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Orange & T-Mobile Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update vagueness

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been with us for a while now and has sold millions of units around the world, and over the last couple of months the handset has been the centre of attention with regards to the latest Android update for the device. Samsung first pushed the Android Jelly Bean update out at the end of September with it first hitting the UK in the following month, but there is still no sign of the Android Jelly Bean update for the Orange or T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S3, which remains a mystery to why there has been no sight of it yet.

In the UK the likes of Three and O2 were among the first carriers to get the Jelly Bean update out to its customers, which was then followed by unlocked versions of the smartphone to start receiving the updated operating system. Fast forward to now around two months later and owners of the device on Orange and T-Mobile still have no official news from the carrier about the availability of the new firmware.

Looking on various support forums there are many frustrated customers with many contacting their carrier asking for information on when the Jelly Bean update will be released. Some have been told by T-Mobile that it would arrive by early December, but obviously this has come and gone, and on contacting the company again were told they have no idea when the new software will arrive.

Customers of the two carriers that are now part of the EE Company will be wondering when they will ever see the update, and this is at a time when customers of US carrier Verizon can expect to see Android Jelly Bean in the next couple of days.

Samsung has recently begun rolling out another Jelly Bean update in the form of 4.1.2 to unlocked versions of the handset, and it was previously expected that Android 4.2 would hit the Samsung Galaxy S3 early next year.

We have heard of some customers of Orange that have received the update already but these claims can’t be confirmed, and there are many more that are saying they have yet to see any update. Some users are wondering if the delay may have something to do with the merger of T-Mobile and Orange to form EE, and many angry customers have said that they will be leaving the carrier once their contract is finished.

Some have decided to use a custom ROM to get hold of the Jelly Bean firmware, but this should only be done if you are confident in such things, and this can invalidate your warranty for the handset.

Are you tired of waiting for Orange and T-Mobile to get their act together?

Comments

63 thoughts on “Orange & T-Mobile Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update vagueness”

  1. AngryAtOrange says:

    I am so fed up waiting for 4.1.1. With 4.1.2 already starting to roll out, I cant help but shudder wondering at how long before we get that one. Orange customer support really leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Even advising us to check on the phone for OTA updates, when they have removed this option from the firmware. Someone needs to do something to help us. I purchased the S3 because it was the most advanced handset on the market, what’s the point if it’s running OLD firmware.

  2. AngryAtOrangeToo says:

    The Orange S3 LTE (4g) and S3 Mini already have jelly bean, surely it must be the same firmware. I think that they are holding back on releasing the update to force customers into buying the S3 LTE which is on a more expensive plan.

  3. craig m says:

    I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 which was purchased independently but my network provider is Orange. I certainly have been unable to get any updates. The Kies software package is really exceptionally bad (on my Windows 7 PC it needs to be reinstalled each time I want to use it with my phone: it seems that the drivers are rubbish). Colleagues had updates on their phones a very long time ago. I’m not sure whether the lack of update is because it was bought directly from a supplier or whether it is because it is an Orange provider. Either way it’s a total pain!

  4. miah says:

    Once my contract is up I will definitely leave EE. I have been waiting for this update checking regular. Their Twitter support and contacting them via the forum provides no actual dates.

  5. Ronny says:

    Whoever wrote this article doesn’t know anything. T-Mobile pushed 4.1 update a month the ago. Sounds like someone has Verizon and hasn’t got their update and is trying to bash T-Mobile because of it. How childish. Read your comments and you will find you are dumb. Both T-Mobile and Orange both have pushed out 4.1

    1. Robert Gibson says:

      Ronny you wouldn’t happen to be American would you when you are talking about Verizon, we’re all talking about T Mobile/Orange UK, I can assure you that neither T Mobile or Orange UK have NOT pushed out Android 4.1 as yet, and this reply is 17 days after your original very innaccurate post.

  6. Rabidcrayfish says:

    I am an EE customer and received the update last month. To be honest it’s over hyped! Contacts/messaging apps lag BIG time (black screen for up to 4 seconds!). Much preferred ICS.

  7. ComeOnOrangeWeWantTheJB'S!!!! says:

    A friend at work purchased a S3 from Phones4U on Orange network which are unlocked and the OTA function enabled and is updated to JB however I purchased the S3 at launch date directly with Orange OTA function not enabled and no JB todate I did phone Orange customer services a few weeks ago they had no idea when it will be released (Mind u they did not no what JB was to start with !!!!)

  8. Len says:

    I am with everyone else. I was told by t-mobile that the update is the responsibility of HTC. I believe it may well have something to do with the merger to EE but at the end of the day too many people are just sat waiting and waiting. Out of the box few other phones bettered the One X, now phones will be getting 4.1.2 and probably 4.2 before I get 4.1 Ive got 12 months left then Im off.

  9. i think they should give use all compensation for this i mean we pay them and they are not living up to there end of it are they what happens if we are a week late them they dont like it do they iv bin with orange 7 year and till you now if they dont give me some think to make up for this im off

  10. azwod55 says:

    i had mine for a few months and took it back and cancelled my contract with t-moblie basicly on the grounds that they wasnt giving me a product that was upto date. i am now with 02 and loving the update.

  11. I got feed up with the wait.. on t mobile uk.. got my hands on the 4.1.2 update and flashed the phone.. works like a dream no problems… just one I cant use kies anymore. . But thats not a problem as the update option is now open…on the phone… tmobile uk suck… and I wont be renewing my contract as ill be moving on when it expires…

  12. Stipular says:

    I’ll be leaving orange at the end of my contract. Am sick of being left in the dark and how they are dealing with it. They take £37 a month of me as well. It’s shockingly bad service.

  13. Bart Cirillo says:

    I have Galaxy S3 with Ice Cream Sandwich software and wanted to update to Jellybean. Orange has remove the facility to update OTA and Kies tells me I have the latest version ! I contacted orange 3 times and they are totally clueless and unhelpful. Will change provider when my contact expires.

  14. Ravinder Jamgotre says:

    I have been with TMobile for many years now; The Galaxy S3 handset is a great piece of kit. not sure why the Jelly Bean update is taking so long; I have rung TMobile Data Team many times with mixed responses. Hope fully we will get 4.2 from the off. “finger crossed”. My colleague is on Orange and he had the update circa month and half ago. COME ON TMobile release the anticipated update and maintain your clientel. Also to everyones frustration the OTA feature on TMobile branded handets has been removed by the carrier. Why? well… even if it was there it will show up “no updates” as its “not been released yet” Rubbish, the update has been available for “donkeys” now. as Samsung technical support have categorically said, “TMobile are customising the update”.

      1. Ravinder Jamgotre says:

        Hi Chris; It may be that my colleagues phone is unlocked as he has the OTA option; Orange carrier and TMobile carrier customer, like and me a the ones feeling the delay. Really NOT HAPPY!

  15. AndyA1978 says:

    I have heard it is because tmobile want to migrate their customers to the S3 LTE (4g) handset (which comes with jelly bean pre installed so it obviously works and is not a problem with running jelly bean on tmobile therefore they have the software running already!!!!!!!) they want to upgrade you to the 4g S3 for £100 so they can charge them much more for their 4G data plans. they are witholding the update on purpose….If this is true and i suspect it is. Based on the information above you can make your own minds up!!! they were normally not this slow it is basically bribery / blackmail i am disgusted and i am off when my contract ends, i am wondering can anyone find a clause in the contract about having up to date system / equipment to allow us all to cancel.
    ???

    1. JIm says:

      What are we losing by not having Jellybean?…..Nothing! I have ICS too on my S3 and have Jellybean on my tablet. I actually can’t see any difference and if you think it’s going to be any different you may end up very disappointed!

  16. dellz says:

    Firstly if you are from the USA this is not for you, this is about T-mobile UK (EE) not, i repeat NOT T-mobile USA. Secondly if you did not get your mobile from t-mobile directly for example from phones 4 u or carphone warehouse your phone is most probably unlocked, hence why you have access to OTA and BTU updates (uk unlocked). I am sick and tired of waiting for t-mobile how can you be two updates behind? what the hell is this about…I am now gonna go to the ends of the earth, follow as many tutorials as i can to remove their stupid bloatware and restore the original unlocked firmware

  17. Marksenark says:

    yes.. thinking of rooting.. only 17 months left on warranty and not sure if i’d trust ee/tmob with my phone if it developed a fault anyway.. and please, will anyone who says they have the update, check if you have a branded or unlocked phone by entering *#1234# on keypad and checking what the “CSC” is.. it should begin with I9300 (not I9305) and then the next 3 letters will be either TMU (tmob uk branded), ORA (orange uk branded) or BTU (sim-free/unbranded).. we all know BUT users have access to both 4.1.1 and 4.1.2. What we’re interested in here is those of us unfortunate enough to have either TMU or ORA versions.. and at time of this comment, neither version has even 4.1.1 available.. (also seems like vodafone have released 4.1.2 aswell, going by sammobile)

  18. just phone orange there are saying now the jelly bean is only compatible on the LTE and not on the normal s3 so that dose not sound good had a go and said that its not fair on the pleaple like me who have the normal s3 il be leave orange as soon as i can cos they have made it clear they dont care about us only the money

  19. @bornindafire says:

    Tmobile is pushing the galaxy note 2 which has jelly bean .. if the s3 was updated to jellybean it would be the same exact phone as the note 2
    Plain and simple

  20. DoubleSpeed says:

    There is no justification whatsoever for T-Moble, Orange or EE EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE or whatever they are known as now for delaying firmware updates, I suggest potential customers think before they buy from any of the above you will be missing out on great features for no reason, buy from another operator who looks after their customers!

  21. Robert Gibson says:

    I was informed by Orange customer service that the update was still being tested, this was over a month ago, I also tweeted the Orange helpers service on Twitter and was told that the jelly bean update hadnt been released by Samsung yet, this was a week after O2, Vodafone and 3 had released it to their branded phones, honestly dont think they have a clue tbh, Ive since spoken to Samsung customer service who have been very helpful, basically saying that Orange/Tmobile/EE dont know what they’re talking about, but as yet, still no further forward on when my S3 will get Jelly Bean.

  22. MrHun says:

    I’m pissed too, makes no sense not being able to keep you device up to date with the latest firmware ect… I am seriously thinking of paying T-Mobile for the unlock codes so that I can wipe the phone of its crud and install a stock OS from Samsung. At least this way I’ll get updates as and when they are out. I think its pretty rubbish of both carriers to be honest.

  23. SaltAndVinegarVSCheeseAndOnion says:

    I’m a UK S3 T-Mobile owner and do not yet have the update.

    In a nutshell is tactical marketing (or essentially feeding the birds) to keep you for as long as they can.

    This strategy has slowly become the norm for all Android phones I have owned, previously it was the same story with a SE u20i (X10 mini-pro) phone on T-Mobile.

    People waited for ages even after the SE team had pushed the update to T-Mobile and when it did come round it wasn’t any better, just more crap-ware hogging phone resources. (Also around the same time SE – E = S, and also their forum boards were similarly littered with rants and ill feeling)

    Technical minded people could well ‘tweak’ things themselves also at risk of sacrificing warranties, but for those of you who are not so indulged I’d suggest a very careful read of your paperwork.
    “There’s only so much you can do to keep a glass box safe” in both instances.

  24. When they sell the contract to a customer, they don’t tell them”oh by the way, you won’t get the latest update as we have the right to withhold it till we want to release it” So in my eyes it’s being miss sold

  25. Nick Davies says:

    is there any news on us orange customers getting the update, whenever i phone orange they dont seem to know what i’m talking about. it is so frustrating having a top phone but an old android system.

    1. yea they sent me this great news hot of the press. Orange & TMobile have approved the Jelly Bean update we are awaiting for Samsung to confirm when it will be uploaded to the servers so customers will see it on KIES.

  26. kromagg says:

    just started new contract last August with new s3.. I unbranded mine and got jb but this is not the point. . can’t w8 for this contract to finished they can’t do nothing to keep me for next one even with free iPhone/galaxy I will definitely leave this piece of cr..p

  27. NIck Woodrow says:

    JellyBean 4.1.2 update Tmobile UK (phone provided by T-mobile locked) was updated this morning Saturday 12th December. I turned on my computer and was informed by Kies. I then plugged my phone into USB. Easy install about 10 mins and seems to be working well.

  28. Orange UK have released the 4.1.2 update via Kies. I upgraded yesterday and all’s good. The update includes the premium suite (multi window, smart rotate etc) and the OTA update option looks to have been restored.

  29. apoults says:

    just received this on twitter @Apoults The update went live on Friday! Simply connect to Samsung’s Kies software and you’ll be able to update to Jelly Bean 🙂

  30. Mark says:

    I’m sick of waiting, and sick of Orange. My wife and I are both on Orange and their customer service stinks.
    Needless to say we’ll both be leaving when our contracts are up.

  31. Matt Haggart says:

    im still on software 4.0.4 i have had my phone for around 9 months and it hasnt done one single update. i dont even have thwe software update section in the about device. any ideas??

  32. disenchanted says:

    I am still waiting for any kind of update to my firmware – currently running on Orange S3 with Android 2.3.3 – yes that’s Gingerbread, release TWO!!! Even connecting both by 3G or by Wi-Fi I am still being told that there are no updates available.
    Excuse me, but what service am i paying for exactly…???

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