Changes made include Alltel becoming Sprint's preferred roaming partner over anyone else in virtually all of their markets. Also helps prioritze (speeds up the phones ability to find) new Sprint native coverage in Colorado and Kansas.
You did come to mind when I was reading Larry's post and knew the PV PRL was out. BTW Matt or Yanks, what happens when you dial ##775# on your handset. With my 6700 it allows you to upload the PRL manually.
How do I get the new PV PRL (20222)? Do I call Sprint up? Or do I go into a store? What do I say at both places so I get someone that does this correctly? Is there certain key words that I need to say? Will Sprint have another PV PRL come out before or right after July 1? Thank in advance for anyone's help.
I'm pretty sure there won't be another PRL coming any time soon. This is the one that is designed for the recent Alltel deal.
Well I called and the tech said the PRL downloads to my phone. I looked on my phone and the PRL is 20218 and not the newest 20222. I will have to stop by a Sprint store next week and have 20222 installed. If I go to a store, is it free to have the PRL updated on my phone? Or does Sprint charge me for this?
Good question. I've heard a lot of different answers on that. Sprint supposedly charges $15 now (even though they shouldn't in all cases) for any software update but I'm not sure if that includes a PRL update.
Did you call CS back after you talked to them? Also PV phones have had issues with doing PRL updates OTA. So going to the store for most people is the easiest way to get the update. BTW, I have to extend what I asked Matt & Yanks to you since you have a PV phone.
Hmm. I will have to give them a call this next week and ask them if they have the new PRL (20222 for PV phones). If they do, I will ask them if they charge for this, and even if they do, I will still get it. No. It took me 30 minutes just to get the PRL. I will most likely go into the store even if I have to pay for it. Ok. I will try on my phone tomorrow when I get a chance. What does the code do with your PPC 6700 phone? Does it update automatically?
Too bad! With the 6700 it brings up a screen to enter your MSL. After you do that a screen comes up to update the PRL, just click edit. Then next you find where you put the PRL file at. Once you find it select it and exit. it wil ask you if you want to "Update the items", click Yes and then OK to reboot. You can find the PRL file over at pdaphonehome.com. We now have a nice Sprint rep helping us out over there with PRL updates. Here are a few screen shots.
Larry, In your opinion, is this new PRL worth getting? I travel to Colorado (Boulder) quite frequently and do not have any problems there with native Sprint coverage.
I'm not rushing to get it. The update has no effect for Boulder, CO. It's some rural part of the state. PRL updates are usually just a bunch of hype and aren't necessary. But we like to talk about them anyway.
Nex-Tech Wireless announces strategic roaming alliance with Sprint HAYS, Kan, 5-25-05—In a joint statement, Larry E. Sevier, CEO/General Manager of Rural Telephone and Nex-Tech, and Gerald Washburn, General Manager of Golden Belt Telephone, announced an alliance with Sprint to expand wireless services throughout western Kansas and part of eastern Colorado. The alliance between Nex-Tech Wireless, Inc. (a partnership between Golden Belt Telephone Co., Rush Center and Nex-Tech, Inc., Hays) and Wireless Co, L.P., a subsidiary of Sprint Corporation, will not only expand Sprint’s wireless footprint in Kansas, it will also permit Nex-Tech Wireless to expand wireless services through this partnership. The announcement was made earlier today at a press conference following a ribbon cutting at Nex-Tech Wireless’ new Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO), 3001 New Way in Hays. “With this strategic roaming agreement with Nex-Tech Wireless, Sprint is expanding its geographic footprint for its customers, creating seamless service in western Kansas and eastern Colorado,” said Bennett Gamel, Director – Business Development, Sprint. “Once the Nex-Tech Wireless network is constructed, when Sprint wireless customers travel to the territory covered by this network, not only will their CDMA phone work to make voice calls, but all of the other features, such as Sprint PCS Vision, will also work on the Nex-Tech Wireless network.” As part of the alliance, Nex-Tech Wireless has purchased spectrum that will allow it to overlay the landline system of Golden Belt Telephone, Rural Telephone, Nex-Tech and S&T Telephone throughout western Kansas and along Interstate 70 in eastern Colorado. This will provide wireless customers with the most complete coverage in western Kansas. “We are very excited about our partnership with Sprint and what it means to our customers. Our nationwide voice and data roaming arrangement with Sprint permits Nex-Tech Wireless’ customers to have access to Sprint’s network, which is one of the largest all-digital, nationwide PCS wireless networks in the United States,” said Sevier. As a part of the project, Nex-Tech Wireless will build or lease over 100 PCS tower sites in western Kansas and Eastern Colorado. The first launch phase is expected to begin in August of this year. “For the first time,” said Sevier and Washburn, “we will be able to offer full-scale wireless services to all of our members and customers throughout western Kansas, a goal of the Board of Trustees for many years. Rural Telephone has been providing communication services since 1951 and Golden Belt since 1953. This is a truly historic event for us, and we are excited to be able to provide this innovation to all of our members.” George K. Baum Advisors LLC is Sprint’s exclusive agent in the Strategic Roaming Alliance program, and they have played a key role in facilitating the agreement. Rural Telephone/Nex-Tech is a multi-service technology and telecommunications company that offers an array of products and services including local and long distance telephone service, dial-up and broadband Internet, ISP services, web development, cable television, directory services, media productions, mobile radio/paging services and business telephone systems to its more than 30,000 customers/members across 22 Kansas counties. Further information is available at www.ruraltelephone.com and www.nex-tech.com. Golden Belt is also a multi-service telecommunications company that offers an array of products and services including local and long distance telephone service, dial-up and broadband Internet, cable television, business telephone systems and alarm systems to its more than 6,000 customers/members across 11 Kansas counties. Further information is available on Golden Belt’s website at www.gbta.net. Sprint offers an extensive range of innovative communication products and solutions, including global IP, wireless, local and multi-product bundles. A Fortune 100 company with more than $27 billion in annual revenues in 2004, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States’ first nationwide all-digital fiber-optic network, an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone, and one of the largest 100 percent digital nationwide wireless networks in the United States. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/mr.
I would like to add for those who may not figure out that Press Release is over a year old, so most of the Nex-tech network is up and running. However, I haven't heard one peep about the sites in Colorado. That section of I-70 isn't heavily traveled, so it could be on and nobody's noticed. The nearest places to Boulder where there will be a difference with the new PRL is in WY, east of DIA, and S. of Pueblo. The good news is even though they have placed Alltel higher in priority, Sprint wisely chooses Verizon digital before it looks for Alltel analog.
Even though that press release is over a year old I had never heard of this company or this deal that formed with Sprint until this week. I don't think anyone posted it around on the forums until this week.
The press release may be a year old, but the Sprint/NexTech coverage in western Kansas is only about a month old. - sheureka
Yes, there is little reason for anyone to have heard of this company, and I hope they can make it. This is a lot of equipment to serve very few people, who may not be unhappy with their current carrier. More important, I think Nex-Tech was the first member of the Sprint "Roaming Alliance" of which there's only a couple others, like Pioneer in OK. But this alliance may have some level of support from Sprint to get these rural areas covered. We scheduled a road trip to the Colorado section of this company's coverage, but we haven't found anyone to verify it has been built that`far west. I used to take a trip across entire length of I-70 to WVA once or twice a year, but now I don't mind flying with the kids (or vice versa), so I may default the area back to the bison & the bunnies. The other question is whether or not Sprint MVNO's, like STI or Virgin, allow access to these 'Roaming Alliance" partners. My guess is yes.
The latest PRL that I have (I just got it activated late last week) for my Treo 700p is 20221. Will PRL 20221 enable me to data roam in Alltel areas?
I'm not sure, the newest PRL (20222) switches roaming prioity from Verizon to Alltel. Which carrier does your phone switch to when it roams?
My phone switches to Verizon. But when I am in the interior part of my county, Verizon roams off of Alltel. So I am thinking that since it does this, I should be all right for the data roaming. If not, I will have to attempt to get PRL 20222.
Isn't the KS/CO alliance coverage 800 MHz CDMA (as is Montana)? That would preclude Virgin, would it not, as don't they only sell phones that are 1900 CDMA only?
Regarding the new PRL 10033 from Sprint: I am a Kansas resident, within the GBTA/Nextech wireless service area. I spend about half time in Northern California, and drive back and forth between the two locations three to 4 times a year. (God bless my Accord V6.) I have been using a Sprint account in Northern CA for about 4 years, so I was excited by the announcement of the Sprint - Nextech alliance a year or so ago. As I discovered this past weekend, PRL 1033 is a major gain for Sprint customers in North Central and NorthWest Kansas, and possibly other areas in Colorado and Kansas. Since the update to PRL 10033 (which had to wait until I traveled to an area covered by the prior PRL) I have gained normal access to Sprint wireless service at my home, and all along Interstate 70. (I have tested it out from Topeka to Hays, and the expected service area covers all of NW KS and the I-70 corridor in Eastern Colorado to Denver. Though it is a sparsely populated area, Sprint gains by being able to provide uninterrupted I-70 corridor service from Kansas City to Denver, and extending its service to existing customers into this area. GBTA - Nextech, which I gather handles tower and technology administration, gain by being able to offer their customers access to Sprint's nationwide digital network. It works for me, and I am very thankful for the initiative by these companies.
Make sure you get the latest PRL version 10035. 10034 made additional optimization changes in that market.