Bizarre signal issue in NYC with Treo

My SIL is in visiting and they have had the strangest experience with
their Sprint service in Manhattan. She and hubby had switched to Treos
several months back and love them.
They work great in PA where they spend part fo their time and throughout
New York. Then a couple months ago they couldn't recieve or call out with
their Treos from their apartment... phone reported it was on sprint's
Network - even had multilpe bars of strength.
So they walked outside. Still couldn't complete a call.

Turning the phone function off and on again reestablished link to towers
and incoming/outgoing calls worked.

Recall I mentioned they have 3-4 bar strength inside their apartment.
This continued to happen, after hours or 1/2 a day the pone would seem
fine but not respond to the network.

Treo 700p by the way.

They had a Sprint tech out to the area and coudl not give any asistance.
One of them switched to another brand phone (samsung media 900?) and have
not had any repeated behavior, the other phoen is still a Treo and still
has the same issue.

Any suggestions? Obviously check the firmware, PRL, etc on the Treo. But
other than that I am stumped as to why it would not respond to the
network but not give any indication. Also note, if they allow roaming it
doesn't switch over to Verizon's signal as the phone prefers Sprint's
signal.

They are very frustrated and don't want to lose their Treos, nor do they
want to switch away from Sprint - but they need some help.

---

› See More: Bizarre signal issue in NYC with Treo

"dafydd" <[email protected]> wrote in news:1170760781.084175.101060
@a34g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

> This is not as strange of an occurrance as you might imagine, many
> phones for onereason or another need to be powercycled [turned off for
> a minute or 2] at least once a day to make sure they are fully
> connected to the network. It isn't a Sprint problem alone, if you
> will ask any tech support specialist with any provider they will say
> the same thing. I do not know why it is that some phones seem to work
> for longer periods of times without having to powercycle. Sometimes
> though, people can have 2 of the exact same phone, and 1 need to
> powercycle dayly and the other not.
>
> as for the roaming issue, if you look in the phones manual, you should
> find instructions for changing it from 'Sprint Only' to automatic.
> This will allow it to pick up other signals, when a sprint signal is
> not available.
>
>

I hear what you are saying, but cannot accept it.
First, for the roaming portion, the Sprint Signal is strong all day - so
the phone would not switch to Digital or Analog roaming.

Second, from what the couple tell me is the [Treo] phones work perfect
all day anywhere else in Manhattan - and until about August just fine in
their SOHO neighborhood.
But now the phone could sit idle for less than two hours and stop
communicating with the network but still give all indicators (signal
bars, DB strength, etc.) of working fine, but no outgoing calls will
complete and of course any attempted incoming go to VM (don't know if
they ring immediately to VM or ring 4x then transfer -- this would be
important to know if the Network thinks the phone is still active versus
only the phone thinking it was active.)

Sometimes the phone works fine in that neighborhood for 8-10 hours and
other times maybe only 2. Unfortunately the only way to know is to either
try to make an outbound call or have someone call inbound and not reach
you.

They have two identical Treo 700p with the current software/firmware.
They actually have a newer PRL than my own. Don't know what else to check
or suggest.

Did they install any software on the phones?
Some poorly written software could cause problems.


While stranded on information super highway Steph wrote:
> My SIL is in visiting and they have had the strangest experience with
> their Sprint service in Manhattan. She and hubby had switched to Treos
> several months back and love them.
> They work great in PA where they spend part fo their time and throughout
> New York. Then a couple months ago they couldn't recieve or call out with
> their Treos from their apartment... phone reported it was on sprint's
> Network - even had multilpe bars of strength.
> So they walked outside. Still couldn't complete a call.
>
> Turning the phone function off and on again reestablished link to towers
> and incoming/outgoing calls worked.
>
> Recall I mentioned they have 3-4 bar strength inside their apartment.
> This continued to happen, after hours or 1/2 a day the pone would seem
> fine but not respond to the network.
>
> Treo 700p by the way.
>
> They had a Sprint tech out to the area and coudl not give any asistance.
> One of them switched to another brand phone (samsung media 900?) and have
> not had any repeated behavior, the other phoen is still a Treo and still
> has the same issue.
>
> Any suggestions? Obviously check the firmware, PRL, etc on the Treo. But
> other than that I am stumped as to why it would not respond to the
> network but not give any indication. Also note, if they allow roaming it
> doesn't switch over to Verizon's signal as the phone prefers Sprint's
> signal.
>
> They are very frustrated and don't want to lose their Treos, nor do they
> want to switch away from Sprint - but they need some help.
>

--
Hemant Shah /"\ ASCII ribbon campaign
E-mail: [email protected] \ / ---------------------
X against HTML mail
TO REPLY, REMOVE NoJunkMail / \ and postings
FROM MY E-MAIL ADDRESS.
-----------------[DO NOT SEND UNSOLICITED BULK E-MAIL]------------------
I haven't lost my mind, Above opinions are mine only.
it's backed up on tape somewhere. Others can have their own.

To my knowledge they had no 3rd party [unbundled] software at all.
I don't know if they loaded any apps from the install CD (they sync with
a mac, so it would be limited a bit, eg: no Docs to go).


Hemant Shah <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> Did they install any software on the phones?
> Some poorly written software could cause problems.
>
>
> While stranded on information super highway Steph wrote:
>> My SIL is in visiting and they have had the strangest experience with
>> their Sprint service in Manhattan. She and hubby had switched to
>> Treos several months back and love them.
>> They work great in PA where they spend part fo their time and
>> throughout New York. Then a couple months ago they couldn't recieve
>> or call out with their Treos from their apartment... phone reported
>> it was on sprint's Network - even had multilpe bars of strength.
>> So they walked outside. Still couldn't complete a call.
>>
>> Turning the phone function off and on again reestablished link to
>> towers and incoming/outgoing calls worked.
>>
>> Recall I mentioned they have 3-4 bar strength inside their apartment.
>> This continued to happen, after hours or 1/2 a day the pone would
>> seem fine but not respond to the network.
>>
>> Treo 700p by the way.
>>
>> They had a Sprint tech out to the area and coudl not give any
>> asistance. One of them switched to another brand phone (samsung media
>> 900?) and have not had any repeated behavior, the other phoen is
>> still a Treo and still has the same issue.
>>
>> Any suggestions? Obviously check the firmware, PRL, etc on the Treo.
>> But other than that I am stumped as to why it would not respond to
>> the network but not give any indication. Also note, if they allow
>> roaming it doesn't switch over to Verizon's signal as the phone
>> prefers Sprint's signal.
>>
>> They are very frustrated and don't want to lose their Treos, nor do
>> they want to switch away from Sprint - but they need some help.
>>
>

While stranded on information super highway Steph wrote:
> To my knowledge they had no 3rd party [unbundled] software at all.
> I don't know if they loaded any apps from the install CD (they sync with
> a mac, so it would be limited a bit, eg: no Docs to go).

Syncing with Mac does not limit the apps for Treo. I sync with Mac too
but I can install any Treo supported software on it, just like a PC user.

>
>
> Hemant Shah <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>>
>> Did they install any software on the phones?
>> Some poorly written software could cause problems.
>>
>>
>> While stranded on information super highway Steph wrote:
>>> My SIL is in visiting and they have had the strangest experience with
>>> their Sprint service in Manhattan. She and hubby had switched to
>>> Treos several months back and love them.
>>> They work great in PA where they spend part fo their time and
>>> throughout New York. Then a couple months ago they couldn't recieve
>>> or call out with their Treos from their apartment... phone reported
>>> it was on sprint's Network - even had multilpe bars of strength.
>>> So they walked outside. Still couldn't complete a call.
>>>
>>> Turning the phone function off and on again reestablished link to
>>> towers and incoming/outgoing calls worked.
>>>
>>> Recall I mentioned they have 3-4 bar strength inside their apartment.
>>> This continued to happen, after hours or 1/2 a day the pone would
>>> seem fine but not respond to the network.
>>>
>>> Treo 700p by the way.
>>>
>>> They had a Sprint tech out to the area and coudl not give any
>>> asistance. One of them switched to another brand phone (samsung media
>>> 900?) and have not had any repeated behavior, the other phoen is
>>> still a Treo and still has the same issue.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions? Obviously check the firmware, PRL, etc on the Treo.
>>> But other than that I am stumped as to why it would not respond to
>>> the network but not give any indication. Also note, if they allow
>>> roaming it doesn't switch over to Verizon's signal as the phone
>>> prefers Sprint's signal.
>>>
>>> They are very frustrated and don't want to lose their Treos, nor do
>>> they want to switch away from Sprint - but they need some help.
>>>
>>
>

--
Hemant Shah /"\ ASCII ribbon campaign
E-mail: [email protected] \ / ---------------------
X against HTML mail
TO REPLY, REMOVE NoJunkMail / \ and postings
FROM MY E-MAIL ADDRESS.
-----------------[DO NOT SEND UNSOLICITED BULK E-MAIL]------------------
I haven't lost my mind, Above opinions are mine only.
it's backed up on tape somewhere. Others can have their own.

Hemant Shah <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> While stranded on information super highway Steph wrote:
>> To my knowledge they had no 3rd party [unbundled] software at all.
>> I don't know if they loaded any apps from the install CD (they sync
>> with a mac, so it would be limited a bit, eg: no Docs to go).
>
> Syncing with Mac does not limit the apps for Treo. I sync with Mac
> too but I can install any Treo supported software on it, just like a
> PC user.
>
Uh thanks, I am aware of that.
Neither user installed anything other than Palm Desktop and Hotsync. I
just recently gave one of them a copy of MetrO. I sync between two XP
desktops and my macbook, so I have experience here.

>>
>>
>> Hemant Shah <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]:
>>
>>>
>>> Did they install any software on the phones?
>>> Some poorly written software could cause problems.
>>>
>>>
>>> While stranded on information super highway Steph wrote:
>>>> My SIL is in visiting and they have had the strangest experience
>>>> with their Sprint service in Manhattan. She and hubby had switched
>>>> to Treos several months back and love them.
>>>> They work great in PA where they spend part fo their time and
>>>> throughout New York. Then a couple months ago they couldn't recieve
>>>> or call out with their Treos from their apartment... phone reported
>>>> it was on sprint's Network - even had multilpe bars of strength.
>>>> So they walked outside. Still couldn't complete a call.
>>>>
>>>> Turning the phone function off and on again reestablished link to
>>>> towers and incoming/outgoing calls worked.
>>>>
>>>> Recall I mentioned they have 3-4 bar strength inside their
>>>> apartment. This continued to happen, after hours or 1/2 a day the
>>>> pone would seem fine but not respond to the network.
>>>>
>>>> Treo 700p by the way.
>>>>
>>>> They had a Sprint tech out to the area and coudl not give any
>>>> asistance. One of them switched to another brand phone (samsung
>>>> media 900?) and have not had any repeated behavior, the other
>>>> phoen is still a Treo and still has the same issue.
>>>>
>>>> Any suggestions? Obviously check the firmware, PRL, etc on the
>>>> Treo. But other than that I am stumped as to why it would not
>>>> respond to the network but not give any indication. Also note, if
>>>> they allow roaming it doesn't switch over to Verizon's signal as
>>>> the phone prefers Sprint's signal.
>>>>
>>>> They are very frustrated and don't want to lose their Treos, nor do
>>>> they want to switch away from Sprint - but they need some help.
>>>>
>>>
>>
>