Big Red got some new towers? Update *228!

[Decus22]

I read in here http://androidforums.com/motorola-droid/48607-droids-3g-chip-piece-crap.html that Big Red has expanded and/or improved there coverage.

I get Very bad signal at work and by that I mean my signal jumps from 1 bar 3g to 1 bar 1x sometimes I get a big fat 0 signal.

After reading this I decided to bring the old *228 option 2 out of retirement and give it a shot.

I have had a solid 2 bars of 3g for about an hour now!! I haven't dropped to 1x once and it used to be if I moved my phone the wrong way it would go to drop to 1x or no signal!

For those who don't know how to do this open your dialer and press *228 then press 2.

If you live in or around the Oklahoma City area I highly recommend this!

 

[gizbug]

Thanks . I dial this maybe twice a month

 

[milrtime83]

The last prl update was released on Jan 29th and only included a couple changes in Wisconsin:
HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - New PRL - January 29, 2010

51731 to 51739 changes:

It's another major major update here. The only change involves this SID:

  00362  [D]  FR  Cellcom
         CMA186B  Green Bay, WI
         CMA263B  Wausau, WI
         CMA711B  Wisconsin 4 - Marinette
         CMA717B  Wisconsin 10 - Door

The specific channels the phone is set to search for EvDO on were reduced to a more narrow, specific set of channels from a broader range.

That is all.

Howardforums is always on top of new PRL updates and they usually break down what actually changed pretty quickly.

 

[nader2013]

I read in here http://androidforums.com/motorola-droid/48607-droids-3g-chip-piece-crap.html that Big Red has expanded and/or improved there coverage.

I get Very bad signal at work and by that I mean my signal jumps from 1 bar 3g to 1 bar 1x sometimes I get a big fat 0 signal.

After reading this I decided to bring the old *228 option 2 out of retirement and give it a shot.

I have had a solid 2 bars of 3g for about an hour now!! I haven't dropped to 1x once and it used to be if I moved my phone the wrong way it would go to drop to 1x or no signal!

For those who don't know how to do this open your dialer and press *228 then press 2.

If you live in or around the Oklahoma City area I highly recommend this!

what do you do once you dial *228?

 

[BucYouUp68]

Did you read the top post?

For those who don't know how to do this open your dialer and press *228 then press 2.

 

[stearic]

Wow, i must be on some other setup or something. I have prl 65109 on my droid. Where can i find out the info on this prl? (ie priorities and what not)

 

[Decus22]

The last prl update was released on Jan 29th and only included a couple changes in Wisconsin:
HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - New PRL - January 29, 2010



Howardforums is always on top of new PRL updates and they usually break down what actually changed pretty quickly.

Here

 

[nader2013]

Did you read the top post?

Wow, I'm sorry i read that whole post but somehow skipped that one line, Thanks.

 

[Decus22]

what do you do once you dial *228?

Hit the call button then press 2 and let it do its thing. It will tell you when it's done.

 

[Branndon]

I get 1 or 2 bars at home, I never tried this, so we'll see if it helps.

 

[milrtime83]

Wow, i must be on some other setup or something. I have prl 65109 on my droid. Where can i find out the info on this prl? (ie priorities and what not)

It is the alternate (Alltel) prl. Used in areas that have a mostly Alltel presence so your phone prefers original Alltel towers over Verizon towers.

 

[milrtime83]

The last prl update was released on Jan 29th and only included a couple changes in Wisconsin:

I take that back. There is a new one available today (51803.) Don't know what is changed in it yet.

The towers around here were all Altell towers. Maybe they did something to those? Would that show up as a prl update?

Yeah, a change to alltel towers should show up in a prl update if they change the priority or something like that. If they simply upgraded the tower for better reception then it wouldn't show up.

 

[potatolover1102]

So after I posted yesterday about the network improvements and new prl. I now have another new prl today!! I went from 65097 2 days ago to 65109 this morning! Get to updating people lol!

 

[(G)]

Is this just a Moto Droid thing, or would it also work on my wife's Eris?

 

[QrafTee]

So basically this procedure searches for the best tower and connects to it?

 

[potatolover1102]

This is an all of verizon thing so yes the eris will work also yes it tells the phone in order of importance which towers to use first for better service!

 

[gotwillk]

can someone explain what the numbers mean? 51803 etc. sorry noob here and i have no idea what PRL is.

 

[kokiangel]

I don't know if it will help any here in Alabama but I am so scatterbrained anyway that it is just another thing that I never remember to do so thanks for the reminder. It sure can't hurt and it only takes a minute. I guess I should add it to my list of monthly reminders. That list is really getting long.

 

[potatolover1102]

can someone explain what the numbers mean? 51803 etc. sorry noob here and i have no idea what PRL is.

The number doesn't mean anything but to Verizon. The point of a PRL ( stands for Preferred Roaming List) tells your phone wherever you are which towers to use first to ensure better service. Also especially in a roaming area it tells your phone which towers have an agreement and saves them lots of money and offers again better service. It is so importnant right now becuase of the alltell merger happeneing and the ongoing network changes that wreak havoc if the phones are not up to date on the tower changes.

 

[potatolover1102]

I don't know if it will help any here in Alabama but I am so scatterbrained anyway that it is just another thing that I never remember to do so thanks for the reminder. It sure can't hurt and it only takes a minute. I guess I should add it to my list of monthly reminders. That list is really getting long.

Could you report any differences you may have? If anyone could that would be great so we know what is changing. I have seen a major difference myself which is why i shared the love lol!

 

[milrtime83]

Could you report any differences you may have? If anyone could that would be great so we know what is changing. I have seen a major difference myself which is why i shared the love lol!

The differences are usually posted on Howardforums.
HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - New PRL - February 26, 2010 is the thread for this newest prl. Sometimes it takes a couple days for someone to figure out the changes.

 

[QrafTee]

Hm, just tried it on my Alias and went from: 1 bar EVDO; 2 bars 1X to 2 bars EVDO; 2 bars 1X... but then it went down again.

 

[potatolover1102]

Thank you. Well I can already major differences on their coverage map so I really do not need the official changes lol. I have wanted service in a particular place for over 4 years and now it has full 3g service so needless to say I am very happy!!!

 

[gotwillk]

how do i see which PRL i have?

 

[potatolover1102]

how do i see which PRL i have?

Go to settings, down to about phone, status and you will see prl version. Tell us what you have.