Help New to Android - 3G service...

[Admire(er)]

I have recently bought the new Samsung Admire (Metro PCS) and have yet to receive a 3G signal. I have been reading up on this online and have come across several blogs about people "rooting" their phones to somehow update the PRL number of 03019 to 03022. I am completely new to this sort of thing and was wondering if there was some way someone could guide me in the direction of doing so.
Also, when I first took this phone home, I noticed that the battery life was VERY bad - but have again read articles online to help with that and I believe by following some of the steps pointed out to increase battery life, I have done just that. I was wondering also if not having data enabled would cause me to have no signal.. I am able to make phone calls and send/receive text messages, but cannot browse the Web (Opera Mini). I usually have low signal at my job, so maybe today was just one of those non-signal days. But not having data enabled has definitely increased my battery life by a long shot. Any tips/tricks would be greatly appreciated!

 

[EarlyMon]

Welcome to the forums!

I've moved your post over here so you can get expert help from other Admire users.

Yes - mobile data is another name for 3G, so if you have disabled, you will save battery life (3G radio does usually consume a bit of juice, doesn't matter the phone brand) - but you won't see a 3G signal in that case, it's turned off.

^That's assuming I'm understanding your question, if not, that's on me, not you - I don't have your particular model to check out.

Typically, PRL is something you can update yourself without rooting - depending on the Android model, it's under homescreen -> Menu -> Settings -> and then from there, perhaps an Update option or About Phone, both towards the bottom of the menu you'll find there.

Best luck, hope this helps, if you - any of you cats hereabouts - need help with stuff in particular, especially the forums, feel free to drop me a line, my door's always open.

 

[crono209]

I have recently bought the new Samsung Admire (Metro PCS) and have yet to receive a 3G signal. I have been reading up on this online and have come across several blogs about people "rooting" their phones to somehow update the PRL number of 03019 to 03022. I am completely new to this sort of thing and was wondering if there was some way someone could guide me in the direction of doing so.
Also, when I first took this phone home, I noticed that the battery life was VERY bad - but have again read articles online to help with that and I believe by following some of the steps pointed out to increase battery life, I have done just that. I was wondering also if not having data enabled would cause me to have no signal.. I am able to make phone calls and send/receive text messages, but cannot browse the Web (Opera Mini). I usually have low signal at my job, so maybe today was just one of those non-signal days. But not having data enabled has definitely increased my battery life by a long shot. Any tips/tricks would be greatly appreciated!

I was once like u who didn't know much about adroid phones at all and eventually ending up bricking(phone gets stuck on a screen when starting up) my first android phone trying to get it rooted. And about the data enable/disable setting, data is basically a phones term of internet so u turn it off u wont be able to browse the net. But it will make ur battery life better. To flash prl u need a program called QPST which allows to program your phone. Sorry I can't guide you through but I'm just giving you some tips. Finding information on how to use QPST is hard to find will atleast for me.

 

[locklady]

How to PUT a .prl on Phone:

http://androidforums.com/lg-optimus-m/394106-update-optimus-m-prl-using-qpst.html

~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~

How to PULL a .prl off Phone:

http://androidforums.com/lg-optimus-m/419514-how-get-prl-off-your-phone.html

 

[GJC]

Well, I have a rooted phone. On last Sunday 10-01-11 I updated my PRL version from 3018 to 3019 dialing *228 option 5 at the voice prompt from MetroPCS "programming". It updated my phone to 3019 but on Sunday and Monday I still have 1x signal. Today I went to work in Miami Gardens area Dade County Florida and to my surprise a I was getting 3G everywhere except when I got to a friend's home (Little Havana) that do not have good MetroPCS signal reception (about one bar) and it changed to 1x inside his home but back to 3G outside his home. I checked my phone status (about phone menu) and another surprise my phone was updated to 3023 alone (I did not updated myself). What happened? I do not know but seems to me that MetroPCS is updating the PRL on the phones now.

 

[DarkFalcon]

Well, I have a rooted phone. On last Sunday 10-01-11 I updated my PRL version from 3018 to 3019 dialing *228 option 5 at the voice prompt from MetroPCS "programming". It updated my phone to 3019 but on Sunday and Monday I still have 1x signal. Today I went to work in Miami Gardens area Dade County Florida and to my surprise a I was getting 3G everywhere except when I got to a friend's home (Little Havana) that do not have good MetroPCS signal reception (about one bar) and it changed to 1x inside his home but back to 3G outside his home. I checked my phone status (about phone menu) and another surprise my phone was updated to 3023 alone (I did not updated myself). What happened? I do not know but seems to me that MetroPCS is updating the PRL on the phones now.

I still have the 3022 and I have been using it on 3G and 1X networks pretty consistently lately. I am not sure how the PRL was updated without a call to *228 or using QPST.

Can a carrier send a PRL uninitiated?

 

[GJC]

I still have the 3022 and I have been using it on 3G and 1X networks pretty consistently lately. I am not sure how the PRL was updated without a call to *228 or using QPST.

Can a carrier send a PRL uninitiated?

Well, I do not know how my Admire was updated to 3023 for sure wasn't me. Now, Is it legal for a carrier to update or install files in your phone w/o owners permission ? Maybe when we dial *228 we are given permission to the carrier to snoop in w/o our knowledge, I don't know really but wouldn't it be chilling ?

 

[DarkFalcon]

Well, I do not know how my Admire was updated to 3023 for sure wasn't me. Now, Is it legal for a carrier to update or install files in your phone w/o owners permission ? Maybe when we dial *228 we are given permission to the carrier to snoop in w/o our knowledge, I don't know really but wouldn't it be chilling ?

I now know what you mean. Metro pushed 3024 to my phone and I have not called *228 in weeks.

The good news is that 3024 is faster and more reliable in my experience.