Home > Support > Plan support > Article
Preparing for the Over-the-Air (OTA) Radio Update (T-Mobile Sidekick® 3)
The OTA Radio Update will increase the performance and reliability of your Sidekick device. No new features or applications are included with this update.
This update will erase your stored contacts (address book) and images stored to the device memory. T-Mobile strongly recommends backing up your personal information prior to accepting this update. Please use the steps in this article to back-up your personal information and accept the Radio Update.
Copying a contact from the device to the SIM card ›
Saving images to a memory card ›
Registering the Sidekick ›
Accepting the OTA radio update ›

Copying a contact from the device to the SIM card

IMPORTANT: This process must be repeated for all contacts. SIM cards have space limitations and can only store a name and phone number.
To copy a contact from the device to the SIM card, perform the following steps:
1. At the main screen, scroll down and select Address Book.
2. From the Browse Contacts screen, highlight the contact you want to copy to your SIM card.
3. Press the Menu button.
4. Scroll down and select Copy to SIM Card.
NOTE: The Copy to SIM Card dialog box opens.
5. If you have more than one phone number associated with this contact on your device, then you can select an alternate number from a pop-up menu.
6. When finished, select Done Graphic2.
NOTE: The contact is copied to your SIM card.
7. Repeat the steps listed until you have added all your contacts to your SIM card.
8. After all of your contacts have been backed up you are now ready to receive the OTA.
TOP

Saving images to a memory card

To save images to a memory card, perform the following steps:
1. Access the Camera Application.
2. Select the photos you wish to move over to your memory card.
3. Press the Menu button and scroll down and select Moved Checked.
4. Select Memory Card Album.
NOTE: If you run out of space on the SD card, you can move the images to a computer using a card reader or USB cord.
TOP

Registering the Sidekick

NOTE: The Sidekick user's username will also be their e-mail address; "username@tmail.com."
NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive.
To register the Sidekick, perform the following steps:
1. From the waiting for activation screen, select New User or Returning User.
Image of the Welcome! screen
2. When New User is selected, type your First and Last name.
Image of where to enter your first and last name
3. Select a Username, and then select Next.
Image of where to enter the Username
NOTE: User Names must meet the following requirements:
  • The username will be the first part of the user's email address (for example, username@tmail.com).
  • Usernames must start with an alphabetic character (A-Z) and can include numbers and underscores ( _ ), but no other punctuation.
  • Usernames must be at least 2 but not more than 32 characters long.
  • Usernames are not case-sensitive. For example, if a username is “bridget”, the user will be authenticated if they sign in by typing “Bridget”, “BRIDGET”, or any combination of upper or lower case letters.


4. Enter a password in the Password and Confim fields, and then select Next.
Image of entering a password
NOTE: Passwords must meet the following requirements:
  • Passwords must contain 4-15 characters, and can include both letters and numbers, but no spaces.
  • Cannot contain single quotes ('), semicolons (;), backslashes (\), or percent signs (%), double quotes (").
  • The password appears on the screen as asterisks (***) to ensure privacy.
  • Passwords are case sensitive.
  • Once a password is chosen, it will not expire. However, users can change a password by going to My T-Mobile.com.


5. Select a secret Question, type the Answer, and then select Next.
Image of choosing a secret question
NOTE: The following questions will be included in the secret question drop-down menu:
  • What is your mother's maiden name?
  • What is your favorite pet's name?
  • On what street did you grow up?
  • In what city did you grow up?
  • What is your favorite movie?


6. Select a Time Zone, and then select Next.
Image of choosing Time Zone
7. You will be asked to view and accept the Danger License Agreement; you can either select View Agreement or refer to your legal documentation.
Image of the Danger License Agreement
8. Click Next, to acknowledge reading the license agreements, etc., and then the registration data is transmitted to the network.
9. Once the activation is complete the congratulations screen appears.
Image of the Congratulations screen
TOP

Accepting the OTA radio update

NOTE: This radio-only update contains performance improvements for your Sidekick 3.
IMPORTANT:
  • You may receive more than one OTA depending on the age of your Sidekick 3.
  • Please make certain that your device is fully charged before installing an Over-the-Air update.
  • Do not power down or reset the device during the installation process.
  • The progress bar may stop and start, which is normal.
  • The antenna will display an X. This is normal because the device is completely disconnected from the network during an update installation.
  • After the update completes, the device will restart automatically.
To accept the OTA radio update, perform the following:
1. When the update has completely downloaded to your device, the following dialog box will appear.
Image of the System Update Notice!
NOTE: You should not select Update Now if you have not backed up your contacts to your SIM Card.
2. Select Update Now, your device will install the update and restart.
Image of Important Update Instruction!
3. When the update is writing to the flash memory, a progress bar appears on the screen.
Image of Updating New System
4. It takes a few minutes to finish and restart; after which, you will see the Update Complete! confirmation dialog box.
Image of Update Complete!

tm52077


Back to top Back to top
Print Print
Did we help?
Did this article help you?
Yes, the problem is solved!
Yes, but the instructions were unclear.
Yes, but it was not the answer I was hoping for.
No, it did not address my particular situation.
No, not even close!
Related info:
Other suggested articles
 
 Release 2.0 Over-the-Air Update for Sidekick® II (January 2005) ›

 

Over The Air (OTA) updates (T-Mobile myTouch 3G with Google) ›

 

Over the Air (OTA) updates (T-Mobile G1") ›

 

Release 1.1.1 Over-the-Air Update (February 2004) (Sidekick® Black & White, Color) ›

 

Over The Air updates (OTA) (Motorola CLIQ" with MOTOBLUR") ›