Verizon Wireless

I have heard that verizon will not allow implementation of the protocol for phonebook transfer due to concern that there is a threat of a security vulnerability. I don't know how to verify if this is true.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack\";p=\"85373)</div>

No it can't and it is not likely to happen anytime soon. I just happened to be looking at the Verizon bluetooth phone models yesterday and saw that it is conspicuoulsy noted now that the phones (3 of them I believe) do not support all bluetooth profiles--specifically OBEX, by name--which is necessary for file transfers such as a phone book to the Prius. Supposedly the latest firmeware v710 will ring on incoming calls--the phone not the Prius--if that's any consolation.

I use my laptop to upload phone books to the Prius. It seems that most phones only transfer a single contact at a time anyway, so I find using the laptop to be more practical for the initial upload of a whole phone book. I have instructions for this procedure in a file in the Yahoo Prius-2G bluetooth file area. I'd have one here but it seems the file area of this site is broken.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack\";p=\"85373)</div>

You probably won't be looking at a V710 by that time. More likely it will be the E815 which is sort of the follow on to the V710.

Good news: The E815 is qualified for OBEX, according to the Bluetooth SIG.

Bad news: Verizon will probably find a way to disable OBEX as, clearly, it is the bane of their corporate existence.

Good news: Someone will probably come up with a hack for the E815 to re-enable OBEX (or, alternatively, you might be able to pick up an OEM E815 which will not have been "crippled").

 

What's to keep me from simply buying a V710 (or whatever) on ebay & moving my SIM chip from my current phone to the new one? Why do I need to involve my carrier at all?

dave.

 

What's wrong with the file area?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dstrout\";p=\"85523)</div>

Because Verizon is a CDMA carrier not a GSM carrier, and thus, there is no such thing as a SIM chip to them.

And because Verizon will not knowingly initialize any phone that isn't bought from them.

In some cases, if you can get a compatible phone that is 'blank', you can use the automated initialization sequence Verizon provides to get it working, but if you have any problems, don't expect help from them.

But, as far as anyone knows, there is no compatible phone with all the bluetooth goodies enabled out there to try.

 

I was lucky. I bought a Sprint/Sony T608 (with the MSL code) on E*Bay and was able to convert it to Verizon. I have it for about a year. It works as you would like including loading the phone book. The only problem that occurs occasionally is missing the first outgoing call of the day. I just redial. That never happened until I read about it somewhere else, then it started happeneing to me. When I reload the phonebook, I also have to remap the eighteen 1 button dial positions.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hschuck\";p=\"85406)</div>

Verizon does not care a wit about security yours mine or anyone elses they are worried about an interruption of their income stream. If they fully enabled Bluetooth you could move pictures off the phone and ring tones and games on with out they getting their pound of flesh.

 

verizon wont allow it because of things like this. this is from today's edition of the Olympian

Cell phones targeted with viruses, scams

JON SWARTZ

GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

As cell phones add more PC-like features, such as e-mail, Web browsing and digital music players, digital intruders are targeting them with viruses, spam and phishing schemes.
Click Here
The security climate is similar to several years ago when thrill-seeking computer hackers realized they could profit through their exploits, says Travis Witteveen, vice president for the Americas at computer-security firm F-Secure. "History is repeating," he says.

The shift in tactics reflects the mounting danger of feature-rich cell phones, says Victor Kouznetsov, senior vice president of mobile-security solutions at McAfee. Mobile phone users now must cope with:

- Viruses and worms: As consumers do more with cell phones -- such as downloading files and opening e-mail attachments -- they risk contracting viruses and worms, Witteveen and others say.

The number of known malicious programs this year doubled to more than 100 on cell phones with advanced features, anti-virus company SimWorks says.

The first widespread virus, Cabir, surfaced last summer, according to F-Secure. It spread via Bluetooth, a technology that allows wireless devices to swap information. Nine variations have appeared since. The most recent, Hobbes.A, causes some phones to crash.

The problem is expected to deepen. Of the nearly 900 million wireless phones expected to be sold in 2008, about 130 million will include Internet features, says market researcher IDC.

- Phishing: More cell phone users are encountering phishing scams, fraudulent e-mails or Web sites meant to trick them into yielding personal information.

Some consumers say they have received automated calls asking for the last four digits of their Social Security numbers, says Bruce Schneier, founder of Counterpane Internet Security.

- Spam: An estimated 500 million spam e-mails will be sent to cell phone users in North America this year versus less than 10 million in 2003, says Ferris Research.

Security experts predict that Americans will face the same situation as the Japanese, who frequently use cell phones to access the Internet and are inundated with spam.

McAfee and others see an emerging market. McAfee has developed anti-virus software for smart cell phones and is working on firewalls to prevent unauthorized access.

 

BS

Complete BS

Verizon tried the "It's for your own good" line first.

No one bought it, and they finally admitted that the sole and only reason was their "Business Model".

The links to the Verizon VP interviews have been posted here before.

 

no matter what the reason for them not doing it, the fact remains

 

V710 and use of laptop

Wes,

Can you provide any more details on the use of the laptop other that the file referred to.

Has anyone else used a bluetooth enabled laptop to upload the phonebook.

I just ordered a bluetooth adapter for the laptop and that approach would seem to solve the problem. However, the questions remain.

It would be nice to confirm that the procedure works before buying a couple of phones.

Thanks in advance

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wesj49\";p=\"85415)</div>

No it can't and it is not likely to happen anytime soon. I just happened to be looking at the Verizon bluetooth phone models yesterday and saw that it is conspicuoulsy noted now that the phones (3 of them I believe) do not support all bluetooth profiles--specifically OBEX, by name--which is necessary for file transfers such as a phone book to the Prius. Supposedly the latest firmeware v710 will ring on incoming calls--the phone not the Prius--if that's any consolation.

I use my laptop to upload phone books to the Prius. It seems that most phones only transfer a single contact at a time anyway, so I find using the laptop to be more practical for the initial upload of a whole phone book. I have instructions for this procedure in a file in the Yahoo Prius-2G bluetooth file area. I'd have one here but it seems the file area of this site is broken.[/b][/quote]

 

It won't work and as I was told by a Motorola rep, there are no plans to change it. The workaround could be to dump your phonebook from the V710 into a laptop that has Bluetooth using the Motorola Mobile Phone Tools software kit with cable. Then port the phonebook from the laptop to the car. Pretty lame, huh?

 

Well, there is a quite detailed set of instructions in the files section including screen shots.

I agree that the extent of using a laptop should not be necessary. I realize that the phone, by itself, can not transfer the phone book.

However, if the detailed procedure described in the file does actually work, and the screenshots certainly seem to indicate that it does, then it would be a workaround.

I have ordered the bluetooth adapter (and the Prius) and will attempt to make contact between the laptop and the car even before I order any phones.

Can anyone with actual experience confirm that the procedure listed in the file works?

Thanks

Bob


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(fairfieldwizard\";p=\"99443)</div>

 

I, myself, can now confirm the technique.

I just received (Thursday) my E815 and am a new Verizon customer (because of the coverage). Friday, I switched on the Bluetooth on the phone and had no trouble pairing the phone to the car.

Saturday, I successfully transferred phonebook entries several (at least 5) times, each time updating the phonebook, which I then transferred selected entries to the 17 available entries in the 1-Touch directory which is available during car motion (Not recommended for safety, but a fellow passenger could access it safely.)

It was actually simple.

For those like me who would have liked detailed instructions, I have posted them on my Prius website (www.moxproject.info/prius). Select Prius Info and then select the file “Uploading Phonebook from laptop to Prius.docâ€.

I know how frustrating this situation can be. So feel free to send me a private message with your email address and I will try to help.

Bob

 

Well, it looks like it's doable.

E815 Verizon OBEX enabled

 

Great, Bob! Would you mind uploading the file to the File Library section of this site? I know wesj49's (very thorough) instructions are already there but yours would be an excellent addition.

 

But that phone on ebay, although OBEX enabled, will most likely not have the profile necessary to send contacts directly from the E815. You can see it in the screenshots as OBEX Object Push(Send).

According to a bunch of folks at HoFo, the E815 has the requisite profile to initiate the transfer from the phone but it has, of course, been disabled. Hopefully, someone will find a way to re-enable OPP (probably via a seem edit) so contacts can be sent directly from the phone to the Prius (without the need for an intermediary device).