SPA525G2 unable to connect to Bluetooth devices

[adycotuna]

Hello everyone,

I have a CISCO SPA525G2 which I bought about one year ago. I specifically opted for the G2 for its Bluetooth capabilities.

The phone performed almost well, with its Bluetooth feature being used mainly in handsfree mode for my mobile phone. The "almost" in the previous sentence is caused by some instability in the Bluetooth behavior, the CISCO phone randomly being unable to connect with the already paired mobile phone. The situation was temporary solved with a reboot of the CISCO.

The actual problem it started just recently and the SPA525G2 is not able to connect at all with any Bluetooth device. I have performed a factory reset of the CISCO with no result. I have upgraded to the latest firmware with no result.

While scanning for Bluetooth devices, they are displayed on the CISCO screen according to their category (mobile phones or headsets, depending on how the Bluetooth mode is set on the CISCO) and my mobile phone is even asking for the CISCO's PIN code, but as soon as it is paired, it will disconnect from the device.

I would like to mention that when it was working, it worked like a charm and I was very pleased with it.

The first suspecting behavior started with the Line 5 LED (which was associated with the Cell phone connection) being green lit even after I switched off Bluetooth on my mobile. Normally, the Line 5 LED should have changed to orange. Another misbehavior was that the CISCO disconnected from the mobile phone even thou they were placed on the same desk, the disconnect status being displayed only on my mobile phone and not on the CISCO as well (the Line 5 LED remaining green).

I have performed factory reset and tried to pair on a clean boot with no success. It didn't work with my Windows phone, nor with an Android one. I wasn't able to pair it with my Plantronics Voyager Legend headset as well.

Since the Bluetooth features are the reason why SPA525G received the ending "2", I am surprised and disappointed at the same time to notice that CISCO is not putting any effort to improve this functionality and I must admit that I haven't seen any mentioning in the firmware release notes as well.

Did CISCO completely gave up on this model with no respect toward the customers who already bought this version for the specific features?

I sincerely hope that a representative will land his or her eyes on this entry and try to do something.

Regards,
Ady

[Dan Lukes]

CSC is volunteer community forum. No 'Cisco representative' is reading your comment here.

If you wish for help from volunteers, turn on syslog & debug messages (highest level possible) and catch them when issue manifests. It may or may not help us to analyze the issue.

Call SMB support center otherwise.

[adycotuna]

Thank you very much Dan!

I'll have to call SMB support then, since Bluetooth is not logged (I learned this from another forum discussion).

Kind regards,
Ady

[Dan Lukes]

Please share your experience with SMB Center support then. Thank you.

[BSN]

Hi Ady,

There are 2 versions of the firmware, one which does not upgrade the Bluetooth system, one which does.

Did you re-flash using the firmware which upgrades both phone and Bluetooth ?

Ben

[Dan Lukes]

It interests me. I'm aware there are two firmware flavors, but I assumed the non-bt one support no Bluetooth at all. Well, I never tried it - so you are claiming the non-bt firmware supports Bluetooth, it just doesn't upgrade the Bluetooth chip firmware ?

[BSN]

Right :)

[Dan Lukes]

Then my assumptions has been wrong. Thank you for the clarification.

My advice to adycotuna has been sub-optimal because of it. He should verify the phone is running latest -bt firmware ...

[BSN]

However last Bluetooth firmware version is 0.00.34 and comes from firmware package 7.5.9a, 09-SEP-2011.
Quite old actually, Ady certainly already uses it...
But a re-flash could be worth it !

[Dan Lukes]

The latest firmware is 7.6.2. May be the BT firmware inside is the same, but such assumption is "undocumented". To be on safe side -bt flavor of firmware should be flashed all the times unless there's good reason to use non-bt version.

[adycotuna]

Hi Ben,

Thank you very much for involving into this!

As for the firmware upgrade, the answer is yes; I did re-flash with the version containing the Bluetooth as well, which made me taking into consideration a downgrade, since the feature worked before (not perfectly, but it did).

There is only one confusion: the system worked even after upgrading to version 7.6.1 and begin to malfunction after a while.

Upgrading to 7.6.2 didn't solve the problem, but I'm afraid that not even a downgrade will do it.

I was wondering if there is a deep hardware/software reset (even more than the simple restore to factory entry found in the menu).

Kind regards,
Ady

[BSN]

I'm not aware of a deep hardware/software reset, perhaps Dan knows, Cisco support should know :)

Reading again your first post, your issue sounds like a hardware issue to me.

No more under warranty ?

[adycotuna]

It is under warranty. I have tried calling SMB support, with no luck of getting to an agent.

I'll insist!

[Dan Lukes]

Downgrade is "undocumented procedure" unless you has been commanded to do it by Support Center. It posse no issues most of time, but you are on your own.

I would like to recommend you to reset phone to factory default state before downgrade.

I was wondering if there is a deep hardware/software reset.

I'm almost sure there's one, but the procedure to commit it undocumented - and even worse - it's just unknown. So the restore to factory default in the menu is the most deep reset known - as far as I know.

the system worked even after upgrading to version 7.6.1 and begin to malfunction after a while

If I understand correctly - there has been firmware version that just worked. After upgrade to 7.6.1 it failed, but not immediately. Right ?

Then my advice is - return to the version with no issue.

You need to live with either known or unknown issues of such version, but Bluetooth will work.

If it will not work with the same version, then it's hardware issue (assuming even Bluetooth peer is the same, including firmware version, that the one you used previously).

[adycotuna]

Hi Dan,

I just hung up with SMB support.and they are arranging for a replacement.

I'd like to take this opportunity and thank both to you and Ben for involving into this case.

Kind regards,
Ady