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roncoop
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
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 Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:22 am Post subject: EVDO in South St. Paul |
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Anyone in South St. Paul? I'm wondering what the service is like there. I can see it's in most of the twin cities on the map, but when I called Alltel they said it might be kind of spotty.
The specific area I'm looking at is around Pigs Eye lake. Work will be on one side and home might be on the other.
TIA |
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bcg
EVDO User
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 52
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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roncoop
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, that looks better than Alltel's map. Although I'm have the phone as a modem thing for $25. Sprint's would cost me a lot more. Guess I'll have to see how it goes when I get up there.
Thanks for the reply. |
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Jim1348
EVDO User
Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject: EVDO in South St. Paul |
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| I am in South Saint Paul almost every working day. I can't think of a time when I have lost coverage in either Nextel (voice) or Sprint EVDO aircard. Does Alltel have native EVDO coverage there or do they have some sort of roaming onto another system? |
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roncoop
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:37 am Post subject: Re: EVDO in South St. Paul |
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| Jim1348 wrote: | | I am in South Saint Paul almost every working day. I can't think of a time when I have lost coverage in either Nextel (voice) or Sprint EVDO aircard. Does Alltel have native EVDO coverage there or do they have some sort of roaming onto another system? |
I'm not sure. Before I had the National Freedom plan I roamed up there when I went up for the interview. But if you look on their coverage map, it's covered. I guess that could be through an agreement with another company.
Question:
If I roamed up there in February, does that mean that they don't have their own towers up there and any EVDO service I'd be getting would actually be through another company? |
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whitcd
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 04 Apr 2008
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Alltel does not service the Twin Cities. They do have Sprint as there main roaming partner with EVDO with data cards. |
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roncoop
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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| whitcd wrote: | | Alltel does not service the Twin Cities. They do have Sprint as there main roaming partner with EVDO with data cards. |
Update:
So, I checked into this a bit farther, in case anyone is interested.
My phone, an LG AX8600 will not get EVDO service when roaming on another systems towers, such as sprint. If I got a Palm Treo, it would. To buy out of my alltel plan it's $200. To get a Treo with alltel, it's ~$400, then I need a smartphone plan for $20/month more than I pay now. So $80/month plus $400.
If I go with Sprint it's $200 to buy out of alltel, $200 for the phone, $49/month to use the phone as an EVDO modem and then I have to buy a voice plan on top of that for ~$59/month. So $120/month plus $400. Or I could get an air card for $100 to $200 and pay $59/month but then I'd be locked into a 2 year plan. 
Damn I wish this phone would do EVDO in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. |
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karlyn
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 02 Apr 2007
Posts: 308
Location: Lynchburg, VA
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| Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:26 am Post subject: |
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| How much longer do you have with Alltel? You could buy an Alltel aircard from ebay and have service without a contract ($59/month). Then when your phone contract is up you can sell the aircard and move to Sprint. |
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roncoop
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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| karlyn wrote: | | How much longer do you have with Alltel? You could buy an Alltel aircard from ebay and have service without a contract ($59/month). Then when your phone contract is up you can sell the aircard and move to Sprint. |
Ahhhh, didn't know I didn't have to have a contract. Well I guess it just rides on my current one.
That's a good idea, thanks! |
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scuccia
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 23 Apr 2008
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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| roncoop wrote: | | whitcd wrote: | | Alltel does not service the Twin Cities. They do have Sprint as there main roaming partner with EVDO with data cards. |
Update:
So, I checked into this a bit farther, in case anyone is interested.
My phone, an LG AX8600 will not get EVDO service when roaming on another systems towers, such as sprint. If I got a Palm Treo, it would. |
You can get EVDO on the AX8600. You just need the right PRL and you will have to manually load it yourself.
Upgrading PRL
Download and install LG Download (Search for it)
Then download and install VX 9800 DLL.
rapidshare.com/files/4698096/VX9800Dll_Ver_0_5_1_4.zip.html
Download and save PRL 40036.
the-answerman.com/sidlist/prl/40036.prl
Open LG Download.
Click Select DLL from the top.
Double click the VX 9800 dll.
Select PRL Write from the left.
Click the icon that looks like a folder and select your PRL.
Then click the button that says "PRL Write Start"
It will write the PRL and reboot the phone. Click END and check your phone PRL version.
Menu -- Settings -- Phone Information -- Version -- PRL Version
It should say PRL 40036
This will get you EVDO on your AX8600. |
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roncoop
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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| scuccia wrote: | | roncoop wrote: | | whitcd wrote: | | Alltel does not service the Twin Cities. They do have Sprint as there main roaming partner with EVDO with data cards. |
Update:
So, I checked into this a bit farther, in case anyone is interested.
My phone, an LG AX8600 will not get EVDO service when roaming on another systems towers, such as sprint. If I got a Palm Treo, it would. |
You can get EVDO on the AX8600. You just need the right PRL and you will have to manually load it yourself.
Upgrading PRL
Download and install LG Download (Search for it)
Then download and install VX 9800 DLL.
rapidshare.com/files/4698096/VX9800Dll_Ver_0_5_1_4.zip.html
Download and save PRL 40036.
the-answerman.com/sidlist/prl/40036.prl
Open LG Download.
Click Select DLL from the top.
Double click the VX 9800 dll.
Select PRL Write from the left.
Click the icon that looks like a folder and select your PRL.
Then click the button that says "PRL Write Start"
It will write the PRL and reboot the phone. Click END and check your phone PRL version.
Menu -- Settings -- Phone Information -- Version -- PRL Version
It should say PRL 40036
This will get you EVDO on your AX8600. |
Wait, the problem I have (or think I have) is that I don't have EVDO while roaming on sprints towers in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The phone gets EVDO just fine here in Omaha.
If I do this, it will allow me to get EVDO while roaming on sprints towers in the twin cities?
BTW, I'm just going by what the Alltel rep told me which was that my AX8600 won't roam EVDO in the twin cities...
And if this works, thanks a bunch!!!!!  |
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karlyn
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 02 Apr 2007
Posts: 308
Location: Lynchburg, VA
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:48 am Post subject: |
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| The 40036 PRL is typically only pushed to air cards or Treos, etc. -- it's the PRL that allows those devices to roam on Sprint EvDO. Definitely try it. And thanks, scuccia, for signing up and writing those instructions. |
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roncoop
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:44 am Post subject: |
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Ya, that sounds exactly like what they told me too. Basically, "get a treo, air card or blackberry or your screwed".
If this doesn't work, will it screw up my phone? Is there an easy way to go back to stock?
Being in the middle of moving and this being my only phone, if it dies, I'm screwed... |
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scuccia
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 23 Apr 2008
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:19 am Post subject: |
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| roncoop wrote: | Ya, that sounds exactly like what they told me too. Basically, "get a treo, air card or blackberry or your screwed".
If this doesn't work, will it screw up my phone? Is there an easy way to go back to stock?
Being in the middle of moving and this being my only phone, if it dies, I'm screwed... |
It won't kill the phone. You would be able to reload the non-roaming evdo PRL with the same software. Just be sure after you update the PRL that you don't do *228 because it will load the non-roaming PRL again. |
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roncoop
EVDO Newbie
Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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Well, it didn't mess up the phone at all. And my speed seems to be a bit better also.
It was around 1200k/80k
Now it's around 1800k/80k
Don't know for sure if it will allow me to roam on Sprints towers yet, I'll have to wait till I get up there at the end of the week. I'm assuming this will work though since it's the same PRL that allows the other devices to roam there.
Thanks for the help  |
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