Friday, January 25th, 2008...8:34 am
Setting up the Sony Ericsson P1i on ATT
I recently purchased a Sony Ericsson P1i for work. My days of living with a Verizon phone — horribly crippled of all of its cool features — were over. I bought it off Amazon, took it to the AT&T store, got my SIM card…and was told “Uh. You can purchase the data and messaging plan, but since it’s not an AT&T device, I can’t help you set it up.”
huh?
So come to find out AT&T throws what seems like a pity party. “You didn’t buy the phone from us, and it doesn’t have our branding! Booooo! You can setup the phone yourself!”
Fine, I thought, I’ll just go back to work, look up the settings online, and boom. No problem. Trouble was, the settings I found on forums were either too old to match my situation or were not quite what I needed.
So here ya go, P1i user…(or other SE unlocked phone user) … here are the settings to get you started:
WAP
Use the Sony Ericsson P1i setup: HERE.
It’s *crucial* you use this tool. Entering this data manually doesn’t seem to work for me and will affect MMS settings later.
MMS
- Go to: Main Menu > Control Panel > Messaging > MMS Account
- Under “Service Center Address”, enter: “http://mmsc.cingular.com”
(The other settings don’t seem to matter. I have mine set to: “Auto Download: Home Only”, and “Download Size: No restrictions”)
SMS
- SMS Service center address: +13123149810
That’s it! I had a problem where I could send SMS’s out, but could not receive them. I had to call ATT customer support (and have them tell me they couldn’t fix my device cos it wasn’t ATT branded). After some sweet talking, she had me read her the IMEI number (press *#06# on your SE phone). I pulled my battery and SIM card, rebooted, and whatever she did with my IMEI number worked. It seemed it was a network provisioning error.
If this doesn’t work for you, leave a comment. I’m (hopefully) pretty quick at answering.
Enjoy! And happy phone-ing!
41 Comments
January 27th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Security Code does not show.
Anyways I tried your method and it did not work for MMS… ATT is not much help either since they dont have the phone listed :s so they dont have settings for it.
Sonyerricson website sent me MMS configuration and it did not work either ( http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/support/products/mms/p1i?cc=us&lc=en )
Any Ideas?
January 27th, 2008 at 10:33 am
change it to: http://mmsc.cingular.com
that seemed to work for me (just successfully sent out a MMS).
January 28th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
nerd alert
February 15th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
note: i had to reset my p1i for a software update and it wiped out my settings. i came back to this page and entered all the data. MMS didn’t work. i went back and did the SE WAP over-the-air setup. Once I did that (instead of doing it manually), MMS worked.
March 5th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
We have 3 P1i’s two of them work and the third is giving us issues. I set up 2 of the phones via Sony Ericsson website, (No Brainer). The problem is that the settings that SE sends out to the phone is not coming through, so I cant insert the code that they give. Any Thoughts?
March 5th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Hmmmm… tough call. So the other two DID work? You were able to receive the setup SMS’s from the SE website? And this third one won’t get the SMS’s?
I had trouble receiving SMS’s when I set this up originally — and i had the same trouble. My issue was that my carrier (ATT) did not properly setup SMS on my device. I had to call tech support and have them fix it (turned out they needed my IMEI number).
Can you get SMS’s on that device?
March 12th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I send and receive sms without a problem but i cant receive the sms from the sony ericsson site. Is there a way u can post the settings that the sms installed on your phone?
March 13th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Hi Jimmy. That’s very odd that you can send AND receive SMS’s but can’t get one from the SE site. I gotta ask: if you can already get SMS’s, why do you need my settings?
here they are:
SMS service center address: +13123149810
Show delivery report dialog (checked)
Character set: 7 bit
Messages stored for: Maximum
Connection type: GSM preferred
For the record, when I had to flash my phone before, I tried to manually re-enter this information. While SMS came back, it screwed up my MMS. Once I did the setup file via the SE site, it magically worked. I can’t explain it. But this is why I suggest in the instructions to use the SE site for SMS setup — instead of just posting those settings. Good luck!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Jon thanks for the reply.
i need them so i fix my mms. Those are my settings as well and i just tried the site a gain and still no luck. Do you think its possible for you to get the sms and then forward it to my phone. I’ll email you my number if it’s a possibility. Thanks in advance.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:53 am
If you’re receiving SMS’s just fine, I do not understand the issue. That would point to an issue with the SE site or the phone number you are entering in on that side.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:00 am
i cant figure it out either, i i did it like 10 times entered m ten digit phone number it showed me what my pin is and the message just never gets there.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
jon i figured it out. i had to click the
If your operator is not listed below, click here for a more comprehensive list. link and then select the at&t formerly cingular option. thanks for the help.
March 21st, 2008 at 9:49 am
I have tried several times to set up my P1i using Sony Ericsson’s settings (which come to me by way of a text message). However, everytime I accept these settings (which seem to come in without any problem), I still cannot connect (I get a message in the browser which says ‘Could not locate remote server’.
Funny enough, before my P1i crashed a few weeks ago (and I re-synced, restoring my data), it worked just fine — using the settings sent in the same way I am trying to use now.
Any ideas/help?
March 21st, 2008 at 9:53 am
Do no features work? WAP/MMS/SMS? Phone calls? Or is it just WAP?
I am no self-proclaimed P1i expert…just the settings posted in the article above. if i were in your position, i’d see if i could flash the device using the SE software that came with the phone…try and start over from scratch.
if NOTHING is working, i’d suspect an ATT issue and would call their support.
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Ok, well, here’s one for you…
I get an error when receiving SMS from off-net numbers… the visual notification fails and gives me an application error. The message still goes to my inbox just fine. When I get SMS from on-net att clients, or sent via ATT’s email-to-sms relay server, the visual notification works fine, tells me who it is, yada yada. Do you think there’s any possibility that this is related somehow to the error you were seeing related to your IMEI?
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Hmmm…definitely weird. At first, it sounded like an issue with the firmware. I’d try two things: 1) run the update wizard to make sure your P1i has the latest firmware. if that doesn’t fix anything, 2) give ATT a call. Issues with off-net and on-net numbers could easily be an IMEI issue, yes.
Good luck.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:00 am
I had already checked the firmware, that was my first thought. It’s up to date. I just got off the phone with ATT and had them do whatever registration they do with the IMEI. And… not it. sigh, back to the drawing board.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Ugh. Sorry, Chris. Wish I could help more…
May 30th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I can make phone calls send and recieve mms use the wifi to connect to the internet but can’t set up att internet or MMS tried the website link and looked for the more comprehensive list couldn’t find it can you help?
May 30th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Hi Manny. It looks like they changed their website format around a bit. Here’s the link to the setup wizard:
http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/support/phones/detailed/phonesetupwap/p1i?cc=us&lc=en
I’ll change this blog post, too.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:14 am
sorry I’m only able to send and recieve sms trying to use the site but like Jimmy earlier I can’t receive the settings from the site, and his reply for the comprehensive list is nowhere to be found. Any Ideas, can some one else send me that sms message with the settings and passcode?
May 31st, 2008 at 12:34 am
Manny — that link no longer exists because SE changed their website. They used to have ATT and Cingular separately. Now, they only have the single ATT option. If you cannot receive the settings text message, email SE from the site and ask for help there — that’s probably your best bet.
June 15th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Ok Jon, so this is kind of of topic, but I just got a p1i for ATT. The phone works fine, but when i travel and another att satellite or w/e, it says the gprs is dettached, and it says emergency calls only. If i reset my whole phone, then the problems goes away, but same thing happens when i travel again. Did anyone else every have this problem?
June 18th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I called Sony they sent the old setting the phone is working great now. Any Ideas on threaded sms that would make this phone perfect!
July 20th, 2008 at 11:09 am
The sms thing work perfectly but when i tried the MMS i still was not abnle to send pictures. This is strange considering the fact that i do have an unlimited messaging plan with ATT. I wish my new P1 could send pictures.
Any ideas
July 27th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Try https://sonyericsson.wdsglobal.com/worp/ota/sonyericsson/mms
use the Cingular setting, it worked for me
August 7th, 2008 at 1:43 am
https://sonyericsson.wdsglobal.com/worp/ota/sonyericsson/mms
with the Cingular setting worked for me
thanks for the website!
any good websites to awesome applications?
August 21st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I had all the setting emailed 2 weeks or so ago and everything worked great. I had to reset the phone though and my settings were erased. I went back to the site to find all the ATT (Cingular) settings for my P1i for MMS have been removed. Anyone have the exact settings for their phone?
SE and ATT both have been of no help whatsoever in the past week.
Thanks!
October 9th, 2008 at 11:40 am
i recentley purchased the P1i and i live in lubbock Texas(Texas Tech) i had read about this phone and did not really understand the whole GSM mhz frequnceys. I am a At&t customer so i use their sim card and such. When i recivied my phone i put the Sim card in and all i got was “Emergencey Calls Only” the phone would not pick up the At&t service and i could not get any connection. So i ask does anyone know why this happend? I looked on gsm website and it showed Lubbock as in the 1900/850 frequncey zone, but am i still missing a frequncey for this phone to work?? somone help me!!! also it was prior used by somone with T mobile, would this affect it in any way?
October 9th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Take the phone into an ATT store — they’re not required to help you setup internet services on an unlocked phone, but they should help you get phone calls going. The frequency issues is that the P1i uses different 3g frequencies than those used in the US. However, phone calls and EDGE data should work just fine. And no, the T-Mobile thing shouldn’t be a big deal. However, ATT may need to know that you phone exists (IMEEM number). So, step 1: take it to a ATT store (or call customer service) and have them get you out of “emergency call” mode.
October 10th, 2008 at 5:34 am
ok so are you 100% confident that the phone will work? i only ask because i have a time frame before i will not be able to send the phone back, so it would be alot of money wasted if it was only useful as a paper weight! thanks for your respone though
October 10th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Only 1 way to find out! Get to the ATT store before your “time frame” is up!
October 10th, 2008 at 8:22 am
roger!
October 21st, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Ok I recivied a new P1i as i didnt trust that one i had, and its great but the probelm is i still have no network, so i went to the At&t store and the person there would not even help me yet look at it. He said since its not a Unlocked AT&T phone specificaly that if my sim card did not work in it then AT&T cant do anything about it, is this true? Why would SE make a phone that isnt able to be used with diffrent networks if they networks only allow Network Specific unlocked phones, any help would be great
October 21st, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Hmm. Sad you’re having that experience. When I got mine, I took it to an ATT store and they helped me get the SIM card in and test out receiving a phone call.
When I was having trouble getting SMS’s, I called customer support and was very happy with their service. She requested my IMEM and we tested out getting texts.
Only suggestion: try the store again (and ask for the manager?) — if they’re still being turds, try calling Customer Service. They’re not obligated to get every little detail up and running, but phone calls and texts should be required — no matter where you got the phone.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Ok well i ahve been on the phone with customer service and she wanted my imi number and tried calling it and it still saying Emergencey Calls Online… frustrating
October 21st, 2008 at 4:31 pm
gah sorry on the phone and typing, this is what happend, she wanted the ImEM number like they did with you, i gave it to her and she tried calling it still it would not show AT&T on the top of the phone, so she tried some more stuff and still i have nothing, now they are transfering me to a Tech, do you think it is where i live, Lubbock Tx?? the gsm website says i have 800/1900 freq, so it should work
October 21st, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Yes - the P1i **will** work in the US. Mine does. Only thing that won’t work is 3G data. But phone, text, edge data all work.
Don’t let ‘em push you around!
October 21st, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Jon thanks for replying, im lost here man, this phone will only show Emergencey Calls Only, it will not do anything else, i dotn care about the internet at this point, i jsut want it to work, the people at ATT tried everything but whenever they ask about “What Type” of phone it is i tell them and they immedatley so that it is a european phone and not combatible blah blah blah, then they loose intrest in helping me and say that its broken when i damn well know its not. I dont want to send this thing back its my second one and im losing money on the shipping!, so do you remember at all what they did with yours IE, did they go into it and enter bunch of numbers or things, whenever i go to the control panel and the connections it shows ATT 380/410 as the top ones and then when i hit search it just searches and comes back with “No Network” Is there anything that i need to do you might thing would work.. If i have to take it to a ATT store agian what should i say.. that its a unlocked non ATT phone from Europe or what, jsut seems like whenver they hear its a european phone they act like they dont know what to do…
October 21st, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Ok now i found a Network ATT, but it says it is forbidden!! one step closer but now what!
October 21st, 2008 at 6:59 pm
I have come to the conclusion that this phone simiply just wont work here. There is no way for me to get it out of Emergency calls and nobody seems to know how to get it to work (Customer Service) I guess im better off Just getting a Iphone then rather struggle with this thing. I dont know if its the Lack Of signals or what but all i remember from when i gave the CS Rep my IMEM number was she said it was showing the network listing the phone as unknown even though it was on it… gah hope they give refunds
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