I called Sprint Advanced support. They talked me through what appears a different process. Not sure exactly what we did but my slot time still is set to 2 and now the phone answers in about 1.5 rings. Did the ##DATA# thing and then entered two 7 digit numbers. The phone rebooted and now it seems better.
Any ideas what we did?
No idea what he did, what did he say? What did he have you enter? Maybe he changed the slot index at the server side.
No idea what he did, what did he say? What did he have you enter? Maybe he changed the slot index at the server side.
I'm very interested in what was done. While my phone is still way better than it was with the "lag", from time to time it still alerts me too late to answer.
I called Sprint about a related problem, my phone was hardly ringing at all before going to voicemail. Once, it rang about six seconds. The tech said it's supposed to ring 23-30 seconds before going to voicemail.
The tech recommended rebooting the phone (of course) and also switching to a ringtone with a smaller pause.
So far the problem hasn't come back, but also I have a ringtone I'm not crazy about.
I sent Sprint an email late last night explaining the situation and asking for my MSL number. They would not give it to me over email, they recommended I call in "for further assistance."
I will call them later today as they have a long hold time right now.
I did this and tested, still took 3 rings for my phone to ring.
I went to the sprint store and they gave me my msl # without asking any questions. I told the guy what I knew about slot cycle index but he had no idea what I was talking about.
But anyway, changing the slot cycle index to 0 didn't help my ringer lag at all. Same problem for me. FYI, I'm not seeing any difference in battery life either.
On another note, I haven't had a chance to check all the threads but I am having a serious issue with answering phone calls.
At times, it seems like my Phone just completely freezes when I try to answer phone calls. Today, I got a phone call, pulled the phone out of my pocket, and tried to swipe the screen to answer the phone call. I tried swiping like 4 or 5 times, and finally the ringer stopped and I got a missed call. But as the phone screen turned on, I was in my recent call log list scrolled to the middle of the page (instead of the top) as if all that empty swiping took me to the middle of the list. Weird and very very frustrating to miss a call that I was trying to answer!
This happen to anyone else? and does anyone know how to fix it (if there is a solution)?
On another note, I haven't had a chance to check all the threads but I am having a serious issue with answering phone calls.
At times, it seems like my Phone just completely freezes when I try to answer phone calls. Today, I got a phone call, pulled the phone out of my pocket, and tried to swipe the screen to answer the phone call. I tried swiping like 4 or 5 times, and finally the ringer stopped and I got a missed call. But as the phone screen turned on, I was in my recent call log list scrolled to the middle of the page (instead of the top) as if all that empty swiping took me to the middle of the list. Weird and very very frustrating to miss a call that I was trying to answer!
This happen to anyone else? and does anyone know how to fix it (if there is a solution)?
This has been happening to me as well. This past weekend I was getting a lot of calls and I think I missed almost half of them just because when I would swipe, nothing happened.
Couldn't have been easier to get my MSL from sprint. Called and told them what I wanted to do and other than getting a "you want to do what now?" from the rep, she gave me the # She even said she was going to do it for her hero after work!
I did the steps, everything worked flawlessly. Now onto the test. I can't say that I had the amazing results some have posted. Before the fix I barely got two rings sometimes one before going to voicemail. After the fix I got a solid 3 rings before voicemail. Not awesome but definitely better than what I had. I seriously was able to pick up maybe 10% of my calls before this fix. Hopefully that improves now! Thanks for the info OP!
I just did this went from 2 rings to 1 Sprint was a pain in the a** though. Thanks for the instructions OP. They had no idea what I was talking about and wanted to do a ticket to fix my network problems?? Idiots
I couldn't get my MSL through chat. Actually the conversation was borderline lunacy. The rep asked if I tried increasing the amount of rings on my phone...seriously. If you want a pretty good laugh, here is the transcript.
12/29/2009 10:59:26AM Session Started with Agent (Nina H)12/29/2009 10:59:26AM System: "Thank you for contacting Sprint. My name is Nina H. In order to better assist you; may I please have your first and last name?"
12/29/2009 10:59:26AM Jeremy: "HTC Hero - phone only rings twice before voicemail. need MSL number to change slot index cycle # from 2 to 0"
12/29/2009 10:59:55AM Jeremy: "jeremy #########"
12/29/2009 11:00:08AM Jeremy: "acct is in my wifes name #############"
12/29/2009 11:00:46AM Jeremy: "i dont know my acct number but the answer to the secret question is ###########"
12/29/2009 11:00:57AM Agent (Nina H): "Please verify your mobile number"
12/29/2009 11:02:03AM Jeremy: "i just need my msl # so I can fix the ringer lag on my phone and I read that I need to contact sprint to get that"
12/29/2009 11:03:02AM Agent (Nina H): "Where are you being required to enter the msl on your phone"
12/29/2009 11:03:48AM Jeremy: "after I dial ##**********#"
12/29/2009 11:04:18AM Jeremy: "i am trying to change slot index cycle from 2 to 0. this fixes the terrible ringer lag on the hero. I get two rings before voicemail"
12/29/2009 11:04:29AM Agent (Nina H): "One moment please"
12/29/2009 11:04:38AM Jeremy: "all i need is the msl #"
12/29/2009 11:06:41AM Agent (Nina H): "Have you gone to settings on our phone and selected the ringer settings to change the number of rings"
2/29/2009 11:07:48AM Jeremy: "pls provide directions, i havent found that option and I was under the impression that this was not possible"
12/29/2009 11:08:28AM Jeremy: "menu>settings> ?"
12/29/2009 11:09:24AM Agent (Nina H): "Press the home key >menu and tap settings>sounds and display"
12/29/2009 11:09:42AM Agent (Nina H): "You also may want to contact technical support regarding this issue at **********-**********-**********"
12/29/2009 11:10:01AM Jeremy: "ok I am there now where can i extend my number of rings"
12/29/2009 11:11:00AM Agent (Nina H): "What options do you show"
12/29/2009 11:11:28AM Agent (Nina H): "Have you tried to select a different ringer"
12/29/2009 11:11:31AM Jeremy: "i am not seeing an option to do that, silent mode, ringer volume, media volume, ringtone, vibrate notification sound, roaming alert roaming rington emergency alert dialer keypad tone and audible selection"
12/29/2009 11:11:40AM Jeremy: "it is a stock ringer"
12/29/2009 11:11:41AM Agent (Nina H): "This could have an affect on the number of times the phone rings"
12/29/2009 11:12:08AM Jeremy: "so i cant get my msl from you"
12/29/2009 11:12:48AM Agent (Nina H): "No, I do apologize, to obtain this information please contact technical support. It is provided by technical support on a need to know basis. Meaning if it is required for a function on your phone"
12/29/2009 11:13:28AM Jeremy: "why did we have this discussion for 20 minutes when I was just asking for that in the first place, you told me to extend my # of rings which isnt even possible and then to select a different ringtone"
12/29/2009 11:13:52AM Agent (Nina H): "That is correct, have you tried this option"
12/29/2009 11:14:23AM Agent (Nina H): "If changing your ringer does not work, you can contact technical support for further assistance"
I had the same problem with chat help earlier today. She told me I had to contact the technical support. Also stated that they cant give out MSL. But I just called and got it.
lol i tried to get mines and i must have gotten the asshole of the day.. he tried to explaine to me that theres nothing you can to to change the ring times and blah blah blah.... I questioned him if he knew about the lag times and cycles and he kept insisting that it wouldnt make a difference haha.. and the reason i was trying to get my code was to unlock my phone..
ill cal back later and find someone more helpful and that might actually listen instead of butting in on every word i was saying!
I got mine through chat this morning. when the rep asked if I needed help activating a phone, and I said no she said they could only give the msl number for programing. i told her that I have missed almost every call because there is a lag on the ringer on my phone and that i would like to change the Slot Index Cycle from '2' to either '1' or '0' then she asked for my mobile number and gave me the MSL number
I tried the chat once more and they wouldn't give it to me so I called the advanced tech # and the lady had never heard of this, but finally gave me the code to try it out...
I called, the Tech gave me the number without any problems. My phone now rings after 2 rings from the other end, is that the best it does or is it 2.0 that will get it to ring as soon as it rings for the caller? Not sure if 1.5 and CDMA is the problem with the 2 rings. Better then before but just wondering if 2 rings is what making this change was suppose to do.
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The lag can vary, and it depends upon network/tower traffic, and signal strength. All cell phones, by the very nature of their signal processing, always seem to have a "Ring Lag". The only instantaneous call:ring ratio which I have ever recalled experiencing, has always been through landlines.
Last edited by The Dark Knight; January 1st, 2010 at 09:17 PM.
I have the MSL for CellularSouth customers. I found it for a previous phone and it was the same for the Hero. I have adjusted my settings without calling CS or tech support...
I would appreciate if I could get the CS MSL code. I am experiencing a lot of lag with rings. I looked at my settings, and my slot index is at 2. Definately want to change that. I'm tired of missing important calls! Thanks.
I tried the chat once more and they wouldn't give it to me so I called the advanced tech # and the lady had never heard of this, but finally gave me the code to try it out...
I've been reading through this thread and, from what I'm gathering, once you have your MSL number you can make this "slot cycle index" adjustment yourself?
What - does a menu pop up or something?
I'm having the same problem with my phone. Many of my calls go to voice mail because my end doesn't ring for the first time until after four rings on the caller's end. Depending how fast I can get it out of my pocket will determine whether I can catch the call. Very frustrating. I really need to get this fixed.
dial ##DATA# on the phone and select edit mode then change slot cycle to 1 or 0, whichever you want.. It made a big difference for me... Good Luck, getting your MSL number is the only hard part....
dial ##DATA# on the phone and select edit mode then change slot cycle to 1 or 0, whichever you want.. It made a big difference for me... Good Luck, getting your MSL number is the only hard part....
I have my MSL code. When I enter it and select "Edit mode" I don't see how I can modify the "slot cycle". While in the "Edit mode" I only seem to have two choices, modify my "Mobile Directory Number (MDN)" or the "MSID". No other options seem to be available.
I'm wondering how all the people in this thread, once they've obtained their MSL code are making these changes themselves.
Also, the Sprint rep said that such a modification was unauthorized. Although she gave me my MSL code when I requested it, she then said, "You realize this conversation is being recorded. Any unauthorized modification you make to your phone will invalidate your contract."
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Had no problems getting my MSL number from advanced technical support. No noticeable battery drain, and it gives me 1-2 more rings. Thank You! Gonna do this for my girlfriends phone when i get home.
Had no problems getting my MSL number from advanced technical support. No noticeable battery drain, and it gives me 1-2 more rings. Thank You! Gonna do this for my girlfriends phone when i get home.
How are you changing this setting?
I also have my MSL number ... but now what?
I enter ##(MSL number)#
I then select "edit mode"
But, from there, I seem to only have two selections ... none of them have anything to do with "slot cycle index".
I have never had a problem getting an MSL from a CS. I just call, give them my account password and as for the MSL for the # I need it for. Simple as that.
They gave me my MSL code also, but I could tell the Tech Rep was reluctant to do so. He re-asked me for my Spring password before giving it to me.
I have changed my slot cycle from 2 to 1. I've noticed some improvement. It's acceptable. I might try 0 and see if it improves even more.
I'm wondering if every HTC Hero owner is experiencing this difficulty.
I think a lot of the kids (who are more prone to text than call) probably do not even realize they have this problem. In general, I would say people text more throughout their day than make voice calls. That may be masking the problem that exists on all HTC Heor phones. In other words, the only people who are noticing the problem are those who receive a lot of calls.
There is almost 2 second delay from the time my phone's screen indicates I have an incoming call until my ringtone starts to sound. And, really, the ringtone is what really matters.
You see, to me, changing how long the phone rings before going to voicemail does not really address the issue.
The solution should NOT be to allow the phone to ring longer, rather, the phone should ring SOONER.
Did you read this thread? Just asking???
This setting has nothing to do with the phone ringing longer... It changes the sample rate with which the phone communicates to the system, checking for incoming calls, thereby making a quicker acknowledgment when a call is sent to the phone. The FIX in this thread has accomplished exactly what you say, I know because as in my post here it changed when MY PHONE RANG with an incoming call as opposed to what the caller who was calling me heard.
Other notes:
The MSL is PHONE specific and is different for each and every phone.
(Master Subsidy Lock) A numeric code (password) that prevents a user from accessing certain technical settings of a phone. It is specifically designed to prevent a phone from being reprogrammed to work with a different carrier (service provider), now although that is technically possible it is not really because the Sprint Phones are set to work on specific frequency and bandwidths which other carriers don't operate on. It could be used to COPY your phone though so guard it. Also, do not change anything you do not know what you are touching, only what is instructed here in this thread.
Anyway, as with some of the previous questions in this post too, PLEASE READ THE THREAD PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING CHANGES, always too prior to posting with a question that is already answered, i.e., the ##MSL# post... doing it all wrong, should be ##data#...
Device(s): Palm for almost 10 years -> HTC Hero and loving it!
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mine was rining 4 times before rining to mine which wasn't leaving me much time to get to it before the vm would pick up...then i tried this and i'm down to less than 2 rings!!! thanks for the tip!!!
You don't call a cell phone directly, you call the tower, who rings the carrier who rings you, average of 2-3 rings before the recipient ringing is very very common.
My suggestion to everyone affected by this, would be to politely call Sprint Advanced Technical Support (1.877.345.7895), explain to them the situation (the more technical detail you can give, the more they help...at least in my experience), explain what you'd like to do (via the ##3283# menu, using your MSL). If they don't know what you're talking about (as mine didn't, I basically read the info that I've gathered from the boards) explain it to them. Have them work with you by getting your MSL and follow the steps.
Good luck everyone! Report back with results if you can.
Complete success - the phone ringer sounds just after the first ring! Thanks so much! I'm going to try this on Spouse's Pre...
Complete success - the phone ringer sounds just after the first ring! Thanks so much! I'm going to try this on Spouse's Pre...
I have changed my cycle slot to ZERO and I experienced only slight improvement. It is very unpredictable. If my phone is "awake" I might get lucky and get two rings. It NEVER does better than that. NEVER!
On average, I get 3 rings. However, just today, I got a call from my sister and as I answered it (after about 2 seconds of ringing), she said, "Oh - I almost hung up." I asked how many times the phone rang. She said 5 or 6 times.
I seriously hope the HTC tech team is aware of this problem and intend to fix it with the next phone update.
Again, I think this problem is much more widespread than many HTC Hero owners are even aware of. And that's because of the proliferation of texting. Most people simply do not get that many incoming voicecalls anymore. And those who do - are acutely aware of this problem.
Some Hero owners are probably just shrugging their shoulders and are not noticing that they have experienced an uptick in "missed calls". They don't get that many so they really don't care. They are oblivious to the underlying problem.
Last edited by memphis9489; January 21st, 2010 at 06:06 PM.
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I'll say it again, I have had this problem with EVERY Sprint phone I have owned, and I have been a customer since 03! This is not just an HTC issue, and it seems to affect some phones more than others even among like models. After changing my c.s. to 1 I am not having a problem, my phone will ring at least three 3 times on my end, and up to 5 or 6 times!
As far as incoming voice calls, I sometimes see 30-50 calls a day, so I am aware of what is going on. I am starting to think part of the problem may be on the tower side of things; just because you are in a Sprint area does not necessarily mean you are on a Sprint tower.
And memphis, if you never get better than 2 rings, how do you average 3?
I'll say it again, I have had this problem with EVERY Sprint phone I have owned, and I have been a customer since 03! This is not just an HTC issue, and it seems to affect some phones more than others even among like models. After changing my c.s. to 1 I am not having a problem, my phone will ring at least three 3 times on my end, and up to 5 or 6 times!
As far as incoming voice calls, I sometimes see 30-50 calls a day, so I am aware of what is going on. I am starting to think part of the problem may be on the tower side of things; just because you are in a Sprint area does not necessarily mean you are on a Sprint tower.
And memphis, if you never get better than 2 rings, how do you average 3?
No, it is not just a "Sprint thing." There is definitely some issue with the HTC Hero. Too many people who have had OTHER phones with Sprint have not had this problem.
I live near a large city (Memphis), so it's not like I live in the back woods of the Adirondacks. I have access to a Sprint tower.
When I say I never get "better" than 2 rings ... by "better", I mean LESS than 2 rings at the caller's end. Why, what did you think I meant by "better"?
The phone has a bug. There are simply too many people reporting this issue who never had this issue before.
Last edited by memphis9489; January 22nd, 2010 at 11:33 PM.
The Sprint HTC Hero was announced on September 3rd, 2009, making Sprint the 2nd American mobile carrier to offer a phone based on Google's Android operating system. While HTC had already launched the Hero, making it available on European carrie... Read More
Sprint was a pain in the a** though. Thanks for the instructions OP. They had no idea what I was talking about and wanted to do a ticket to fix my network problems?? Idiots
