I know ya'll can help me figure this A900/Sprint problem out...

Hi,

I have a thorny cell phone issue, and I'm not sure if it's an equipment or a service problem. Hopefully you'll have some ideas or suggestions.

The short version:

My husband and I have the same cell phone model (Samsung SPH-A900) under contract with the same carrier (Sprint). When we are in the house, his phone works perfectly, but I have major signal issues. My phone will vacillate between 4 or so bars of service, down to no bars, into a strong roam signal, and back again. It usually comes to rest on no-bars after a few minutes, though sometimes it sticks in roam mode. I don't get incoming calls, I can't place outgoing calls unless I'm in roam mode, and oh yeah my contract doesn't include free roam calls. I also can't use PCS Vision to connect to the internet while at home. As soon as I leave the house, everything works fine again. Why?

The long version, with more details:

About three months ago, I started having these same coverage issues with my older phone. I tried to deal with it for a while, but y'know, I run a small business from home and am a work-at-home mom, and we don't have any service beyond incoming calls on our land line, so I NEED my phone to work at home. My husband had purchased an A900 a few months before this, so he suggested we go buy me one to replace my older model. OK, fine, but it took us a ridiculously long time to get around to it. About a month ago, the day arrived and I got a new A900 in my mitts.

The first night I had the new phone, I still had signal problems. Then, they cleared up and stayed cleared-up for about 10 days--I had great signal at home. And then, all of a sudden, I turned on my phone one morning and I was back to massive signal issues. When they didn't resolve after a few days, despite turning the phone off and on, I called Sprint. After reviewing the problem on the phone, given my husband's lack of issues with the same model, they said it must be an equipment issue and told me to exchange my phone at a store for another A900. It took me a few days to get around to it, but I did about 10 days ago.

Once again, the first night I had new phone #2, it had signal problems. Then, they cleared up, but this time they only stayed cleared-up for about 5 days. Then it was back to the same-old same-old lack of signal. What gives? Is the A900 just a crap phone, did my husband just get lucky with his model or what?

Some more pieces of the puzzle:

Around the same time I started having signal issues, we acquired two new electronic devices: a SONOS wireless music transmission system, and a breast pump. I thought for a long time that the SONOS must somehow be responsible for this issue, since the phone works great when I'm not home. But I've disabled the SONOS and my signal does not improve, not even if I turn the phone off and on at home while the SONOS is disabled. I'm not 100% convinced either way about the SONOS--after all, it hasn't affected my spouse's connectivity, yet it does seem fishy that this wireless device arrives and I start having phone issues. I doubt the pump has anything to do with anything, but thought I should mention it since we also bought it around the same time, and the cell phone plus charger does live right next to the (always-plugged-in) pump at night.

I do not carry anything magnetic beyond some credit cards in my bag that might be interfering with the phone.

I can't think of any other mitigating factors, but I'm sure you'll ask me questions that will lead me to disclosing whatever I hadn't already thought about.

I know I can call Sprint again and they'll probably offer to exchange my phone again, but frankly it's a big PITA and I don't want to do it until I get a better grasp on my problem. Switching providers would be an absolute last-gasp measure. I live on the rural edge of suburbia, and there is no Verizon coverage in my house--and Verizon is about the only other major carrier that has a presence out here.

Change your roam setting to sprint only,check PRL and software to see if they are current. Remember antennas on the A900 is located at the bottom of your phone so when holding your phone do not hold it from the bottom.

I have done all that. Doesn't help. Any other ideas?

I have the same problem as Malwary. It's really fustrating and pissing me off...

well, an important factor to think about is noise. no... not the noise like when you yell, but electronic noise. Do you have DSL? What kind of router (wireless?)? How many lights are on and what kind?

I have Comcast cable with a wireless network setup. The type of router we use is a Belkin. I have my ethernet cable from my computer plugging directly into the router.

It's most likely your house not the phone, since you say everytime you leave your HOUSE your signal strength improves. Try moving from room to room and see how the phone reacts.

Yes, that or move as far away from the router as possible and see