Weak mobile 3G card support for Vista

Even at the risk of getting blamed for seeming desperate I want to check whether maybe anybody at Microsoft can do something with this:

Mobile Operators across the globe have OEMed Option Fusion 3G cards to allow mobile GPRS, UMTS and WLAN connections primarily for business users.

While Option has Windows Vista drivers ready they only provide them to end users via their OEM partners. So customers have to wait until T-Mobile, Vodafone, etc. make those drivers available on their websites.

I have posted the full story on my blog:
http://www.24100.net/article/3/t-mobile-multimedia-netcard-with-windows-vista

Since then I have received e-mails from all over the world that loosing the ability to have a mobile workforce connected to their headquaters and getting no definite statement from the MOs about availability of Vista support has lead into "no go" decisions for Windows Vista migration.

I am fully aware that Microsoft does not create 3rd party hardware drivers nor is Microsoft responsible for delivering those to Vista users.

However as Microsoft might have an interest not to slow down Vista adaption in the important B2B segment, chances are that this problem can taken serious by Microsoft.

Is there any chance, that you folks at MS contact Option and maybe include the available Vista drivers into Windows Update?

The ignorance of the MOs with respect to this matter is ridiculous.

Just wait until the certified drivers are available, there's nothing Microsoft can do until then.

I had to switch my datacard, Huawei USB PnP HSDPA modem works fine with vista, but the software partition doesn't show up, I had to copy the contents on a XP pc to my flash drive(U3 which also doesn't work, only the storage partition lol) and then run the setup.

Great points on the OEM driver support. We do rely heavily on our OEM's to provide quaity drivers, that are tested and verified for our OS, but some are frankly better at this than others. Sometimes having an end to end lock down on software and hardware (i.e. Apple) does have its advantages in this area, but having said that i think it also makes MacOS more proprietory than anything else otu their. But to get back to the topic, i have managed to get my Option 3G card from Cingular to run. I did go thru the frsutrating OEM experience on Options website (which by the way really sucks )

I had to install the Vista driver on the CD that came with the card in XP mode. The driver are there, if you look in the CD's directory. Then i had to simply setup a manual data connection as opposed to using the Cingular connection manager software.


User name: ISP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
Dail: *99#

I hope this helps! 

thekiwiguy wrote:



Great points on the OEM driver support. We do rely heavily on our OEM's to provide quaity drivers, that are tested and verified for our OS, but some are frankly better at this than others. Sometimes having an end to end lock down on software and hardware (i.e. Apple) does have its advantages in this area, but having said that i think it also makes MacOS more proprietory than anything else otu their. But to get back to the topic, i have managed to get my Option 3G card from Cingular to run. I did go thru the frsutrating OEM experience on Options website (which by the way really sucks )

I had to install the Vista driver on the CD that came with the card in XP mode. The driver are there, if you look in the CD's directory. Then i had to simply setup a manual data connection as opposed to using the Cingular connection manager software.


User name: ISP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
Dail: *99#

I hope this helps! 

Thanks for your feedback.

The problem with T-Mobile (Germany) is, that their Option 3G Cards are not supported through Option's website (the IMEI is not recognized). There is also no CD which comes with the card.

Could you possibly email me your working drivers to private [at] rottmann [dot] net ?

I'd love to get Vista working with this card - finally!

Just mailed them to you. Its a 2MB file, so let me know if you do not get it.

thekiwiguy wrote:

Just mailed them to you. Its a 2MB file, so let me know if you do not get it.

Uhhh... looking so much forward to the drivers. Did not come through yet. Possibly went to the (autodelete) junk mail folder.

Could you possibly resend? (Changed junk mail settings.)

private AT rottmann DOT net

Thanks!!!

just re-sent to- private@rottmann.net is that the right address?

Hi. Is there a place where I can download these drivers? Don't want to bother you with sending email and stuff.