Sisu

One project, two parts. Sisu brings a 1999 Nokia 3210 into the LTE era with SSE-9 hardware and DCP-3 firmware.

Component side of the assembled Rev B2 mainboard.

A 1999 phone, rebuilt from the board inward.

The Nokia 3210 got a lot right: real buttons, a small monochrome screen, calls, messages, and a game of Snake while waiting for the bus. Sisu keeps that familiar phone and gives it new electronics for LTE.

SSE-9 is the replacement mainboard. DCP-3 is the firmware that brings its menus and everyday functions to life. The aim is to keep the character of the original 3210 while making it useful on today's networks.

Why Sisu?

Sisu is a Finnish word for determination and perseverance through difficulty: the resolve to keep going when something refuses to work.

The name fits both the phone and the project. It is a nod to Nokia's Finnish roots, and to a handset that still has life left in it. Giving a phone from 1999 a new board and a working future takes a little of that same stubbornness, one circuit, one bug and one successful call at a time.

On the workbench

I am developing Sisu on one assembled Rev B2 phone. Calls and messages have worked on the test network, while board corrections, antenna tuning and battery work continue. The Status page has the measurements and next steps.

The design and source are public. If you want to look inside or build your own, start with Build & availability.

Explore Sisu

• SSE-9 hardware - the board, its components, original phone connections and known faults.
• DCP-3 firmware - the recreated interface, phone features and battery controls.
• Build & availability - public repositories, hardware errata, and firmware build instructions.
• Gallery - board photographs and a tour of the phone interface.
• Project status - standby measurements, current limitations and plans for the next board.