Wireless CDMA Default Band (1X)

Recently I selected an LG 325 wireless for it's tri-band capability.
Since using it, I've found the "1X" band having poor building penetration and more dropped calls than my previous wireless using the "D" 800 MHz band.
My wireless allows me to set the Roaming to be fixed on the analogue "A" band for AMPS but, no selection for the 2 digital bands.

Is there a wireless device out there that allows the user to select between the 2 CDMA bands being 800 MHz and 1900 MHz PCS? Since my service is with Bell would they offer such a device?

Failing the above, I'm considering re-instating my old LG TM520 on this service. I still have the box and it indicates "1X Ready" which I want nothing to do with. So, would it function on the 1X band once activated? If so, I won't bother. Or, would it require a firmware upgrade first? If the latter is the case, I'll activate the TM520 and avoid the upgrade.

Any other users out there that have found voice communication being sacrificed in favour of downloads on the 1X band?

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first off, you can't force a phone to not use 1X. I'll explain below why you can't. And in most cases, 800 MHz and 1900 MHz don't operate in the same area. When 800 MHz was being rolled out, basically the spectrum got too full, so providers rolled out 1900 MHz as well. In most cases, you won't find both 800 and 1900 in the same area. Also, your old TM250 will find 1X service, you can't prevent this.

And for the explination as to why you can't prevent it. 1X is actually an overlay that goes over 2nd generation CDMA (such as IS-95). It's upgraded on the network side of things. Basically, it is impossible to have 1X and 2nd generation CDMA at the same time. It's like changing the oil in your car to synthetic. You can't have both synthetic and regular oil in your car at the same time, you need to choose one or the other.

That said, providers go 1X for more reasons than just downloads. Capacity increases with the 1X overlay, and there are 2 parts to 1X. The first, data, is what most people associate 1X with. The second, which most people don't even know about, is a voice enhancement, which gives more clarity and sharpness to your voice communications.

So all in all, 1X is a definate upgrade to non-1X. That said, you may be having issues with your new handset. I don't think it's the 1X affecting your signal strength, I'm pretty sure it's the phone itself. That 325 is a neat little phone, but it performed very poorly on our network here in the north, and therefore, we stopped carrying it.

Wow, some definate learnings here. Thank-you for the clarification.
I guess I'll research a better wireless device, one that Bell offers and go for an early upgrade.

One tip for successful incoming calls I've discovered is to delay voice mail to the maximum of 9 rings using *94. Practicaly all incoming calls come through now.

No problem. Bell has lots of excellent handsets, just do a search and you'll find which ones

And yes, delaying voice mail is always a good idea, cellular just doesn't connect fast enough for the standard ring amount.