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  1. #1
    Ernie Lorimer
    Guest
    I have a weekend house just on the fringes of Sprint PCS coverage in CT. My
    phone is set to PCS only, no roaming. When I turn my 8500 on, it will search
    for coverage, and then the usual "Sprint PCS" message will display. I get
    somewhere from 1 to 4 bars of signal strength. If I make a call though, it
    will work for a bit, and then the message "Sprint PCS network unavailable.
    Try analog." Can anyone explain to me what is happening here?





    See More: Roaming/not roaming issue




  2. #2
    Chris Russell
    Guest

    Re: Roaming/not roaming issue

    You are getting a fringe signal (the key is the changing 1-4 bars), that
    can't be used constantly. This is a problem because even if there was
    another CDMA carrier to switch to, the SPCS call would still be dropped.
    That is why you are getting the 'try analog' msg-but this would be roaming.
    I don't know how well the Audiovox 8500 picks up signals, but other guys on
    the board should be able to let you know. You might have a phone reception
    problem.

    Chris
    Please respond in the newsgroup

    "Ernie Lorimer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > I have a weekend house just on the fringes of Sprint PCS coverage in CT.

    My
    > phone is set to PCS only, no roaming. When I turn my 8500 on, it will

    search
    > for coverage, and then the usual "Sprint PCS" message will display. I get
    > somewhere from 1 to 4 bars of signal strength. If I make a call though,

    it
    > will work for a bit, and then the message "Sprint PCS network unavailable.
    > Try analog." Can anyone explain to me what is happening here?
    >
    >






  3. #3
    plane
    Guest

    Re: Roaming/not roaming issue

    "Chris Russell" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<kGIJb.20430$P%[email protected]>...
    > You are getting a fringe signal (the key is the changing 1-4 bars), that
    > can't be used constantly. This is a problem because even if there was
    > another CDMA carrier to switch to, the SPCS call would still be dropped.
    > That is why you are getting the 'try analog' msg-but this would be roaming.
    > I don't know how well the Audiovox 8500 picks up signals, but other guys on
    > the board should be able to let you know. You might have a phone reception
    > problem.
    >
    > Chris
    > Please respond in the newsgroup
    >
    > "Ernie Lorimer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > I have a weekend house just on the fringes of Sprint PCS coverage in CT.

    > My
    > > phone is set to PCS only, no roaming. When I turn my 8500 on, it will

    > search
    > > for coverage, and then the usual "Sprint PCS" message will display. I get
    > > somewhere from 1 to 4 bars of signal strength. If I make a call though,

    > it
    > > will work for a bit, and then the message "Sprint PCS network unavailable.
    > > Try analog." Can anyone explain to me what is happening here?
    > >
    > >



    I'll bet your battery runs down real fast too--I have ran into the
    same thing, and my sanyo's will be warm (not in use) from the phone
    trying to lock down a signal---thought I had a bad phone, but did a
    search here and found explanation. I have to either turn phone off,
    or keep on charge.



  4. #4
    Isaiah Beard
    Guest

    Re: Roaming/not roaming issue

    Ernie Lorimer wrote:

    > I have a weekend house just on the fringes of Sprint PCS coverage in CT. My
    > phone is set to PCS only, no roaming. When I turn my 8500 on, it will search
    > for coverage, and then the usual "Sprint PCS" message will display. I get
    > somewhere from 1 to 4 bars of signal strength. If I make a call though, it
    > will work for a bit, and then the message "Sprint PCS network unavailable.
    > Try analog." Can anyone explain to me what is happening here?
    >


    If you're getting 4 signal strength bars, it could be that Sprint is
    adding a new tower but has it in testing... in other words, it's "lit"
    and broadcasting, but not accepting calls just yet. Once they're done
    tweaking it, it should work.

    Another possibility: if you're on a hill or in a very flat area, you
    could be getting a very good signal from a distant tower, but you're too
    far away for that tower to "hear" your phone.





    --
    E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.




  5. #5
    plane
    Guest

    Re: Roaming/not roaming issue

    Isaiah Beard <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Ernie Lorimer wrote:
    >
    > > I have a weekend house just on the fringes of Sprint PCS coverage in CT. My
    > > phone is set to PCS only, no roaming. When I turn my 8500 on, it will search
    > > for coverage, and then the usual "Sprint PCS" message will display. I get
    > > somewhere from 1 to 4 bars of signal strength. If I make a call though, it
    > > will work for a bit, and then the message "Sprint PCS network unavailable.
    > > Try analog." Can anyone explain to me what is happening here?
    > >

    >
    > If you're getting 4 signal strength bars, it could be that Sprint is
    > adding a new tower but has it in testing... in other words, it's "lit"
    > and broadcasting, but not accepting calls just yet. Once they're done
    > tweaking it, it should work.
    >
    > Another possibility: if you're on a hill or in a very flat area, you
    > could be getting a very good signal from a distant tower, but you're too
    > far away for that tower to "hear" your phone.


    As I posted earlier, I apparently have been "downdraded" to a "fringe"
    area-until about a month ago, I had relatively good coverage inside my
    home--then one evening suddenly could not make a call from inside--had
    never noticed the exact signal bar levels, and had used numerous
    samsungs and sanyo's-the last being a 5400. For the last month +,
    none of the phones will "connect" from inside--at least regularily--I
    can move to a higher level, or to a window, etc.
    The handsets must be constantly trying "receive" as per other posts,
    and doing so, makes the battery run down quite quickly and be warm to
    the touch. I have called and called c/s, emailed, and finally
    written, and threatened to cancel service (rentention gave me a bunch
    more minutes, which I really can't use now).

    Our little town only has one tower, which is about 2 miles from me,
    but there are some hills--I guess the recent earthquake in California
    must have pushed them higher ( I live in Tn)---in any case, other than
    suggestions from c/s that I must be too far away for service, etc,
    there has been no help.

    Possibly they are right, but seems odd that for 2 years, I had fairly
    solid service, now, even with 2 bars or more, handset tries to, but
    rarely connects without extra moves. May just be my imagination, but
    service in general to the north of the tower (where I live) seems to
    have degraded slightly also. Frustrating--but I also have a verizon
    phone which works (but not at 8PM)



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