[banlec]

The additional question is whether Lumia is able to do voice calls in 3G network? Or it can do them only in 2G and 3G is used only for data calls? 

[93tid]

---

banlec wrote:

The additional question is whether Lumia is able to do voice calls in 3G network? Or it can do them only in 2G and 3G is used only for data calls? 

---

As I mentioned before, there are networks which operate exclusively on 3G. Three UK is such a network and they are selling the Lumia, so I guess they must be able to do voice calls in 2G. Not sure about WP, but their branded firmwares for Symbian even locked out the option to select GSM only.

[7thSense]

If you turn off the data connection, you turn off 3G.

I can't see any point of just being able to turn of a G/E connection? You are still roaming on the 3G connection.

[banlec]

---

7thSense wrote:

If you turn off the data connection, you turn off 3G.

I can't see any point of just being able to turn of a G/E connection? You are still roaming on the 3G connection.

---

Roaming of voice calls is not so expensive in EU now as roaming of data calls. For me, it is obvious to have an option to use 3G voice calls without allowing for data calls at the same time while being abroad. As mentioned above, there are operators who have 3G network only. In addition, you can use wifi hot spots abroad and some of them are free, eg. in hotels. So you can live without roamed mobile data connection.

I am first time abroad with Lumia phone and just observed this deficiency of Win Phone system. It was not the case in Symbian phones - they are able to use 3G for voice calls only.

Now in Italy, I can see the same behavior - still no 3G when data connection is off. This is a big (negative) surprise for me. This is an error by design, if someone assumed that turning on of 3G turns on data calls at the same time. So, to make use of HD Voice, I need to agree for data connection in roaming. This isn't wise (as costs money) and most of HD Voice implementations are in 3G networks only.

Please explain why 3G in this phone is related to data connection? 

[Kosh · Accepted solution]

The E (EDGE = 2G), 3G (GRPS = 3G) or H (HSDPA = 3.5G) indication on the Windows Phone status bar refers to the data connection only. It has no bearing on making calls in any way. The indication will not be visible when Settings>mobile network>Data connection is set to off. Also the Data roaming options setting (as the name indicates) refers to data only, not voice.

As the Lumia is a Quadband-Dual mode(GSM/EDGE-WCDMA) device voice and data connections can run on totally different channels depending on local connectivity. What connection is made for voice is actually irrelevant as any suitable/available mode will be more that sufficient for voice calls.

[banlec]

 "What connection is made for voice is actually irrelevant as any suitable/available mode will be more that sufficient for voice calls." - Not really, because in most cases you need to be in 3G network in order to benefit from HD Voice service.

What would be the equivalent in Lumia of Symbian phone's settings: 3G network ONLY, mobile data OFF ?

Usually in specs it is given a talk time and standby time in 2G and 3G. How to know then which network mode you use if there is no indication of it (when data connection is off)?

By the way, a human initiate a voice call, while data calls are sometimes initiated by the Win Phone itself. This is why you would like to have data connection turned off in roaming.

[Kosh]

There is no such thing as data calls, the data connection works mostly like your Wi-Fi connection with your router at home would work.

If you set Settings>mobile network>Data roaming options to 'Don't roam' you will not be able to make a data connection in a roaming situation, calls and SMS will operate as normal in the existing roaming agreement between your carrier and local carriers. It is not possible to select use of 3G only, you can select either stick with 2G or use the highest connection rate possible (the 3G setting here will also allow 3.5G where available).

Again for voice it makes no difference whether you are connected to 2G or higher but when you are in an area where 3G reception is not stable selecting 2G only will make for a more reliable connection overall.

[banlec]

Kosh, please tell me,if I choose 'Settings>mobile network>Data roaming options to 'Don't roam' ' will I be still able to make a voice call over 3G network in roaming? 

If I disable data connection, how will I know whether my phone is working in 2G or 3G network (for voice calls)?

[Kosh]

Yes and you don't (and frankly it is irrelevant)

[banlec]

Thank you for explanation.

Anyway, I find it less informative that you do not know in which network mode (2G/3G) you work (when mobile data connection is off), especially, that this has an impact on talk and standby time as mentioned in phone's specs. 

And why there is an option to choose max speed of data connection between E and 3G if this phone can do it automatically as it does it for voice calls? If there is some justification for such an option why the same justification is no good for voice calls? 

[banlec]

Well, according to my observations the voice sounds better when mobile data connection in 3G is enabled. This could mean that you need to have it enabled in order to benefit from HD Voice or maybe my testing was subjective. 

Can someone please who is in 3 in UK disable data connection and check whether HD Voice still works? 

[adax]

I have recently noticed the same problem - when I set in Data connection "do not roam" I cannot connect to the network at all!!! I want to stop the data roaming but I want to enable voice roaming - how to do it? I have SIM from Orange Poland and trying to roam in Czech Republic (any network)

[banlec]

If you enable data connection roaming, does roaming of voice calls work?

[banlec]

I was advised by Nokia Care that if data connection is disabled you are unable to set 3G network for voice calls because the 2G/3G switch is active only for data connection. So, first data connection should be enabled and only then you can make use of 3G for voice calls if you select 3G for data connections at the same time. It looks strange and it means that you cannot use of HD Voice when data connection is disabled and operator implemented it in 3G mode only.