Results 1 to 15 of 18
- 11-06-2003, 09:39 AM #1SumYungGuyGuest
1. "they built a new tower by my house, so I need a new PRL so I can
pick it up." FALSE, PRLs are done by SID (System ID) and only affects
how your phone roams.
2. "they oversold the network, I used to have good signal now I barely
can make a call" FALSE, Modern systems are designed so the number of
maximum calls are set so that coverage area changes very little (you'll
get "System Busy"before your coverage decreases). If you had good
signal and now don't, it's most likely 1. a hardware failure or change
at the tower (are your family/neighbors having the same problem?)2. a
faulty handset 3. Interference from an outside source.
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› See More: Common CDMA myths exposed
- 11-06-2003, 10:29 AM #2DSL GURUGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
1. True.
2. False
- 11-06-2003, 11:42 AM #3QuarterwaveGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
PRL's only steer your roaming capable phone to the preferred roaming
partner. Usually 800 CDMA, then Analog 800. If no 800 CDMA, then straight to
Analog. It has nothing to do with SPRINT CDMA aquisition.
"SumYungGuy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> 1. "they built a new tower by my house, so I need a new PRL so I can
> pick it up." FALSE, PRLs are done by SID (System ID) and only affects
> how your phone roams.
>
> 2. "they oversold the network, I used to have good signal now I barely
> can make a call" FALSE, Modern systems are designed so the number of
> maximum calls are set so that coverage area changes very little (you'll
> get "System Busy"before your coverage decreases). If you had good
> signal and now don't, it's most likely 1. a hardware failure or change
> at the tower (are your family/neighbors having the same problem?)2. a
> faulty handset 3. Interference from an outside source.
>
> --
> Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
> Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap
>
- 11-06-2003, 12:32 PM #4SumYungGuyGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
"PRL's only steer your roaming capable phone to the preferred roaming
partner. Usually 800 CDMA, then Analog 800. If no 800 CDMA, then
straight to
Analog. It has nothing to do with SPRINT CDMA aquisition."
It's a little more complicated than that, it basically has an
aquisition table and then a SID list. Each SID is then attached to the
table, so if Sprint or anyone else buys additional spectrum (or swap
it) the table will be ammended. A typical PRL sample would look
something like this:
for this example SID 1234 is Sprint, 2345 is Verizon, 3456 is some
analog only carrier
test.prl - IS683A Format PRL File
File ID : 0
File size : 42
File CRC : C1C8
Preferred only : No
Default roam : On
ACQ table : 3 records
Rec# Type Param1 Param2
==== ======== ======== =================
0 PCS Channels 8 channels 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200
1 Cell CDMA Std System A Primary CDMA Channel
2 Cell Analog System B
==== ======== ======== =================
SYS table : 4 records
Rec# SID NID Pref Geo Pri ACQ Roam
==== ===== ===== ==== ==== ==== ==== ====
0 1234 None Yes New Same 0 Off
1 2345 None Yes New Same 1 On
2 3456 None Yes New Same 2 On
3 4567 None No New Same 2 n/a
==== ===== ===== ==== ==== ==== ==== ====
With this PRL the phone would look for Sprint above all, then CDMA 800,
then Verizon AMPS, then the other AMPS carrier.
Obviously the real PRL is MUCH longer and more complex, but this is how
it works.
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- 11-06-2003, 12:42 PM #5SumYungGuyGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
DSL GURU, in response to #2 of your reply.
"1. True.
2. False"
Let's see your documentation. Modern systems don't suffer from the
majority of cell shrinkage problems that the earlier equipment had.
Today's BTS sectors start out at about 1.5 watts transmitting, pilot,
paging and sync and will increase to 6-8 watts when fully loaded. This
keeps the cell roughly the same size as amount of subs increase, and if
the amount of subs exceeds the maximum power the BTS will not take any
more calls. It will report a forward power block and your phone will
say "System Busy".
Check your facts before you open your hole.
--
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- 11-06-2003, 12:56 PM #6larryGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
SumYungGuy wrote:
> *1. "they built a new tower by my house, so I need a new PRL so I can
> pick it up." FALSE, PRLs are done by SID (System ID) and only affects
> how your phone roams.
>
> 2. "they oversold the network, I used to have good signal now I
> barely can make a call" FALSE, Modern systems are designed so the
> number of maximum calls are set so that coverage area changes very
> little (you'll get "System Busy"before your coverage decreases). If
> you had good signal and now don't, it's most likely 1. a hardware
> failure or change at the tower (are your family/neighbors having the
> same problem?)2. a faulty handset 3. Interference from an outside
> source. *
I believe SumYungGuy to be right on the money with these statements. I
never believed a PRL update would do anything more than control some
roaming partners. I have never seen any evidence of having a good
signal in a place and then have it become weak later on. It's never
happened to me. Once a tower is up the signal will not change from it
unless it develops some sort of technical problems, (which happens but
very rarely).
--
Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap
- 11-06-2003, 01:24 PM #7CraigGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
Few points to add
PRL's also specify initial carrier frequency, so if a new CDMA carrier
frequency has been added in your area, and the network isn't assigning
carrier frequencies itself to specific phones (most networks do assign
CF's regardless) , then a PRL update will help tell the phone to go to
a CF with more capacity which equals better reception. Usually the
network does this, not the PRL, so this isn't such a big deal, just
something worth mentioning since PRL controls a bit more than just the
SID
Cell Breathing as they call it can have a dramatic effect on reception
to people in fringe areas of cells that are close to capacity and
exceeding ordinary capacity in those areas. Excess load on the cell
relates to the noise floor, and the phones ability to communicate with
the tower. For most of us it's not an issue but don't generalize.
It can make the difference between being able to make a call and not
being able to make one. Cell breathing won't be as dramatic as full
signal to no signal, but it can make the difference between marginal
signal (usable), and unusable.....
SumYungGuy <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> 1. "they built a new tower by my house, so I need a new PRL so I can
> pick it up." FALSE, PRLs are done by SID (System ID) and only affects
> how your phone roams.
>
> 2. "they oversold the network, I used to have good signal now I barely
> can make a call" FALSE, Modern systems are designed so the number of
> maximum calls are set so that coverage area changes very little (you'll
> get "System Busy"before your coverage decreases). If you had good
> signal and now don't, it's most likely 1. a hardware failure or change
> at the tower (are your family/neighbors having the same problem?)2. a
> faulty handset 3. Interference from an outside source.
- 11-06-2003, 02:10 PM #8SumYungGuyGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
Craig said:
"PRL's also specify initial carrier frequency, so if a new CDMA carrier
frequency has been added in your area, and the network isn't assigning
carrier frequencies itself to specific phones (most networks do assign
CF's regardless) , then a PRL update will help tell the phone to go to
a CF with more capacity which equals better reception. Usually the
network does this, not the PRL, so this isn't such a big deal, just
something worth mentioning since PRL controls a bit more than just the
SID."
You are mis-informed my friend, a PRL will contain a channel list for
CDMA PCS, but has nothing to do with priority. The BSC (Base Station
Controller) contains these parameters. The PRL by default will have all
the CDMA PCS channels the carrier is licenced for included in the list.
For example, on my network on a 1x rtt mobile, you will always idle on
first carrier, and then it loads evenly between the first three
carriers, and IS95 mobiles Idle on 4th carrier and when it is getting
full it will offload to the other 3.
This has absolutly nothing to do with the PRL.
Craig also said:
"Cell Breathing as they call it can have a dramatic effect on reception
to people in fringe areas of cells that are close to capacity and
exceeding ordinary capacity in those areas. Excess load on the cell
relates to the noise floor, and the phones ability to communicate with
the tower. For most of us it's not an issue but don't generalize. It
can make the difference between being able to make a call and not being
able to make one. Cell breathing won't be as dramatic as full signal to
no signal, but it can make the difference between marginal signal
(usable), and unusable....."
This was explained in a previous post, so I won't waste my breath (pun
intended). If this is happening in your area, some RF engineers need to
get fired. It would be due to poor design, or more likely laziness.
Turning up max subs instead of adding carriers where they are needed. I
don't work for Sprint, but I've read some of their policies regaurding
capacity expasion and if a cell is getting that full an additional
carrier should be requested.
--
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Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap
- 11-06-2003, 04:32 PM #9SumYungGuyGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
Larry,
About the only way it would affect your Sprint service is if they
somehow screwed up the PRL, or if they added spectrum, which is very
rare since most places already have a 30 MHz block.
--
Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap
- 11-06-2003, 04:32 PM #10SumYungGuyGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
Larry,
About the only way it would affect your Sprint service is if they
somehow screwed up the PRL, or if they added spectrum, which is very
rare since most places already have a 30 MHz block.
--
Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap
- 11-06-2003, 04:48 PM #11larryGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
Ok thanks. I wouldn't put it past them to somehow screw up the PRL. lol
--
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- 11-06-2003, 08:58 PM #12JRWGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
SumYungGuy wrote:
> 2. "they oversold the network, I used to have good signal now I barely
> can make a call" FALSE,
Perhaps in some cases, but not always.
Here's a common scenario: You were able to use your phone in the
parking lot of your grocery and were even able to use it inside.
Gradually or sudden, you discover that your phone seems to be
dropping the call more often.
Here's what's happening - When you were the new kid on the block,
there weren't a lot of other users. A new housing development
goes in, lots of new users. You walk into the store and you are
now the weakest signal, i.e. highest noise floor ratio. You get
dropped.
As in MY case, I suddenly started lossing the signal all together.
Over the course of seveal months, I was getting more and more
dropped calls. It was not my handset, it was duplicated on four
other handsets of different models and manufactures. The problem
still continues and is worse after nine in the evening.
- 11-06-2003, 09:07 PM #13CraigGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
SumYungGuy, thanks for the corrections, you seem knowledgable although
i still disagree with your comments on cell breathing, it does occur,
and people are affected. What Sprint PCS sets in their policies, and
what occurs in reality are two different things. They are
constrained by $ just like everyone else, and sometimes they allow
certain sites to be at capacity or overcapacity which affects
geographic coverage. Post more technical info if you can, good stuff
SumYungGuy <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Craig said:
> "PRL's also specify initial carrier frequency, so if a new CDMA carrier
> frequency has been added in your area, and the network isn't assigning
> carrier frequencies itself to specific phones (most networks do assign
> CF's regardless) , then a PRL update will help tell the phone to go to
> a CF with more capacity which equals better reception. Usually the
> network does this, not the PRL, so this isn't such a big deal, just
> something worth mentioning since PRL controls a bit more than just the
> SID."
>
> You are mis-informed my friend, a PRL will contain a channel list for
> CDMA PCS, but has nothing to do with priority. The BSC (Base Station
> Controller) contains these parameters. The PRL by default will have all
> the CDMA PCS channels the carrier is licenced for included in the list.
> For example, on my network on a 1x rtt mobile, you will always idle on
> first carrier, and then it loads evenly between the first three
> carriers, and IS95 mobiles Idle on 4th carrier and when it is getting
> full it will offload to the other 3.
> This has absolutly nothing to do with the PRL.
>
> Craig also said:
>
> "Cell Breathing as they call it can have a dramatic effect on reception
> to people in fringe areas of cells that are close to capacity and
> exceeding ordinary capacity in those areas. Excess load on the cell
> relates to the noise floor, and the phones ability to communicate with
> the tower. For most of us it's not an issue but don't generalize. It
> can make the difference between being able to make a call and not being
> able to make one. Cell breathing won't be as dramatic as full signal to
> no signal, but it can make the difference between marginal signal
> (usable), and unusable....."
>
> This was explained in a previous post, so I won't waste my breath (pun
> intended). If this is happening in your area, some RF engineers need to
> get fired. It would be due to poor design, or more likely laziness.
> Turning up max subs instead of adding carriers where they are needed. I
> don't work for Sprint, but I've read some of their policies regaurding
> capacity expasion and if a cell is getting that full an additional
> carrier should be requested.
- 11-06-2003, 09:09 PM #14SumYungGuyGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
JRW,
If that's what's happening where you live either there is a hardware
problem at the BTS or the RF engineer really screwed the pooch there.
--
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- 11-06-2003, 10:16 PM #15JRWGuest
Re: Common CDMA myths exposed
SumYungGuy wrote:
> JRW,
> If that's what's happening where you live either there is a hardware
> problem at the BTS or the RF engineer really screwed the pooch there.
As I posted before, its happening with a Samsung N400 and A460,
and Sanyo 8100. All in same area four miles from tower.
Started umm...what, two weeks ago suddenly>
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