Database Users

Force Roam to Verzion?

I love my Epic. Just switched from Verizon and have found I roam a lot on verizon. Which is fine, but when I'm home it's half a bar or sometimes no bars at all but still sprint. Time without a signal right now is 97%. This is draining my battery and causing me to drop calls. Is there a setting to prefer use of strongest tower regardless if it's roaming? If I roam to Verizon it's Full bars.
Thanks,

See if you can get an airwave.

why would you switch to verizon when it has no 4g?

@rawsoup. So 4G does exsist?? Not available here. I was curious if there was an app to use strongest tower regardless if it's roaming. Wherever I go it's always half a bar with sprint. So calls will connect but then they drop. I guess I'll just get an airwave for my house, work and the grocery store.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

toddman said:
@rawsoup. So 4G does exsist?? Not available here. I was curious if there was an app to use strongest tower regardless if it's roaming. Wherever I go it's always half a bar with sprint. So calls will connect but then they drop. I guess I'll just get an airwave for my house, work and the grocery store.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
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hmmm. thats funny what area (not specific address, i'm not a stalker) do you live in?

I have to agree with OP on this...the ability to flop over to roaming would be awesome. It's amazing..this same post has shown up for a ton of different phones throughout the years and the first response is always "why?".
I live in Queens in a basement apartment, 15 minutes from Manhattan. If I go outside my building, I get 2-4 bars service. Depending on where I leave my phone in my house, I get 0-1 bars, 1 if I'm really, really lucky and have been a good boy all year.
Currently, without paying stupid amounts of money for an airave (I don't even make that many phone calls, just need to be available for work), I have to turn the phone radio off, load up sipdroid to use with my gizmo5 account, and rely on google voice completely. I don't get texts, but since I have GV I get those texts and that suffices for now...but it's a lot of work to simply be able to be reached.
Verizon has 5 bars in my apartment. I shouldn't have to pay sprint whatever ridiculous amount they're asking for the airave hardware and the service when sprint already has roaming deals with verizon, and I pay for these roaming contracts in my monthly plan. I should be able to switch over to roam in my house for the off chance that I do get a phone call, and so that my battery isn't drained completely by two hours of trying to aquire sprint's signal.
The Palm Pre had a roam only hack, and it was beautifly done. Can someone get the ball rolling for an android app? I know there have been three billion posts in relation to this feature on android...but it would be really, really helpful.

I agree but airwaves hve been mostly free for people calling in needing help with ****ty service inside. Especially if you can be nice but still be fcirm with pleading your case.
Now sometmes new accounts need to wait 90 days for new free hardware to establish payment history and if you don't pay your bill or in general are a pain in the balls don't expect them to help you.
However many people get them without the monthly fee and free hardware.

Looks like roam control from the market will work on Samsung phones nextweek
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

Sweet, just what I'm looking for. Thanks!
I guess if I root my phone, sprint won't let me return it with their 30day worry free program. I guess I'll just have to just trust it works. (unless there's a unroot option)

bblanski said:
Looks like roam control from the market will work on Samsung phones nextweek
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
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Where did you see that update at?

Wait wait. I'm lost. Roaming on VZ network is free on Sprint?

fazooley said:
I have the solution for all android phones. PM me for details!
fazooley
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This loser stole my app from the market and is trying to sell it. No one wants you here. Plus, quit spreading bad information, it doesn't work for *all* android phones...take the Droid X for example.

Wow. You people need to stop wondering why and just answer the question. Clearly OP doesnt have any type of good signal.
I live in the bronx in a basement apartment and i get 2 bars if im lucky. But its always switching between sprint and verizon killing my battery, lagging my phone and dropping my calls. F the airwave. I had force roaming with CM6 on my hero and would use it when im home and get full bars with no interuption and then switch to sprint when i step outside my door where i get full bars.
But anyways, nah i dont think the epic has force roaming yet...when someone ports CM6 over it should have it.
You can go into settings/wireless & networks/ mobile connection and set it to home only and it should be able to hold onto that 1 sprint bar you have and it wouldnt constantly switch to vzw and back, killing your phone.
It sucks. I remember i would hope i started roaming before i got the option for force roamong lol
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App

And yeah roaming is free and unlimited on verizon. But apparently theres a data cap of 300mb on 3g and unlimited 4g roaming (which is bs cuz sprint is the only one using WiMax) with the 4g phones....but im not entirely sure...
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App

Just so people know, there is an app in the market called "Roam Control" that allows you to force roaming on your Epic. Disclaimer: I am the developer.
Otherwise, with HTC phones, you can run CM6 which has the roaming option built in.
The joker above (fazooley) pirated my app and is trying to sell it to people for $1. I think you're better off ignoring him.

yes it does but requires root dang

churro7 said:
yes it does but requires root dang
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Yeah, sorry man. Not into the rooting thing?

well of course i am but i want to root froyo instead

Thanks guys for your help. I figured out the Forcing Roam issue by just switching back to Verizon. Problem Solved

toddman said:
Thanks guys for your help. I figured out the Forcing Roam issue by just switching back to Verizon. Problem Solved
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Lol
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

International Calling...

So... my girlfriend is going to Trinidad for 2 and 1/2 weeks. I wanted to know what options do we have as far as making calls on our cell phones go?
We're trying to avoid data roaming and she has no access to wifi, so skype is definitely out of the picture... I know it's hard but I'm guessing we might just have to pick up the international plan with sprint or stick to calling cards right?

It seems they have cdma service there, so if she has a sprint or verizon phone, it will work. However it will be roaming. If you are going to be here, calling her phone wont charge you, but it will charge her for roaming. Not sure what sprint charges for roaming in that country, you will have to call and find out.
Also be aware, she will get charged per text, and per kb of data, which can really add up. Make sure she turns off 3g on her phone, to avoid that.

yeah, i plan on locking down her phone after she calls to say she's there safely. thanks for the reply, i'll call sprint and find out what their rates go for. thanks

dragoniusFUZE said:
yeah, i plan on locking down her phone after she calls to say she's there safely. thanks for the reply, i'll call sprint and find out what their rates go for. thanks
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Make sure to come back with your findings. Just curious since I will try to make it to Puerto Rico this year, eventhough I think Puerto Rico it won't be roaming since I can call for free to my father, I don't know if it will differ once I'm on the island.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

No problem, she leaves this Sunday, as far as it goes, the rates in Trinidad are $1.19/min and $4/MB of data. I know for one, she'll use the phone to call me when she gets there, after that I hope she shuts it off.
Puerto Rico I do believe in within the line of U.S. territory so I don't think it should be a problem, but you could check at sprint.com/international for the rates if any.

Now an unpleasant surprise from Sprint

EDIT: Signal improvement went away... see followup post below.
Original posting:
---------
Meant to post about this two days ago, and got busy.
I've been one of those with near zero signal in my home neighborhood. I live in Scotts Valley, near Santa Cruz CA. Since I got my Epic last October, I have been extremely frustrated that I get 0/1 bars at home, the signal is too weak to be usable for phone calls (constant digital dropouts -- conversation is impossible), and of course pathetic data rates when I can actually get a connection, which ALSO is never reliable.
When I bought the phone, a tower within sight of my home on another ridge was scheduled to get a Sprint site before the end of the year (2010), according to their website map. Then, this upgrade disappeared. I called, and no one knew anything, of course.
I've been roaming on VZW, who have a 4/5 bar signal here, via Roam Control ever since I got the phone. Fine for calls and text, no data worth speaking about.
Woke up two days ago, and was at first mystified, then thrilled to see 5 solid bars on Sprint!!!! 3G data rates consistently 1100/750 down/up!!!
Apparently, they finally got around to upgrading their coverage in the area. 'bout time
4G? Don't even go there. Not yet, not expecting it... Ever.

Wow my 3g speeds are 200 down max and I have no 4g
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA Premium App

In a way, I have Sprint's poor coverage in my hood to thank for me needing to root and get acquainted with XDA. Otherwise no Roam Control. But it would rock to get a similar upgrade around here. Zoning and landscape just make it really unlikely. If I go just half a mile north or west it's totally different, with 4G and all. Hell, I can watch Netflix over 4G at my office, just not where I stay. I hope your story is repeated far and wide.

I've had the same experience as you. I've been with sprint for 11 years now and my signal is now amazing at the house. 2600 kbps dl, 550 ul. On average, of course. They upgraded the tower nsar my house last year.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App

My rwception got worse so to u took my tower I want it back
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA Premium App

Network Vision...

Whosdaman said:
Network Vision...
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So this network vision thingy. Do they have a timeline on what cities get it first? Or am I just a needy young man? ahah

Congrats. Anybody else?

UPDATE: After some joy, Sprint decided to turn off whatever they did. Back to 0/1 bars here at home, inability to use voice without constant dropouts, no data to speak of...
Back to Roam Control and cursing Sprint. I am so close to walking away from my contract into VZW's arms. The SG2 could be enough...
Sent from my mind using telepathitalk

Someone with a car airave spent the nite? Lol...
Sent from my Epix 4G using XDA

I live in Missouri (right next to sprint hq), and my service is never steady, usually shabby. But with the new EG22plus modem I get 4 bars constant. U might want to look into updating/rollbacking ur prl and/modem?
Sent from a Random epic

dwallersv said:
Back to Roam Control and cursing Sprint. I am so close to walking away from my contract into VZW's arms. The SG2 could be enough...
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Staying exclusively on roaming is the easiest way to break your contract; they'll show you the door, or so I've been told...

double-post - ignore

cresny said:
Staying exclusively on roaming is the easiest way to break your contract; they'll show you the door, or so I've been told...
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that's more true if you use a load of data. I use roam control for voice and text constantly because my apartment is a dead zone, and I use my wireless router for data, never got anything about it from sprint

Wizard Knight said:
that's more true if you use a load of data. I use roam control for voice and text constantly because my apartment is a dead zone, and I use my wireless router for data, never got anything about it from sprint
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That describes me. At home forced roaming so I can actually make and receive calls, data over wifi.
With the RC tasker plugin, phone automatically switches between forced roaming when in range of my home network, then back to "automatic" when out of range.
It's a workable solution, but not something I should have to do.
Sent from my mind using telepathitalk

You guys having problems in your house complain enough they will send you a Airrave for free.

Would that not be a Pleasant surprise instead of unpleasant? My signal seems to have gotten better lately as well

tazfanatic said:
You guys having problems in your house complain enough they will send you a Airrave for free.
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Yep. The only reason I'm still with them is because of the free Airrave. Without it, signal in my home was unacceptable.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App in the DC metro area

This may be a bit off topic, but I roam ALLLLL day when I'm at work, it gets me quite angry, and I continue to use data and phone while I "roam" , and saw a charge for roaming one time but called sprint and asked them how the **** I am roaming within my coverage area. They fed me some BS but took the charge away. I've never seen a charge for roaming since. Do you guys get charges?

So far as I know, with my family 2 phone everything plan, roaming is included.
Edit:
I just looked, it doesnt say roaming anywhere, but when looking at changing my services, the only roaming option given is Canada Roaming.
Edit 2:
Found it.
lookpic. com/c1/i2/3841/jL9LKNCy.png

Force roam

Seriously, is there really only ONE roam contrl app out there? Planning to root because my signal at home blows. Spent the day checking out my options, and right now they seen very limited.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

AcesandEights said:
Seriously, is there really only ONE roam contrl app out there? Planning to root because my signal at home blows. Spent the day checking out my options, and right now they seen very limited.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
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App called Roam Control is the best one I ever used. Worth the price. In my opinion.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using xda premium

AcesandEights said:
Seriously, is there really only ONE roam contrl app out there? Planning to root because my signal at home blows. Spent the day checking out my options, and right now they seen very limited.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
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It works and the dev is one of the most responsive i've ever seen (he lurks on xda, in fact he might post here) so......... Buy it.
Be sure to run roam control once before you need it to configure the license so you arent up the creek without a paddle in a low signal area as the app can't check the license without internet access.
Sent from my SPH-D720 using Tapatalk

Get an airave to fix the signal. Sprint will send you a free one.

You can use Qpst to force load a verizon prl. There is a thread on the evo forum walking you through it. I would say roam control will be much easier/better solution though because you can witch back and forth as needed. Using the vzw prl will force you onto the vzw network 100% of the time.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

Not going to pay for an airave even though they say its free. Price for an app is not a problem. Every other type of app has more than one to choose from. I'm sure the dev is a good guy, I just like to have choices
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

lynyrd65 said:
It works and the dev is one of the most responsive i've ever seen (he lurks on xda, in fact he might post here) so......... Buy it.
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I love the app, but I don't find the dev responsive from my only e-mail to him.
A couple of months ago, I sent him a note with a suggestion or two, and no response. I was kind of disappointed, but was just hoping that he read them and was going to implement them in a future relaese.

Why wouldn't you use an Airave ? You can call 877.775.4886 and let them know your signal blows at home. I use my Airave with four phones on it currently and it's great always having full bars and no dropped calls even in my basement. Give it a try...

I'm in an area with decent Verizon but crappy Sprint coverage. I've heard forcing roam is used to get booted sans ETF. I'd love to do it but don't wanna get a letter from Sprint. Whatdaya think?

Currently, only good roaming app is roam control.
Like above post said, there is way to manually load up 00001 Verizon PRL using QPST. There is a thread here or in dev section. This gives you good speed but you are on Verizon 100% of the time and I heard that Sprint might catch you and block 3G access somehow.
What I am using is 11115 PRL. This is Sprint PRL that let you roam 3G. Normally when there is Sprint tower nearby, this PRL will not let you roam, but using the app, I can force roam. I use it when Sprint is giving me ****ty data.
---------- Post added at 02:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:31 PM ----------
hammerbrain said:
I'm in an area with decent Verizon but crappy Sprint coverage. I've heard forcing roam is used to get booted sans ETF. I'd love to do it but don't wanna get a letter from Sprint. Whatdaya think?
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I am actually experimenting the possibility, but I think Sprint is blocking my access to Verizon 3G when I am trying. Whenenver I start to use heavy data stuff like netflix, the 3G roaming becomes unstable and disconnects. So I just use it when I am in need of data but Sprint is giving me way to slow connection.

I just wish our phones would react properly to Roam Control. I'm in Central Florida and apparently it only forces roaming to one frequency, not all frequencies.
Q: When I select "roam only", why does the phone have no signal?
A: Chances are you have a Samsung phone, right? Samsung phones have different behavior - when in "roam only", they only roam on the 800mhz frequency band. There are areas in the US that are 1900mhz only, which means that Samsung phones will not get a signal in those areas.
https://sites.google.com/site/roamcontrol/faq
f'in Samsung screws me again.

Official cyanogen mod has a force roam feature built in. You just check the box and it roams uncheck and it stops roaming
Deca's cyanogen doesn't have that functionality yet, but it will when it becomes a part of official cm
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA Premium App

phdeez said:
I just wish our phones would react properly to Roam Control. I'm in Central Florida and apparently it only forces roaming to one frequency, not all frequencies.
Q: When I select "roam only", why does the phone have no signal?
A: Chances are you have a Samsung phone, right? Samsung phones have different behavior - when in "roam only", they only roam on the 800mhz frequency band. There are areas in the US that are 1900mhz only, which means that Samsung phones will not get a signal in those areas.
https://sites.google.com/site/roamcontrol/faq
f'in Samsung screws me again.
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It's a bug of the phone itself. I've been in areas where Verizon 1900 was present and no Sprint signal around. My son's Touch Pro 2 had full VZW signal and my Epic had zero signal.

A_Flying_Fox said:
Official cyanogen mod has a force roam feature built in. You just check the box and it roams uncheck and it stops roaming
Deca's cyanogen doesn't have that functionality yet, but it will when it becomes a part of official cm
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA Premium App
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One more reason I'm looking forward to CM7...
digiblur said:
It's a bug of the phone itself. I've been in areas where Verizon 1900 was present and no Sprint signal around. My son's Touch Pro 2 had full VZW signal and my Epic had zero signal.
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Oh, I understand, it's just disappointing... I also used to have a TP2 and loved the working forced roaming on it... Funny how a 4yo phone has more functionality than a <previously> flaghship 4G phone... If the HTC Shift had a larger screen I would have gone with that.

One. Its not free. I'm paying 130 per month, shouldn't have to install tower and pay taxes on it. Two. Not into helping neighbors receive better signal by pigybacking on MY internet that I'M paying for.
My question is still the same. Is roam control the only app. Pretty sure its is good. Just like any other apps, some work better for some people and not other.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

AcesandEights said:
One. Its not free. I'm paying 130 per month, shouldn't have to install tower and pay taxes on it. Two. Not into helping neighbors receive better signal by pigybacking on MY internet that I'M paying for.
My question is still the same. Is roam control the only app. Pretty sure its is good. Just like any other apps, some work better for some people and not other.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
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I've had an airave for 2 years the cost??? NADDA They even upgraded it to the Data model after I complained about having lousy data at home too.
You can control who has access to both your wireless network and your airave. I'm sure you already know that so I say TROLL

Well, cs said I would be paying the tax on it, and I couldnt control who has access. Still no answers on whether or not there are other apps.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

That has been answered, I count, 3 times already. Just because its not the answer you're looking for, doesn't mean its not been answered.
So for the last time, yes, Roam Control IS CURRENTLY the only roaming app.

Yes you can control who accesses it. I currently only have family and friends numbers allowed to make calls. It is simple and the csr is an idiot. Nothing new.

Thank you zett, will call them back. As for the question being answered about other apps, it hasn't. It was only said roam control was the best, as if there is more than one. Not looking to ruffle feathers, but I am able to comprehend what is written. When it is said the only good roam control app is roam control, it implies the existence of others. A simple yes or no will have done. Thank you all, and may the best of the day find you.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

3G Network constantly disappearing??!?

I live in the (North Jersey) area and I notice that my phone is constantly losing 3G Data (The 3G Network Icon Disappears). It is really annoying and I never really noticed it when I had my Galaxy S3. Does anyone else have the same issue? I'm trying to determine if the problem is specific to my phone or the sprint network. Or is it a common defect with the S4. The constant dropping of the Data network makes me really dislike this phone at times.

Call Sprint first, they maybe doing network upgrades in your area
Then try disabling lte
Sent from my SPH-L720 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

thats what you get for living in jersey........as an ex sprint employee you guys on the east coast are nothing but a big ball of problems. i would say that 95% of the calls i took at sprint were from the east coast......

xxaddictedxx said:
thats what you get for living in jersey........as an ex sprint employee you guys on the east coast are nothing but a big ball of problems. i would say that 95% of the calls i took at sprint were from the east coast......
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Yea shame on you for living in NJ. How dare you!
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app

mxl180 said:
Yea shame on you for living in NJ. How dare you!
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app
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my point exactly lmao.....thats not what i meant haha but i guess it does kinda read that way lmao. what i was trying to convey is that the east coast has alot of issue with sprint and vice versa.for some reason sprint just does not work well in that area (im assuming its a population thing) but when i was at sprint it seemed like every day towers in NJ and NY were contsantly going down. sprint just has bad juju in that area i guess. dosent help with your issue at all just something i noticed in my time there.

I'm in North Jersey myself and go to NYC often. I always joke that only sprint can manage to lose data 3G or 4G in the middle of Manhattan. And yes, poor 3G sevice in Jersey as well. But it's not your phone, my old S3 did the same thing. Sprint blows, its the price you pay for cheaper service. Im currently in Philadelphia, and it is actually far worse here.

I have the same issue in Brooklyn and Queens NY. It's also bad when I come out of the subway and I can't get a data connection in some areas for 5 minutes. Plus the jumping between 3 and 4g is annoying as hell. I wish there was a toggle to turn 4g off like there was on my s2.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Mship said:
I have the same issue in Brooklyn and Queens NY. It's also bad when I come out of the subway and I can't get a data connection in some areas for 5 minutes. Plus the jumping between 3 and 4g is annoying as hell. I wish there was a toggle to turn 4g off like there was on my s2.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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There is, it's just not a toggle. Settings -> connections -> more networks -> mobile networks -> network mode: change to CDMA
And yes, your issue with taking a while to get data service is very familiar to me unfortunately. It's not the phone because usually it's instant. But when I lose data, it's at the worst possible time, like when I really need to get directions in the car. What sometimes works is toggling airplane mode.