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Thursday September 25, 2008
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T-Mobile has been struggling with the idea of "openness" recently. First CEO Robert Dotson seemed to lament that so many of his users were using unlocked phones. Then they launched the super-duper-open G1 Google Android phone, swiftly slapped a 1GB data cap on it, and lifted the 1GB data cap just as quickly.
Now T-Mobile director of handset innovation Saj Sahar has hinted to us that T-Mobile may be opening up T-Zones, the crippled walled-garden WAP browser that they've stuck on most of their recent feature phones. In Europe, T-Mobile has had great success with "Web n' Walk," a solution which lets you get to the full Web on any phone. Not so here.
"We're relaunching and rebranding T-Zones," Sahar said at the G1 launch. "It will be an open experience ... next month." Will it be as open as Web n' Walk, I asked? "It will be in that genre, yes," he said.
This presumably has something to do with T-Mobile's new App Store-like solution for Java developers, which isn't really 'open,' but it's a lot easier to get into than T-Mobile's current application deck. Hopefully Sahar is hinting at a much more open Web experience on T-Mobile's phones as well.
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September 25, 2008 7:18 PM
if i have a t-mobile phone will I be able to experience the new t-zones without having to get a new phone?
September 25, 2008 11:25 PM
you could just put opera mini on your phone?
it works on most phones now!
September 26, 2008 7:37 AM
Scott, I don't know. We're going to have to wait to hear more.
Saul, T-Mobile has a firmware block in place on most of its feature phones that prohibits running Opera Mini or any other alternative Web browser. This is one of the things I'm hoping they'll change.
September 26, 2008 11:27 AM
Sascha:
Actually its a PORT block.
September 26, 2008 2:20 PM
No, no, we've been through this already on another thread. The firmware block and the port block are different issues. T-Zones permits only port 80; that's the port block.
But the reason Opera Mini doesn't work on most T-Mobile feature phones is that T-Mobile has hacked the phones' firmware to block any unsigned Java application from transmitting any data to the Internet whatsoever, on any port. So even if you have the $19.99 Total Internet plan, you STILL can't use Opera Mini. In fact, you can't use Opera Mini over your very own Wi-Fi network on H@H feature phones.
It's independent of the T-Zones port filtering. There are two separate issues.
September 26, 2008 9:47 PM
I have T-Mobile and run Opera mini browser.
Nothing is blocked.
I have never seen a site I cannot get to (no matter what port I force as I have a few obscure port *hidden* sites I visit).
I have yet to see any java app I cannot download/run.
I'm using the new 3G Sony Ericsson TM506 with the full internet package...tethering also works seamlessly, no blocks or issues at all.
I'd post pics....but I don't see how I can with this posting interface.
September 26, 2008 11:11 PM
I have had Opera Mini working internet for 3 years on both my unlocked [cingular branded] Nokia N-gage QD and my T-mobile branded Nokia 6800 [java 64k limit]. If Opera Mini works on both these old suckers, and now on my new unlocked Nokia 6085 ... it can work on yours.
September 27, 2008 8:59 PM
Ah, here we go again.
The TM506 is the first T-Mobile branded feature phone in years without the firmware block. I mention that in my review. It's a great thing, and I went and got a TM506 myself in part because of it, but I fear it may be a fluke.
The firmware block only applies to T-Mobile branded feature phones released since sometime in 2006, so, your unlocked N-Gage and older 6800 don't count either.
Blocked phones which cannot run Opera Mini include - and yes, I've tested all of these personally - the T-Mobile branded versions of the Nokia 5610, 6301, 5310, 3555, 6263, 6086, 6133, 5300; Motorola ROKR E8, RAZR2 V8, RIZR Z3; Samsung T819, T639, Katalyst, Blast, Beat, and T519. And that's a partial list. That's just the ones I've personally tested. All of those phones have the firmware (not port, firmware) block.
So. The key takeaways are: It's a firmware block. It's only on feature phones, not smart phones. It's only on T-Mobile branded phones released since 2006. It isn't on the Sony Ericsson TM506 and I'm praying that isn't a fluke. And - here's the news though! - Saj Sahar said the whole landscape might change next month!
I've talked to T-Mobile executives several times about this. Here's some previous coverage of this issue, with a lot of comments:
http://www.gearlog.com/2007/01/tmobile_disses_opera_says_get.php
October 1, 2008 5:24 PM
@Sascha Segan: You can add the samsung t619 to that list as i have tried every version hoping one would be signed or get through to no avail.
Hopefully they do unblock their ports as well as adding firmware updates for those with java blocked that way. I would love to see this as my family was planing to get a 5610, but due to an annoyingly high amount of T-mobile BS this hasn't happened. If we could use opera mini and google maps when we get our new phones it would be a welcome plus.
my 2 cents
November 4, 2008 6:06 PM
If you go to the Opera mini website it will ask which you want to install. Do not check the first version click the option below it. The next page will give you the option to install opera with multiple signatures. Download and start the party I installed it on my samsung t819 1.5 weeks ago. Man it is fast on tzones.
November 5, 2008 11:28 AM
Sorry, Blueoxe. When I try to install that on my Nokia 5310, I get an error "Certificate not on phone or SIM" and it won't install. I'll try it on other phones too!
November 15, 2008 2:37 PM
"Next month" would have been October. It's mid-November, and ports are still blocked on T-MobileWeb. Perhaps by "open experience" Sahar meant something other than unblocking ports. Not sure what that would be.
November 17, 2008 7:45 PM
I have been running opera mini on my t-mobile motorola RIZR Z3 for over a year now with no problems. I can access many sites on the internet. oh. and btw.. t-mobile doesn't use port 80... they use port 8080