Possible ways to improve reception?

[TheCraiggers]

After searching all over the fourms, most of the posts I've seen here about reception are about GPS or comparing the Touch favorably to the Mogul or some other smartphone, so please forgive me in advance for asking a question that has undoubtedly came up multiple times... but I only have a handfull of days to return this phone if I can't fix this...

I just got an Alltel Touch yesterday, and compared to my old Razr V3c, the reception is horrid. I get a full two bars less everywhere. I know that one phone's 4 bars is another phone's 3 bars, but my Razr almost never dropped calls from my rural house. The Touch is basically unusable at home- constantly dropping in and out of EVDO, 1X, and roaming. The company I work for is a huge Alltel house, have repeaters scattered all over the offices, and I don't even get a full signal in here. Thinking the original phone was a lemon, I just got back from Alltel with a second one and it has the same signal strength on average.

I unlocked and flashed the radio on one to 3.37.15 after upgrade to WM6.1 and the other is 3.37.10 running WM6... I was hoping for a vast improvement, but I didn't get any noticeable improvement. Does anybody have any other recommendations? Registry hacks? I've seen some things about using ##DEBUG to compare my two phones and I'll try that when I get home if I can find some instructions on what I need. Other than that, my current plan is just to flash the heck out of it until I have to take it back, brick it, or fix it.

I really wanted to love this phone, but if I can't even keep a connection at my house for 20 seconds its future doesn't bode well. I'm desperate for some kind of improvement.

[kaeslumz]

update ur prl or choose prl thats the best for u

http://corolada.com/prl/

download them put them in ur phone

press ##775# enter ur msl code...(search for a prgram called getspc and enter ur hex esn that will give u ur spc(msl) code to get into ur epst settings)

click on update prl click browse and locate where u put the prl u wanna use

also navigate through the forum and go to htc vogue upgrades

go into consolidated rev a thread and download the titan radio..read the instructions carefully..becuz i dont know if it works for alltel.

but radios and prls improve reception.

[armus]

i also have pretty crappy reception but im in the stix with Alltel. ATT reception on my blackberry was awesome so I'm hoping this will help.

Question: how to I choose a PRL? there are several listed. Do I just try the latest one for the Touch (EDVO) since I too am on Alltel? or should I try them all to find the best?

edit: I tried getspc and it didn't work. put the hex esn correctly and everything. got a code but epst says its incorrect. I tried 000000 and that works so if anyone has trouble on Alltel, try using 000000

Edit: my prl is the most up to date on the site already, 30031, and still poor reception. Also running 3.37.15 radio. And last time I asked cokeman about it, we cannot use the titan radio - he said they were phone specific

[TheCraiggers]

Thanks for the PRL information kaeslumz. I've never heard of this before, but I'll definitely try it out tonight and let everyone know my results. I'm as curious as armus though... how do you pick a PRL for your phone? Do you just try each PRL for EVDO phones until you find the one that works best for your area?

It looks like this is just the same thing that hitting up *228 does for you, right? OH well, like I said, I'll try about anything.

Speaking of that, I've read in numerous posts that installing the Titan was no longer recommended... I know a lot of people had no problems, but I also know a lot of people had problems. Still, it's a last resort I suppose.

[kaeslumz]

usually the most updated radios are crappy...i know that with my mogul my radio isnt the most updated becuz it gave my carppy reception...

also just look under alltel prls and choose different one's.. either get the most updated or go one step back (30029) see if it helps

[kbl]

Originally Posted by kaeslumz

update ur prl or choose prl thats the best for u

http://corolada.com/prl/

download them put them in ur phone

press ##775# enter ur msl code...(search for a prgram called getspc and enter ur hex esn that will give u ur spc(msl) code to get into ur epst settings)

click on update prl click browse and locate where u put the prl u wanna use

also navigate through the forum and go to htc vogue upgrades

go into consolidated rev a thread and download the titan radio..read the instructions carefully..becuz i dont know if it works for alltel.

but radios and prls improve reception.

Anyone know of a similar site for Canadian carriers? Bell, Telus, etc.

[hotbyz168]

Originally Posted by TheCraiggers

After searching all over the fourms, most of the posts I've seen here about reception are about GPS or comparing the Touch favorably to the Mogul or some other smartphone, so please forgive me in advance for asking a question that has undoubtedly came up multiple times... but I only have a handfull of days to return this phone if I can't fix this...

I just got an Alltel Touch yesterday, and compared to my old Razr V3c, the reception is horrid. I get a full two bars less everywhere. I know that one phone's 4 bars is another phone's 3 bars, but my Razr almost never dropped calls from my rural house. The Touch is basically unusable at home- constantly dropping in and out of EVDO, 1X, and roaming. The company I work for is a huge Alltel house, have repeaters scattered all over the offices, and I don't even get a full signal in here. Thinking the original phone was a lemon, I just got back from Alltel with a second one and it has the same signal strength on average.

I unlocked and flashed the radio on one to 3.37.15 after upgrade to WM6.1 and the other is 3.37.10 running WM6... I was hoping for a vast improvement, but I didn't get any noticeable improvement. Does anybody have any other recommendations? Registry hacks? I've seen some things about using ##DEBUG to compare my two phones and I'll try that when I get home if I can find some instructions on what I need. Other than that, my current plan is just to flash the heck out of it until I have to take it back, brick it, or fix it.

I really wanted to love this phone, but if I can't even keep a connection at my house for 20 seconds its future doesn't bode well. I'm desperate for some kind of improvement.

Try keeping the phone plugged in... that sometimes makes a difference because it will put a slightly higher amount of power to the radio. Also keep the phone straight up and down and hold it by the bottom only dont go near the top while your holding it in your hands.

[stevedog1]

Use a headset and hold the phone up high in the air. Works for me

[KhMeRA]

I was using this ROM http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=26180 and I found that the reception of my Vogue much higher. Did any one try this ROM before? Can someone looks witch tweak he did to get this performance?