Sprint PCS FAQ Version 2

Sprint PCS

F.A.Q.

3/8/2004 - Version 2

(Disclaimer: I am a new Sprint PCS customer. Nothing is verified. I will
organize/update this as I get time. Only message me in the newsgroup if you
have additions/corrections)







1.. INTANGIBLES - SPRINT
1.. Plans:
i. Free
and Clear America Plan

1. Apparently, you can only use ½ of your minutes on the free and clear
America plan while roaming. Nothing was said to me about this in any
broucher I got, so his may be a bit deceptive.
http://www.sprintpcs.com/common/popu...rAmerica.html.

2. In a plan from Sprint corporate it’s up to half of the minutes you
actually use. In a plan from an affiliate it may be something like up to 100
roaming minutes.

3. The additional $10 fee/50% usage does not apply nationwide. SPCS
affiliates have different charges and different amounts of roaming minutes
offered to customers in those respective areas.

ii.
Specials:

1. Snap Sync: As of March 2004, Radio Shack has a instant special.
SnapSync/Snap Dialer CD with a free cable. The back of the CD box has a
chart showing which cable to get to go with your phone. The total is $41
plus tax. It may or may not still apply.

2. Sanyo Phones: As of March of 2004, Sprint has a rebate of $150 on
some Sanyo phones. This requires a 2 year plan. Best Buy has the same
phone as Radio Shack but at better prices.

3. Instant rebate for new customers or current customers with a new
line, former customers must have used the same phone for 18 months
previously to be eligible for a rebate.

2.. INTANGIBLES – OTHER
1.. FCC:
i.
http://www.donotcall.org. If you do not want telemarketers to call you, go
to this web site and type in your phone number. There are exemptions
(politicians, charities), you have to renew every so many years and you need
a valid e-mail address. If someone bothers you, just complain.

2.. Other FAQs:
i.
Handheld’s Cellular Data FAQ: http://celdata.cjb.net

ii. Sprint
PCS Forum at Howard Forums:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...readid=166490. Good page
that has a FAQ look with messages.

iii.
Wireless FAQ: http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/wireless_faq.cfm

3.. Warrenties and Repairs;
i. “The
manufacturer of your phone offers a one-year limited warranty from the date
of purchase. To replace your phone under the manufacturer's warranty, a
Sprint Store technician must verify the defect. To locate the nearest Sprint
Store, dial *2 on your PCS Phone, say "Store locator," and follow the
instructions; or go to our online Sprint Store locator. (Note: Warranties
are exclusive to the manufacturer and only allow for same-model exchanges.
Sprint has no liability in connection with the manufacturers' acts and/or
omissions.)” What does Sprint PCS say about repairs? “If you are having
trouble with your PCS Phone, visit a local Sprint Store Technical Center
with service capabilities for a phone evaluation to determine if there is a
problem. A Sprint Store must have service capabilities to repair your PCS
Phone.”

4.. Lost Phones:
i. Call
PCS Customer Solutions at 888-211-4727. If you have the PCS Equipment
Replacement Program on your account, call lockline Insurance at
1-800-584-3666.

5.. Porting:
i. You
can have you home number or another mobile phone number porter over to your
new mobile phone.

ii. The
mobile company must port another mobile phone number over in 4 days.

iii. The
mobile company must port over a land line over to a mobile phone in 30 days.

iv.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...UGNB3EIRI1.DTL

6.. Towers:
i. This
is a link to the sprint towers:
http://www.sprint.com/pcsbusiness/co...owermaps.html. It is clickable
so you can see where there towers are all at.

ii. This
is to all towers: http://www.towermaps.com .

3.. PHONE HARDWARE
1.. Phones (Models):
i. Sanyo
SPC-5500 (newer version of the VM 4500)

1. Features:

1. Digital Camcorder:

1. Take and send up to 33 ‘normal quality’ 15-second video clips can be
stored in the handset's internal memory.

2. Video resolution is 96 x 128 pixels.

3. Can include sound with the video.

2. Digital Camera:

1. Take and send VGA (640 x 480 pixels), QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) and
QQVGA (160 x 120 pixels) digital photos.

2. Up to 31 ‘fine quality’ VGA or 150 ‘lower-quality’ and
smaller-resolution photos can be stored in internal memory.

3. Voice Memo:

1. Capability to attach a voice memo of up to 10 seconds to any photo
or video.

4. Main LCD:

1. A 2.1-inch, 65,536-color main TFT LCD display

5. Secondary (outside LCD):

1. A 1-inch, 65,536-color external TFT LCD display helps identify
callers via Photo Caller ID and also can be used as a viewfinder when taking
a self portrait.

6. Web Browser:

1. WAP 2.0 browser/Java (J2ME) for enhanced Web browsing.

2. Tips:

1. Silent all:

1. Open the clamshell and press the side volume. It will change the
volume up or down all of the way to ‘silent all’.

2. Calendar:

1. Holidays are in red while every other day is in black. It comes
preset with Sundays/Holidays in red.

2. Reset Sundays and Holidays to normal days (black). Now you can set
special days in red and non-special days in black. For example: If you
work different days each week (freelance), you can set up your work days as
holidays. This will allow you to see what days you work over the whole
month. This can be used for school days, soccer practice or whatever.

4.. PHONE SOFTWARE
1.. Developers and Standards:
i.
http://developer.sprintpcs.com/adp/index.do

2.. Firmware:
i.
http://www.sprintpcsinfo.com/modules...showpage&pid=9
Look up your model, and when you check your version numbers, if it's not up
to date, take your phone to your local SPCS store and get the
firmware/software version upgraded.

ii.
Sometimes one of 2 types of firmware upgrades help. Problems with roaming
are many times alleviated by a “PRL” update (PRL = Preferred Roaming List).
SprintPCS has agreements with other cellular carriers to allow your phone to
work on other networks when outside of the range of the SprintPCS network.
You do not get to choose which carrier; it is determined by the PRL,
software inside your phone. The current version is 10021. Each phone also
has a version of its unique firmware. As phones are in the hands of users,
often times “bugs” are discovered and fixed, by a firmware update, but this
has to be done by a SprintPCS technician at the Sprint store. Information
on Firmware and PRLs is available at http://www.sprintpcsinfo.com

3.. Games:
i.

4.. Instant Messaging:
i.
Format:

1. 160 characters max (if sent from an e-mail, any header is included
in the 160 characters so you get 60-120 characters max).

2. Include all 10 digits including area code.

ii. Web
Sites to send from:

1. To send a text message from the internet to a phone, use this link:
http://messaging.sprintpcs.com/sml/guestCompose.do

iii.
Domains: Type in an e-mail and send it to the following address for instant
messaging on the person’s phone. Between the <> is the phone number.

1. AT&T: <AT&T #>@messaging.att.com or <AT&T#>@mobile.att.net

2. Cingular: <Cingular #>@mobile.mycingular.com

3. Sprint: <SPCS #>@messaging.sprintpcs.com

4. Verizon: <VZW #>@vtext.com

5.. Ringers:
i. This
site allows you to send free ringers, applications and pictures to your
sprint PCS Phone: http://www.sprintusers.com/focus/

ii.
http://www.3gforfree.com/

iii.
Google: Use as a search parameter "SongName.mid". Dozens of hits appear,
click on the midi file and save it directly to the computer for later
manipulation and download to my phone via FutureDial SnapMedia Software and
a USB cable for the phone.

iv.
www.foshoo.com

v.
http://www.xingtone.com/

vi.
http://www.cdmatech.com/solutions/pr...e_download.jsp

vii.
www.myphonefiles.com

viii.
http://mobile.hopto.org/

ix. How to
make your own Ringers:
http://www.howardforums.com/archive/topic/74883-1.html and then upload it to
your phone at http://www.t1mmy.net/visionTool.html

6.. Screen Savers:
i.

5.. PC SOFTWARE
1.. PC Software:
i.
http://www.futuredial.com offers MS Windows 98+ PC software packages.

1. SnapSync: Allows one to transfer from MS Outlook (on a PC) to a
phone, from a phone to MS Outlook or from a phone to a phone (via a PC). It
can also be used to backup the phone’s contact list onto the PC if Outlook
is not installed on the PC.

2. SnapDialer: This allows one to use the phone as a modem. Install
the driver for the phone and then install the program. Hook up the data
cable and that’s it. Sprint’s picturemail/internet is $15 a month for
unlimited use. You need a G3 phone to take advantage of the faster speed
which is comparable to a standard land based telephone line. When new
phones come out, they claim you can download the drivers for them. You only
need the driver for your particular phone. It has speeds up to 115 kbs.
After 10 minutes sprint may disconnect you so you need to run something like
yahoo messenger in the background which send continuous data thought the
modem.

3. SnapMedia: This software allows transfer of photos and ringers from
a PC to a cell phone using the appropriate phone to USB cable.

4. Transfer Cable: A cable from the phone to the computer is required
for transfer of data (http://www.futuredial.com or a Radio Shack). Each
phone has its own port on it. The other end will be either serial or USB
which plugs into the computer. All three of these programs need the data
transfer cable.

5. In March of 2004, Radio Shack had a special. SnapSync/Snap Dialer
CD with a free cable. The back of the CD box has a chart showing which
cable to get to go with your phone. The total is $41 plus tax. It may or
may not still apply.

ii.
Celllink: Allows your MS Outlook to message your cell phone (I think)

1. http://www.settingstarstudio.com/CELLLINK.HTML

6.. INTERNET
1.. Web Sites:
i. Web
browsers

1. A Web browser application for download (Pay):
http://www.reqwireless.com/webviewer.html. Size is 48K and may not do
javascript.

2. Opera: http://www.opera.com

ii.
http://www.3gupload.com

iii.
http://www.matrixm.com

iv.
http://www.xingtones.com

v.
http://www.myphonefiles.com

vi.
http://www.w3.org

vii.
"Absolute Beginner's Guide to Creating Web Pages" by Que Publishing. Put
the following in the header for mobile devices. You can also check out
http://www.w3.org
<!DOCTYPC html PUBLIC ''\//W3C//DTC XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN''
''DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd''>
<html xmlns=''http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml''>
<head>
<title>Enter Title Here</title>
<! - - Designed By XXXXX- - >
<! - - Last Updatep 07/25/2003 - - >
</head>
<body>

</body>
</html>

2.. Newsgroups:
i.
alt.cellular.sprintpcs – Message only group.

ii. No
known binaries group for games, ringers and screensavers (maybe someone will
create one).

3.. News Servers:
i. If
you are using your PCS phone as a MoDem, then you can use your PC with
Outlook Express. This link gives you a list of free news servers:
http://www.newsservers.net/free_news_servers/

ii.
news.cis.dfn.de

7.. SPRINT NUMBERS
1.. Dialing * or # before a number:
i. *2:
(Free) Customer Service

ii. *3:
(Free) Pay Your Bill on the phone

iii. *4:
(Minutes accumulate) How many minutes left on your account.

1. If have the vision plane ($15 per month), you can log on to sprint’s
web site for free and check the minutes. Not necessary to have Vision to
check minutes at web site. *4 will use minutes if used in Prime Time. *4
will also tell balance due on account.

iv. *5:
(Free) Spanish Customer Service

v. #777:
Internet

1. Used to connect to the internet when using the phone as a PC MoDem
(SyncDialer software).

vi.
#ROAD(#7623): Roadside Assistance

1. If you pay the $4 a month for roadside assistance, you can use this
feature.

2.. Dialing 800 or 888 numbers:
i.
Dialing a number starting with 800 or 800 DO count towards your minutes.

3.. Voice Mail:
i. You
can not change the number of rings on your phone before the sprint voice
mails picks it up.

ii. To
directly dial into someone’s voice mail, dial 11 first. Example:
11-555-555-5555 (This does not work in all area) or 2 and then the number
(2-555-555-5555).

iii. Use
‘airplane mode’ on your phone to send an incoming call directly to the voice
mail. This disables your ability to call out as well.

iv. Dial the
first 7 digits of your number + "M" "A" "I" "L" to get to voice mail from
alandline. If your number is 212-555-1234 you'd dial 212-444-6245 (MAIL) to
get into voicemail.

4.. PCS to PCS:
i. To
find out if someone is on sprint PCS, go to
http://www1.sprintpcs.com/explore/wlnp/wlnpPortHome.jsp and type in the
phone number. If it’s a sprint number it will tell you. This is actually
fto see if a number can be ported over. Use this trick if you have the
unlimited PCS-to-PCS plan.

5.. MDN and MSID:
i. In
order for a phone to be used anymore, it must be able to support 2 numbers.
The "regular" phone number, what we call an MDN. And an internal ID number
"MSID." The two do not need to be the same number.

6.. Telephone Numbers:
i.
Consumer Customer Service: 1-800-658-7564 or 1-877-822-7505

ii.
Business Customer Service: 1-888-788-4727

7.. Prepend:
i. The
Prepend function allows for inserting #'s before the phone number, for a
total # of 32 digit numbers. So if your "long" phone number is 32 characters
long or less, then you can do it.

8.. Faxing:
i. Dial
#777 and use http://www.tpc.int/

---

› See More: Sprint PCS FAQ Version 2

Thanks for all the great info.
Thanks for the try amidst negative crap from the cranky old man!

Mr Smith and his followers are the gauntlet that tries to beat down any
good idea! (unless he thought of it first--but he's to lazy) Its
easier to sling mud, than to write a faq himself.

He'd make a great city worker. Do nothing and shine his ****ING Halo
all day. He must be a great Sprint Employee. Imagine working with him
or under him! Whew, Gag, Upchuck...

A quick googling found this post he made agreeing that group is getting
too negative.

>>From: Bob Smith author:[email protected]
>>Newsgroups: alt.cellular.sprintpcs


>>Date: 2003-10-07 04:33:16 PST
>>Agreed, however, 95% of the new messages are just attacks and have
>>nothing to do with SPCS ...

>Bob
> "Duckboy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]

> This newsgroup used to be a place to get some good information, but
>the flaming has gotten ridiculous. Nothing is being accomplished by
>all of the b.s. being slung around except a newsgroup getting ruined.

> Yes everyone has a right to state their opinion and all of that
>****, but damn, shouldn't their be a end to it?

> It is sad because 99.9% of the people have put out some good
>information and I personally have learned a lot about both the good
>and the bad of Sprint.

Don't even respond to his crap, just keep up the good work!

Thanks!

In article
<Y2FybmFs.1143d6f05c2493723b40e2be73a6a8a1@1078803488.nulluser.com>,
"chris" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Thanks for all the great info.
> Thanks for the try amidst negative crap from the cranky old man!
>
> Mr Smith and his followers are the gauntlet that tries to beat down any
> good idea! (unless he thought of it first--but he's to lazy) Its
> easier to sling mud, than to write a faq himself.
>
> He'd make a great city worker. Do nothing and shine his ****ING Halo
> all day. He must be a great Sprint Employee. Imagine working with him
> or under him! Whew, Gag, Upchuck...
>
> A quick googling found this post he made agreeing that group is getting
> too negative.
>
> >>From: Bob Smith author:[email protected]
> >>Newsgroups: alt.cellular.sprintpcs
>
>
> >>Date: 2003-10-07 04:33:16 PST
> >>Agreed, however, 95% of the new messages are just attacks and have
> >>nothing to do with SPCS ...
>
> >Bob
> > "Duckboy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]
>
> > This newsgroup used to be a place to get some good information, but
> >the flaming has gotten ridiculous. Nothing is being accomplished by
> >all of the b.s. being slung around except a newsgroup getting ruined.
>
> > Yes everyone has a right to state their opinion and all of that
> >****, but damn, shouldn't their be a end to it?
>
> > It is sad because 99.9% of the people have put out some good
> >information and I personally have learned a lot about both the good
> >and the bad of Sprint.



Exactly his problem. Anything said that diesn't meet is standard of
lauding Sprint is to be insulted.
>
> Don't even respond to his crap, just keep up the good work!
>
> Thanks!