Educate ME plz - Former Sprint Mogul on Alltel Network, and other stuff...

[kurioslives]

Greetings Everyone,

First I would like to say that I enjoy learning on these forums as I am completely new to this world of smartphones. So indepth explanations and written out abbreviations would be appreciated as I am still getting use to them.

Secondly, I sort of got myself in a pickle - not a completely bad one but nonetheless a challenge. Here is the summary:

I bought an PPC 6800 that works on the alltel network off of ebay. The ESN checks out clean and I am using it on Alltel network (after manually configuring it through EPST). I learned through this process that this phone was indeed a Sprint Mogul flashed with Alltel software thus enabling it to work on Alltel network. HOWEVER, there are a few things I would like to fix/upgrade but I don't know where to start.

1. I want to fix the persistant digital roaming triangle that shows up on the top of the screen. I don't know yet if I am truly roaming and will be charged until a few days from now when I get the bill. I learned of others having similiar issues and roaming was caused by the radio searching for Sprint network and when it can't find it, it finds Alltels thus causing the endless "digital roaming" though, I am not supposedly being charged for roaming according to how my Alltel plan is laid out. I would really want to fix this but I haven't a clue how.... my guess I need an Alltel ROM for the radio not the sprints?

2. I want to upgrade this phone from Windows Mobile 6 to 6.1. With my phone sort of in a non-standard state of software (meaning, my Sprint Mogul is running on Alltel network with a few quarks mentioned above), I'm not quite sure what to expect when attempting to reflash anything nor have I done anything like this before....

3. I also want to put Office 6.1 on my ppc 6800.

4. I heard about GPS - I've never used it and was curious how some have gotten it to work on the Mogul.

That is about it as far as goals and hopes to accomplish with this phone. I would sincerely appreciate anyone to provide links and any information about what I need to do.

To give you all an understanding where I am at with my knowledge, I have gone to XDA Developers and read the wiki of definitions but still, I am a bit confused on some things. Just need clarification as I go I suppose. I'm just afraid of making a brick out of my phone so I decided to create a thread.


Thank you for your time.
kurios

[rainfreak]

Welcome to the addiction that PPC phones are...

1. No clue, sorry. I am on Sprint and have no experience in this. Though I can tell you that HTC just released a new rom for Alltel customers. Check it out...

http://www.htc.com/us/FAQ_Detail.aspx?p_id=63&act=sd

2. Now that there is an official radio out for Alltel from HTC, there will no doubt be new WM 6.1 roms coming very soon. Check here...

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=57

3. This is included in WM 6.1.

4. I have heard that the new Alltel radio rom from HTC does not include GPS. I know there are people that have the Sprint 3.35 radio rom working on Alltel's network, which it sounds like yours is doing now. If you have the 3.35 radio, you should be good with GPS. Check out these instructions...

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=17032

Hope this helps...

[kurioslives]

Thanks rainfreak for the information!

Here is my ppc 6800 device information.
ROM version: 2.14.671.3
ROM date: 08/20/07
Radio version: 1.40.00
Protocol version: ACAAAM-4070
Hardware version: 0003
PRL version: 00704
PRI version: 1.24_003

Windows Mobile 6 Professional, CE OS 5.2.1238 (Build 17745.0.2.3)

By my estimation, I have pretty old software compared where we are now.

Question: Could my digital roaming be a result of Alltel ROM with Sprint radio ROM? I don't know if my problem is a "hardware" controlled function or it is controlled by software. Has anyone seen or read any posts of people who had a Sprint Mogul converted to work on Alltel Networks? Do they know anything about this "Digital Roaming?"

Here are my thoughts, any tips/info would be greatly appreciated...

1. Load the new Alltel ROM from HTC

I couldn't find what is all included with the Alltel ROM from HTC. I've read that this should include the IPL/SPL, Radio ROM, and OS ROM - not the ExtROM - which is that where the CID,MSID, Home SID, etc. are stored? If not, do I need to reconfigure those settings after flashing to the new ROM?

This phone came with the CID changed for alltel, so I am not sure where that is exactly... I didn't see anything in the EPST menu (what does EPST stand for? I have heard of QPST, what does that stand for and why don't have QPST?).

2. I tried reading about GPS instructions, but I haven't quite got that good of a grasp over the various programs used in that process....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=362566

3. Eventually WM6.1 will come out and I'll be doing this all over again anyway. Seems like others are using customized ROMs to get WM6.1 working, is this correct?

I appreciate any help!
Thanks,
kurios

PS
I've read some good threads in this forum, someone ought to create a thread that has ALL the many good guides people have created so that new n00bs can learn things clearer... sort of like a "hand-book" and maybe used later for a wiki.

Maybe there is a place that already has that info, I just probably missed it I've read a lot on XDA, but it doesn't dispell all the questions.

[GnatGoSplat]

I can answer 1 & 4.

1. Flash to the latest Alltel ROM 3.35.671.9, then dial *228 and press 3 to activate. That will get rid of the blinking roaming icon, at least it did for me.

4. The radio in the latest Alltel ROM is GPS-Ready, but some files enabling GPS are missing from the ROM. The cab file people are using will install the missing files to make GPS work.

[rainfreak]

GantGoSplat hit the nail on the head for 1 and 4. Here is my take on 2 and 3:

2. If you have GPS working, try it with Google Maps. It should work out of the gate and is free. From there you can try trial versions of most of the others.

3. Absolutely. I am running vetvito's custom WM 6.1 rom for Sprint. He also has one for Verizon and Alltel. Check the Upgrades sub-forum often for new releases of roms for Alltel. No doubt they will (nearly) all have WM 6.1.

[badutahboy]

You're going to have to flash the bootloader in order to load an alltel rom on the sprint phone anyway, so you might as well build/use a custom 6.1 rom right off the bat. However, I'd still flash the official alltel rom because it's more likely to fix your roaming problem than a custom rom is.

Vetvito's roms look awesome, but I think he only makes them for sprint and cricket. If you PM him, he'd probably be willing to build you an alltel version.. Alternatively, DCD always releases alltel versions of his roms, and his kitchen includes alltel carrier info... Building a rom is obscenely easy using the kitchen, and it allows you to have all your software load up on hard reboot if you build it right... That way you'll never have to invest hours reconfiguring your device in the event of a hard reboot.

[rainfreak]

Actually vetvito's lists it for Sprint, Cricket and "everyone else."

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=18836

[gquiles]

DO i actually have to had a Rom from my provider so I can use the phone???
i got a Sprint 6800 and need to change it to a Provider here in Puerto Rico Centennial
a CDMA provider to. I have to have the ROM of the Centennial to use it or just changing ESN or other stuff might work???

sorry for my bad english thanks!

[GnatGoSplat]

I think all you really need are to change all the EPST settings to what they need to be, and upload the new PRL file. Setting SPC to 000000 may also be required if your provider uses OTA programming.

[kurioslives]

Thanks for the info earlier... I will need to try everything out this weekend. I'll post back on my progress.

Thanks,
kurios