For the first time ever I have to really think about getting a new PRL. 10032 apparently changes Sprint's preferred roaming partner from Alltel to Verizon in many markets including Arizona. So I'm wondering which of the two has the better coverage. Not that it really matters since I can't even remember the last time I roamed. But still I'd like to keep the best roaming provider possible in case I take any trips and need roaming coverage. I just got a new phone which came with 10031.
Larry, What new phone did you get and did you loose your grandfathered plan? If you did not loose your grandfathered plan, how did you accomplish the upgrade?
Well, Verizon works better than Alltel in at least 3 places around Phoenix, albeit the difference is negligible. I will say SMS while roaming seems to work better on VZW than Alltel.
I wasn't going to until I learned that they fixed some of the old bugs like slow/lagging menus, only being able to force analog roaming, and slow picturemail sending. That's all been fixed with the 350. The only thing they overlooked again is the inability to send SMS while roaming. The main reason is that they have the best earpiece sound quality IMO.
Yeah it is but not really a big deal to me. I'd rather have the ability to force digital roaming (at least they finally fixed that problem).
I force my phone to use Verizon whenever I am at home for extended periods now. I don't have the pilot pollution issue with them that I get with Sprint at home. So for me, the ability to use SMS when roaming is fairly important.
Yep and I'm sometimes in an NID border area with Sprint and now if I want to I can switch over to Verizon to possibly prevent missed incoming calls.
ALLTEL in some parts of Arizona is said to drop a lot of calls, like around Phoenix area, but in outlying areas and desert areas ALLTEL has the coverage, where Verizon may not, but in that case your phone will switch over to ALLTEL anyways since VZW coverage is unavailable. For your trips down there I highly doubt it will matter much, larry.
Sometimes pilots of low flying private aircrafts throw garbage out the window of the airplane and the result is really bad littering of the surrounding terrain. Sorry, I couldn't resist!
It's when your CDMA phone picks up signals from too many different towers (PN offsets) at the same time causing interference with each other and as a result lowers the quality of signal your obtaining.
Yeah I guess it won't matter much in AZ. But in parts of CA (Inyo & Mono Counties) Alltel (Cellular One brand name) has better coverage of the two. So it would be a downgrade to change to PRL 10032 for those areas. But I'm only there once a year anyway.
Larry, In your area it is almost a tossup. w/10031, if it can't find Verizon, it looks for Alltel. w/10032, if it can't find Alltel, it looks for Verizon. But looking at 10032 changes, when traveling a little further inland, 10032 has a few new systems not found in 10031 like Unicel and Union Cellular, albeit in analog (since they're TDMA/GSM). Therefore, 10032 will give you more. The Alltel/VZW preference isn't as significant as having new systems. With the new Alltel agreement, I'm betting there is a 10033 coming soon. If you ever wanted, or will have wanted, to prefer VZW, you should grab 10032 while you can, then decide when 10033 is released. Be careful, when you sharpen the pencil too sharp, the point breaks off.
Thanks for the info Bill. For me it doesn't matter much since we only have Verizon as a roaming partner in this area and most of So. Cal.
PRL only update you to all the NEW towers availble, you'll keep your current roaming partners plus get new ones. Sprint & Nextel have expanded our "roaming partners", your coverage is only going to get better by your PRL update, your phone will search for the strongest signal availble. Do the PRL update.
ARGH! PRL updates have NOTHING to do with new towers. PRL updates have to do with new/old SIDs and moving them up or down or off the roaming list. You will not necessarily keep roaming partners. The latest PRLs switched a main roaming partner here in AZ to Verizon from Alltel. Yeah, I can still roam on Alltel, but only if there is no VZW. Sprint must be the absolute worst when it comes to training employees
*rolling eyes* I know you are trying to be helpful but the PRL has nothing to do with adding new tower capabilities. It does contain a list of Sprint SID's (system identifications) so if Sprint we're to add an entirely new SID (doesn't happen anymore) then a PRL update might be needed for that. But any new tower that's built will automatically be detected by the phone without needing an update no matter where it's located.
Before you reply I suggested you read, PRL let me define it for you Preferred Roaming List New roaming partners are always being added, to have access to their signals you need to do a PRL update. New raoming partners, means having access to thier towers...... Hummmmmmmm Sid bid's is just a code or number for the tower you were using when you made a phone call. That's what it means on the sprint network. Remember PRL UPDATE Preferred Roaming List, that's when you add a roaming plan you need to do a PRL UPDATE. Also you smart guys when you do a prl update, and we no longer have a contract with that carrier, they are removed for your Perferred Roaming List. That may be why you're having such a hard time, plus verizon leases all their towers from other carriers.
It sounds like you have an older phone that is not able to do the PRL update over the air, you may need to take your phone into the store and get a "software" update.
Rolling eyes even more, New ROAMING PARTNERS TOWERS.... if customers dont do the PRL update the phones will not search for signal with for our ROAMING PARTNERS. Of course all new sprint towers will automatically will get a signal. Example we do contracts with other providers, so our customers can use other providers towers in roam. Hence customers will need to do a prl update.
You are only correct in that if an entirely new roaming partner is added, then those towers, by default (since the new SID is what is actually added) will become "visible" to the phone. Same applies if a roaming partner adds only new towers though...the towers will automatically become available unless they have an entirely new SID.
The question was should this customer do a PRL update, YES he should, for reasons I've already explained. No new "SIDS" are ever added, they already exist, unless they add coverage in area's that never ever had coverage by any other service provider like Death Valley or something. The new Partner will become Availble on your Sprint Network when you do the PRL update, not until then.
BUt that is not always the case (though I agree with you in this instance). If a new PRL comes out that puts Alltel back ahead of Verizon in the priority list I would consider not getting it since Verizon is better than Alltel in Phoenix.
The person we are speaking of Got A NEW PHONE...... That automatically changed is current PRL. His now at a 10031, the network he wants to use is a 10032. It's always best to have the must current PRL, otherwise we just remove other partners we dont have contracts with, we can prevent your phone from using a tower/network provider we dont have a contract with. Then on an old prl the customers phone will just say "searching for service", customers then call in a say "what happend, I used to get a great roaming signal" of course we dont tell them that our contact with that network has expired, in a nice way we inform them of doing to do PRL UPDATE.