Smart corruption !

[Doc Alan]

I have a Smart "Plug N' Talk" USB communication device which lets me call + text from a PC to any mobile or landline in the Philippines. It offers close to local call and text rates from as low as P6.50 / minute and P1.00 /SMS to the Philippines.
For around 19.50 GBP it comes with Smart SIM and P300 load. E-load prices are P300 for 5 GBP (valid up to 75 days), P500 for 8.50 GBP (valid up to 120 days) , and P1000 for 16 GBP (valid for up to 120 days).
More details on www.callingnow.co.uk , phone 0207 987 3749.
The device wouldn't work on my new laptop, or a friend's laptop, after working previously on my netbook ( which "crashed" last week due probably to hard drive failing). Callingnow informed me the device could be corrupt, and offered to send a replacement for 5 GBP. This I received by first class post the next day (today). I simply removed my SIM, retaining the +069 number, and it now works perfectly. So I can still recommend the device, and the backup service offered should things go wrong.

[Arthur Little]

Handy to know, Alan ... IF only I knew how these things worked - and were more au fait with technology in general - but very useful for lots of folk on here.

[JimOttley]

I have a Smart "Plug N' Talk" USB communication device which lets me call + text from a PC to any mobile or landline in the Philippines. It offers close to local call and text rates from as low as P6.50 / minute and P1.00 /SMS to the Philippines.
For around 19.50 GBP it comes with Smart SIM and P300 load. E-load prices are P300 for 5 GBP (valid up to 75 days), P500 for 8.50 GBP (valid up to 120 days) , and P1000 for 16 GBP (valid for up to 120 days).
More details on www.callingnow.co.uk , phone 0207 987 3749.
The device wouldn't work on my new laptop, or a friend's laptop, after working previously on my netbook ( which "crashed" last week due probably to hard drive failing). Callingnow informed me the device could be corrupt, and offered to send a replacement for 5 GBP. This I received by first class post the next day (today). I simply removed my SIM, retaining the +069 number, and it now works perfectly. So I can still recommend the device, and the backup service offered should things go wrong.

Alan the Plug n Talk often runs ok for a little while then gradually builds up a lot of cross linking between files on the dongles file system, at that point you need to back up the .dat files in the MyPhone folder (hidden folder on the dongle) and delete the MyPhone folder.

Once you do that the loader detects that the folder is missing and downloads and reinstalls the Phone software. You then need to copy back your chsty.dat contacts.dat and groups.dat files to the new MyPhone folder and you will have your phone back up and working.

chsty.dat is call history
contacts and groups are obvious
shsty.dat is the complete log of all SMS text messages sent via the Plug n Talk.

It gets corrupted as easy as looking at it but it's a good device, I've had these problems on 2 copies of the device.

I did write a very crude program to parse the old shsty.dat files to allow me to back up my text message history, it was good enough but not perfect, in part because of the corrupted characters that gradually wreck the files.

I will try to put a short guide to fixing these beasties together and maybe I will polish up my little program to make it fit for other users (in other words make it not be an embarrassment to a professional programmer )

[grahamw48]

A Liverpudlian Programmer?

Do .dat den Doc.

[Arthur Little]

A Liverpudlian Programmer?

... a programmer actually, Graham ... Jim's an "exiled" Scot ... merely domiciled in Scouserland!

[JimOttley]

A Liverpudlian Programmer?

Do .dat den Doc.

I'm an ex-pat Graham but I got it wrong and ended up on the wrong continent

[Doc Alan]

Thanks Jim, Graham, and Arthur for advice and support
The USB device worked well since last June, so for a non-expert 5 GBP replacement was acceptable.
I also have an old previously unblocked mobile phone with Smart SIM, set on "Roaming", which is as cheap for texting FROM Philippines to UK but costs about 20 pence / text TO Philippines. Clearly the USB "softphone" (on screen) only works if it is plugged in to the computer.

[JimOttley]

Thanks Jim, Graham, and Arthur for advice and support
The USB device worked well since last June, so for a non-expert 5 GBP replacement was acceptable.
I also have an old previously unblocked mobile phone with Smart SIM, set on "Roaming", which is as cheap for texting FROM Philippines to UK but costs about 20 pence / text TO Philippines. Clearly the USB "softphone" (on screen) only works if it is plugged in to the computer.

A useful site if you have not already found it is

http://smart.com.ph/Account/Default....d/buckets.aspx

if you register on there you can check your balance for free for both your Smart SIM's (the Plug n Talk and your Roaming phone).

It's also worth bearing in mind that it can be a better deal to ask someone in the Phils to reload your numbers rather than using the UK reload services, obviously only works if you are sending other cash to the Phils but it is a lot cheaper if you are using the phone regularly.

[JimOttley]

It's actually really badly written that Plug n Talk softphone, as far as I can make out it hold the files open between events i.e. calls text messages or updating contacts etc.

So if you just unplug it you risk corrupting it, a lot of the time you will get away with it but eventually it will give up the ghost and need the delete/reinstall trick.

The software and original idea is from an Israeli company I believe, Smart just licensed the technology, the latest version of the software is much improved for example it can tunnel SIP traffic through a firewall even if the SIP port is blocked (like sky broadband routers are by default) this means that it can establish the Voice over IP connection even when otherwise intentionally blocked.

Long before it first appeared I had been trying to get a phone interface set up on my computer in the Phils so I could do exactly this over the internet but I never quite got all the bits together, just as well as it would have been a really wasted effort after the Plug n talk arrived a few years back

Roaming on any Philippine SIM is pointless, as although family back home can text you cheaply as you say it costs you loads to reply to them in the Phils.

As I always have a computer nearby I tend to receive text on the plug n talk and send text on Skype (3.5p each) even though it is more expensive Skype gives me delivery confirmation which you won't get with a phone or the plug n talk. Had a lot of reception issues with Smart in recent times so it is always good to know your message has been recieved