Someone tell me the difference between verizon automatic systems?

[Scribe]

On my Verizon phone I can choose Automatic A, B or home only and I cannot seem to find out what those mean. I have searched, but am new, so I apologize if this is covered.

SML

[SQFreak]

Auto A - When no PRL provider is available, your phone will attempt to connect to the A-Side 800MHz provider.
Auto B - When no PRL provider is available, your phone will attempt to connect to the B-Side 800MHz provider.
Home Only - Your phone will only attempt to connect to your home SID. If it's not available, your phone will read No Service (strongly not recommended except in special cases).

[GoodmanR]

Originally posted by: SQFreak
Auto A - When no PRL provider is available, your phone will attempt to connect to the A-Side 800MHz provider.
Auto B - When no PRL provider is available, your phone will attempt to connect to the B-Side 800MHz provider.
Home Only - Your phone will only attempt to connect to your home SID. If it's not available, your phone will read No Service (strongly not recommended except in special cases).

And generally, in the east, leave it on auto B.

[BillRadio]

Originally posted by: GoodmanRAnd generally, in the east, leave it on auto B.

I would suggest the following:
-Determine which channel Verizon uses in areas where you travel, and where you might roam. VZ will tell you.
-If you have America's Choice plan, you should set your AUTO A/B to the SAME channel.
-If you have a Local, Regional or SingleRate plan, set your AUTO A/B to the OTHER channel.

This decreases the chances of roaming charges on AC plan, and increases the number of carriers available on other plans.

97% of the west is on B, 50% of the east is on B, and most of TX, LA, MS, WI, FL and AL are on PCS where the A/B won't matter unless you happen to know who the preferred partner is in that spot. And...in the Grand Canyon, put it on "A". A is Alltel, and the only provider there. AC users won't be (haven't been so far) charged for roaming.

-Bill

[agentHibby]

This might help out more.

When you turn your phone on it tries to connect to all Cellular and PCS providers. The towers send out a number called System ID "SID" to your phone. Your phone knows what SID your home market is. If it can find that SID, your phone has a list of SIDs in priority called Preferred Roamers List "PRL". It will try to find a another SID that your provider uses, if it can't a SID that your provider uses in that area, it tries to find other providers that are free roam "Extended Network". If it can't find free roam partner then it will find a pay roam partner. If there is no pay roam partner then it will go to Cellular A or B blocks depending on what you selected.
Home only means you will only accept your home SID. For example, if you live in New York and left to Philadelphia. That is a different market so it has a different SID. Even though Verizon has network in both areas the SIDs are different. So if you have on your phone home only you won't be able to use your phone once you left your market where you live in. Market boundaries go by groups of counties in the US for the most part.

This is only true for analog, TDMA, CDMA.