How to enable your Sprint Nexus 5 to get Spark LTE

[pandacookie]

I found this here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2515798. It explains how to enable Spark LTE on your Sprint Nexus 5.

Spark is Sprint's new tri-band LTE service. It us available in five markets now, but will be in most markets by 2014. Sprint has not enabled the Nexus 5 to get Spark by default ( like the HTC One Max), but it can get it! It is not in my market now (supposedly), but after enabling this I can confirm I am getting better 4g speeds and am getting 4g in places I never did before.

For the lazy, I'll post here how to enable this on your phone right now. You do NOT need to be rooted to do this!!!!

First, you need your MSL. Call Sprint and get yours. Please do NOT be afraid to ask. They will give it to you. If they ask why you need it, say you need it for your 4g. You do not need to say anything more. You aren't asking for something horrible. Just an MSL. It's nothing.

Second, go to your dialer and punch in *#*#3282#*#*

Third, go to where it says LTE and press "edit". Here, you will punch in your MSL.

Once you are in settings, enable bands 26 and 41. The band settings are right there. No need to search. Then, once those are enabled, reboot.

Bingo! You are set for Spark, whether it's in your area now or not. Enjoy!

 

[jhawkkw]

Very nice. Don't have Sprint, but I'm sure that some will find this helpful.

 

[pandacookie]

That's my hope, too.

 

[pandacookie]

My speeds since changing to the settings in the first post. I wish I had a screenie of my settings before.

 

[angus242]

I tried getting MSL out of Sprint. They wouldn't give it to me stating I'm still under contract from my old S3 until 6/14.

I bought the N5 from Google.

 

[pandacookie]

I tried getting MSL out of Sprint. They wouldn't give it to me stating I'm still under contract from my old S3 until 6/14.

I bought the N5 from Google.

Yeah. That seems to be a problem for others that got the phone from Google. There is a way to get it through a logcat. I'll try to find the comment in the original post that explains how, once XDA gets back online.

 

[angus242]

I've had folks from XDA tell me they got MSL while being under contract on a different phone. I guess it was just a bad day for me when I called.

 

[Rxpert83]

It can depend on the person you get. There's no reason they can't give it to you. Tell them its not to carrier unlock your device

 

[EarlyMon]

Call back, get another rep.

 

[Member1614188]

Damn! Thanks! I know its probably not up in Houston yet, but this is a huge help! :thumbup:

 

[angus242]

FYI, you can get your MSL using adb logcat. I'm not sure if it's against the rules to post how here but suffice to say, I got mine and activated tri-band on my N5 without Sprint's help.

I'm sure the instructions on how to do so are available with a browser search.

 

[EarlyMon]

FYI, you can get your MSL using adb logcat. I'm not sure if it's against the rules to post how here but suffice to say, I got mine and activated tri-band on my N5 without Sprint's help.

I'm sure the instructions on how to do so are available with a browser search.

Post it, no problem.

 

[angus242]

First make sure you have your Nexus 5 drivers installed. I got them from the Nexus 5 toolkit from XDA.

Next, make sure you have Java installed on your PC (these are PC instructions).

Finally, install Android SDK for your PC.

After that's all done, make sure you have USB debug activated on your phone. You might need to do the 8 press on build number in About Phone to activate developers options.

Once you have all that set up, plug your phone into PC's USB port.

Now start abd and run abd logcat via command line. Let it settle down. You might get scrolling for almost 1 minute.

Once it slows down (or stops) go to your phone's dialer. Type:
*#*#3282#*#*

A menu will appear. Click LTE/Edit

You will see the logcat window go crazy. At this point, I pulled the USB cable as I didn't want any more logs to write. Go to the log and look for the following lines:
D/QC_RIL_OEM_HOOK(18638): sendOemRilRequestRaw returns value = 10
V/LG_SVC_ITEMS(18638): length =6 responseBytes=REMOVED itemValue=******
D/LG_SVC_ITEMS(18638): getCommands commandId 200 = ******-END
D/LG_SVC_CMD(18638): itemID = 200, Value = ******

The "*" values are your MSL code. Type them into your phone.
Now activate bands 26 and 41.
For priority, set them as:
25 = 0
26 = 0
41 = 1

Phone will reboot.

Now go to Settings/Wireless & Networks/Mobile Networks and set Network Mode back to "LTE".

That's what I did as instructed by folks a lot smarter than me.

 

[cnotes2019]

What are some logcat apps from the play store people have used ? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[angus242]

No. You need to run logcat on your computer, not the phone.

 

[cnotes2019]

For the life of me I can't find where someone posted they used an app from the play store. Idk if it was chainfires app or another. Is it not possible to use an app? I need this phone in my possession already !

 

[jhawkkw]

For the life of me I can't find where someone posted they used an app from the play store. Idk if it was chainfires app or another. Is it not possible to use an app? I need this phone in my possession already !

There's ways to mimic adb control using a terminal emulator, but I'm not totally versed in doing so.

 

[cnotes2019]

There's ways to mimic adb control using a terminal emulator, but I'm not totally versed in doing so.

Who would know ? Thanks !

 

[angus242]

Just had a report that Catlog app with a rooted N5 will work.

 

[NaterTots]

You could probably run a log from terminal emulator.

Type su to give it Super User perms
then type, logcat


It will give you all the info that would have happened on a PC

Go to your dialer and then go back to your terminal window.


I did just do this with a PC to get the MSL. Very easy.

Thank you.

 

[optionsgeek]

Thanks for the procedure. I tried it on my Google Store purchased Nexus 5 and it seemed to work. Getting the MSL from Sprint was no problem.

However, I think there is supposed to be a special icon when connected to Spark which I'm not seeing. I am getting some good speeds - 15mb/sec.

I've also heard you may need to be stock rom to have this work. I'm twrp.

 

[Rxpert83]

Thanks for the procedure. I tried it on my Google Store purchased Nexus 5 and it seemed to work. Getting the MSL from Sprint was no problem.

However, I think there is supposed to be a special icon when connected to Spark which I'm not seeing. I am getting some good speeds - 15mb/sec.

I've also heard you may need to be stock rom to have this work. I'm twrp.

This isn't a sprint branded phone, so you won't be seeing the constantly spinning icon (personally, I'm VERY happy about that). Its also possible you aren't in a spark enabled area. There's only a few markets right now that have it.

Also a minor note: twrp is your recovery. You can still be on the stock ROM with twrp installed

 

[optionsgeek]

Ok, thanks. I'm in Chicago which is supposedly covered. Nice to know about only the Sprint branded phones seeing the sparkle icon. I agree, would rather not see it. I just wanted some feedback on whether I was really getting spark or not. However, I don't think I was anywhere near 15mb before so that is a good sign. Yes, understand about stock rom and recoveries, etc. thanks.

 

[9878]

I just spent over 45 minutes on the phone with Sprint. I asked them how I could enable the Spark system on the phone. At first they told me it would not work, then it would, and then after checking with someone I was told, "No, it won't work with that phone." I'm sure I got two people that did not know what they were talking about. She was about to give me my MSL number and stopped just short of it. I quoted this from the Sprint site:
"This Sprint Spark capable, enhanced LTE device was designed to take full advantage of all three of Sprint's LTE bands to deliver our fastest data speeds ever offered and, improved in-building coverage. Sprint Spark enhanced LTE coverage is available in select markets," but it was like I was talking Chinese.

 

[Rxpert83]

The nexus 5 is spark capable.

Just call and ask for your msl. If they give you excuses or say no just hang up and call again.