New PRL Released
Be sure to advise the customer that this update will not fix any reception or service related problems.
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Sprint themselves have said that the PRL not only identifies roaming towers but their towers as well!
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the PRL stands for Preferred Roaming List.
This means that the list is updated over the air whenever required by pressing *2 talk on the cell phone. the caller will be asked to hold on the line for approximately 60 seconds. the list includes information new towers for Roaming services in the US, including removed towers and newly aquired towers (through roaming alliances with other providers, i.e., Alltell). it does not impact coverage or signal in any way. its prettmy much like a map for the phones so they can find the nearest tower when ROAMING.
This means that the list is updated over the air whenever required by pressing *2 talk on the cell phone. the caller will be asked to hold on the line for approximately 60 seconds. the list includes information new towers for Roaming services in the US, including removed towers and newly aquired towers (through roaming alliances with other providers, i.e., Alltell). it does not impact coverage or signal in any way. its prettmy much like a map for the phones so they can find the nearest tower when ROAMING.
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Ok this is a question as I am not an expert. If you read through the interpretations of the PRL the first priority always goes to sprint. If it is for roaming only why would sprintpcs even be in it?
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because aside from the coverage provided by sprint's national network, there are still areas in which sprint's signal does not reach in full, or not at all. these places may have signal from other carriers (i.e., Altell) that provide with roaming services (voice, data in some cases). it is in these areas where Sprint makes alliances or agreements with these carriers to provide either digital or analog roaming for Sprint customers, digital mostly. Every few months, these agreements change and increase the areas covered by these agreements, and the map, or "footprint" of those areas needs to be updates directly on the phones, that is the purpose of the PRL updates.
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I know that but that doesn't explain if they are for roaming only why it will first tell it to look for a sprint tower!
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I never said I was correct. I am just wondering why sprints PRL has Sprint service as priority one in all areas in the PRL interpretations. Why is that if it has nothing to do with home service!
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I was talking to the other guy.
Sprint is top priority on Sprint PRL's because obviously, it's cheapest for Sprint customers to use Sprint towers...
Sprint phones will ALWAYS look for Sprint towers first...that only makes sense.
Sprint is top priority on Sprint PRL's because obviously, it's cheapest for Sprint customers to use Sprint towers...
Sprint phones will ALWAYS look for Sprint towers first...that only makes sense.
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ok it must be late so does the PRL help if sprint adds towers or not! Is it just for roaming?
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even though i work for the big V i could answer this one.
It only updates the list for roaming partners. your phone will always find a sprint tower first.
It only updates the list for roaming partners. your phone will always find a sprint tower first.
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Has nothing to do with individual towers. It simply tells the phone in what order to look for roaming partners based on per minute cost to Sprint. Obviously Sprint doesn't charge...Sprint to use their own towers, so why would they opt to use someone elses towers first? Think about it.
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this is taken directly from sprint.com
What is the Preferred Roaming List (PRL)?
The Preferred Roaming List (PRL) is a file located inside your handset used to acquire both the Sprint network and Sprint roaming partner's network for you while you are roaming off the Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. Sprint updates the PRL a few times a year to provide you with new domestic or digital roaming coverage or with international roaming coverage.
What is the Preferred Roaming List (PRL)?
The Preferred Roaming List (PRL) is a file located inside your handset used to acquire both the Sprint network and Sprint roaming partner's network for you while you are roaming off the Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. Sprint updates the PRL a few times a year to provide you with new domestic or digital roaming coverage or with international roaming coverage.
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If you're not roaming, it's using Sprint. No different than setting the phones roaming mode to "Sprint Only". It's called a Preferred Roaming List because it's referenced when you're roaming.
The phone will always look for Sprint first incase there's a Sprint tower with good enough signal to grab. Otherwise, it works it's way down the PRL.
The phone will always look for Sprint first incase there's a Sprint tower with good enough signal to grab. Otherwise, it works it's way down the PRL.
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the only way it will affect Home Coverage is if they buy out a company w/ Towers w/ a different system ID or lease new towers for home coverage
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This is not true. This is why people think a PRL update will help them.
A PRL tells the phone in what order to use other carriers towers. That's it, nothing more. Do you have any idea how large of a file a comprehensive list of towers would be, and how often it would have to be updated if it held information about each individual tower?
Wrong.
Example of a PRL List:
A - Sprint
B - Cingular (.25/min)
C - Verizon (.35/min)
D - T-Mobile (.45/min)
Sprint has a better roaming agreement with Cingular (less per minute) than the others. The PRL will simply say "Look for Sprint first, if you can't find it, use Cingular, if you can't find it, use Verizon".
It simply saves Sprint money by updating the order in which your phone ...
(continues)
A PRL tells the phone in what order to use other carriers towers. That's it, nothing more. Do you have any idea how large of a file a comprehensive list of towers would be, and how often it would have to be updated if it held information about each individual tower?
Wrong.
Example of a PRL List:
A - Sprint
B - Cingular (.25/min)
C - Verizon (.35/min)
D - T-Mobile (.45/min)
Sprint has a better roaming agreement with Cingular (less per minute) than the others. The PRL will simply say "Look for Sprint first, if you can't find it, use Cingular, if you can't find it, use Verizon".
It simply saves Sprint money by updating the order in which your phone ...
(continues)
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This taken from phone scoop! I am just confused thats all!
The part of the list for each area is ordered by the bands the phone should try to use first. For example, say you had a Sprint PCS phone, and were travelling in an area with no Sprint coverage, weak Verizon coverage, and strong Qwest coverage. The PRL would tell the phone to look for towers using Sprint's band for that area. Finding none, it might tell the phone to search for towers in Verizon's band next, perhaps because Sprint's roaming agreement with Qwest was not as favorable, or none existed. The phone would use Verizon's towers, as dictated by the PRL, even though Qwest might provide a better signal.
That tells me that it also controls home towers too!
The part of the list for each area is ordered by the bands the phone should try to use first. For example, say you had a Sprint PCS phone, and were travelling in an area with no Sprint coverage, weak Verizon coverage, and strong Qwest coverage. The PRL would tell the phone to look for towers using Sprint's band for that area. Finding none, it might tell the phone to search for towers in Verizon's band next, perhaps because Sprint's roaming agreement with Qwest was not as favorable, or none existed. The phone would use Verizon's towers, as dictated by the PRL, even though Qwest might provide a better signal.
That tells me that it also controls home towers too!
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It controls home towers to an extent. The way I gather it the PRL tells the phone what SID's (System ID) to look for. Following that if sprint SID's weren't loaded into the phone it wouldn't know to look for the SPCS network. Sprint also has to be priority one since that is preferred. Say alltel was priority one then they would be picked over the sprint network. The PRL provides a list of SID's for the phone to scan through to get service. If Sprint added a new network in an area with a new SID the phone may or may not pick up the towers. I don't think sprint has added any new home SID's in some time now so the latest PRL's are mainly for roaming. I hope this makes sense and if I missed anything let me know.
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The phone will find the towers no matter what. Quit thinking of a PRL having anything to do with individual towers. That's where the confusion comes from.
I can't believe it's been such a long discussion when I've clearly explained what a PRL is and does.
I can't believe it's been such a long discussion when I've clearly explained what a PRL is and does.
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I didn't say it is for individual towers but for networks and what order it locks onto them. It speeds up network acquisition and provides cost savings to the carriers by having preferred networks. If a network is not in the PRL it will take awhile before the phone finds it. The cost savings to the carrier is why networks have a priority given to them and the only real reason we have PRL's. Sprint does have to be in position one all the time otherwise the phone wouldn't lock onto the network. The phone just like a computer has to be told what to do first and that would be finding a sprint signal.
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The PRL indicates which bands, sub bands and service provider identifiers it should accept.
But the PRL is more than that. It's also used to find your own provider's systems. That's because your provider may not be using the same band in every market.
In the 800 MHz cellular, each market has two bands called A and B. When the 1900 MHz PCS bands were opened, there were six named A, B, C, D, E and F.
These have been auctioned off in groups by the FCC, and even providers trying to build nationwide systems have ended up with different bands in different areas.
When you travel from one city covered by your provider to a different one, the PRL tells your phone how to locate your provider there.
If you have an 800 MHz dual-mode phone...
(continues)
But the PRL is more than that. It's also used to find your own provider's systems. That's because your provider may not be using the same band in every market.
In the 800 MHz cellular, each market has two bands called A and B. When the 1900 MHz PCS bands were opened, there were six named A, B, C, D, E and F.
These have been auctioned off in groups by the FCC, and even providers trying to build nationwide systems have ended up with different bands in different areas.
When you travel from one city covered by your provider to a different one, the PRL tells your phone how to locate your provider there.
If you have an 800 MHz dual-mode phone...
(continues)
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Just a tip, perhaps you might care to do some background reading before making yourself look foolish among those of us who are informed.
Might I suggest:
Firstly, examine the structure and coding of the PRL as defined by TIA and EIA.
http://www.arib.or.jp/IMT-2000/ARIB-spec/ARIB/C.S001 ... »
Seeing as how that probably will be a bit too complicated for most, perhaps you could do some background reading on PRL patent.
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2 ... »
Regardless, thanks for the laughs.
Might I suggest:
Firstly, examine the structure and coding of the PRL as defined by TIA and EIA.
http://www.arib.or.jp/IMT-2000/ARIB-spec/ARIB/C.S001 ... »
Seeing as how that probably will be a bit too complicated for most, perhaps you could do some background reading on PRL patent.
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2 ... »
Regardless, thanks for the laughs.
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oh wow.
a new PRL.
yay.
better dig up the same old stupid ass discussion that always ensues when the term PRL is mentioned.....
oh, goody. people already did......
-RCR
a new PRL.
yay.
better dig up the same old stupid ass discussion that always ensues when the term PRL is mentioned.....
oh, goody. people already did......
-RCR
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why. Because I asked a question? Big deal. It seams I was kind of right to think it helps for home coverage to as it seems the one that posted the Some info message was a tech.
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I have been told from sprint employees that it does. Now I know they're wrong and I have been lied to and misled 😡
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one other thing I find interesting. Cricket wireless issues to PRL. One for plans with roaming and another for no roaming!
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Okay so if you are in a Sprint market that has Alltel as well and you do not have EVDO. Guess what now you do w. this PRL update!!! Update your PRL to 20025 and force your phone to roam. All the Alltel EVDO Sids have been added. I am using the Treo 700wx and am pulling some fast EVDO data speeds!!!!!!! WOO HOO!
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good news. I just got my M1 and would love to try it out. However when they added the phone they said I lost my free vision and text messages that came with my plan 3 yrs ago and at first said I am SOL. But then a supervisor said he can add it back. I will call and see if they did I am going to be really mad if they don't!
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Get customer service to change you to SERO! I had customers come in and they said Customer service just changed it for them.
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i have an m500 how do i check the prl i know im a sprint employee i should know but i dont help please
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Menu > Settings > Phone Info > Version
chances are if you haven't updated in the past couple of days you need to!
chances are if you haven't updated in the past couple of days you need to!
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does the phone control that or the tech that put in for a prl update? He asked what phone I had!
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The tech in the store can screw it up, doing it over the air picks it automatically, Private message me your number I will set you up to do an over the air PRL and you'll just have to dial *2 to get it to update
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it is already set to update automatically when you call *2 keep trying back and trying to update, we've had a few weird issues today, if it doesn't work by tomorrow run to a corporate sprint store and update it.
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