New (or not) *18 signal enhancement service from Sprint?

[boomerbubba]

Is this for real? Just read this at XDA in the Sprint GS3 Forum , purporting to be from a Sprint rep. It is supposed to be a new service that can improve your signal if you are at a stationary location, and somehow be related to NV.

 

 

For those with less than great reception try this!

I'm a sprint rep and got some good info that just launched.

 

Dial *18 from your sprint device.

 

That is the number for "Sprints Cell Tower Enhancement". It will lock on your present location and boost your signal by at least one bar. You will have to do this as you move about to different locations/towers but if you are stationary and having signal issues, it can help

...

 

This tool is part of the "Sprint Network Vision" rollout. This is very new, more details as they come.

 

Looking for informed reaction and a reality check here.

 

Edit: From subsequent comments on XDA, whatever this is it does not seem to be new. It sure was new to me.

[WiWavelength]

No, *18 is an old IS-95 cdmaOne trick. Heck, it may even be an IS-41AMPS/TDMA/CDMA trick. As I recall, it just forces a new registration with the VLR. Basically, it ensures that a subscriber's MSC knows the VLR where the sub is currently located. Before automatic roaming, a sub had to dial *18 to manually update location whenever the sub crossed over into a new SID. For further info, do a Google query on "follow me roaming."

 

AJ

[S4GRU]

Is this for real? Just read this at XDA in the Sprint GS3 Forum , purporting to be from a Sprint rep. It is supposed to be a new service that can improve your signal if you are at a stationary location, and somehow be related to NV. Looking for informed reaction and a reality check here. Edit: From subsequent comments on XDA, whatever this is it does not seem to be new. It sure was new to me.

 

My signal went down. I tried it and watched the Debug screen. It seemed to force it to change to another site in its Neighbor Set. It only forced the EVDO to change, not the 1x.

 

So I suppose if you are stuck on a farther away site, then doing this may move you to a closer stronger site. However, the benefit of this is probably nil. Because if you are on a farther away site, it probably has a better EcIo ratio, and thus why your device is keeping it.

 

Robert

[boomerbubba]

I wonder if this is what some of those so-called "signal booster" apps are doing under the hood. I have always figured their user payload to be some sort of placebo effect after toggling the connection somehow.

[themuffinman]

Is this for real? Just read this at XDA in the Sprint GS3 Forum , purporting to be from a Sprint rep. It is supposed to be a new service that can improve your signal if you are at a stationary location, and somehow be related to NV.

 

 

 

Looking for informed reaction and a reality check here.

 

Edit: From subsequent comments on XDA, whatever this is it does not seem to be new. It sure was new to me.

 

Definitely not new, I tried this years ago. I never really saw any difference when I did it.

[pyroscott]

Definitely not new, I tried this years ago. I never really saw any difference when I did it.

 

I was doing a little google research on this subject, and found a thread on ppcgeeks from 2010 with a post from you in it regarding *18... Wierd. I was like "Hey! I know that guy!"

[themuffinman]

I was doing a little google research on this subject, and found a thread on ppcgeeks from 2010 with a post from you in it regarding *18... Wierd. I was like "Hey! I know that guy!"

 

I had to go and search for myself just to make sure I didn't say anything stupid or n00bish, LOL.

[S4GRU]

I had to go and search for myself just to make sure I didn't say anything stupid or n00bish, LOL.

 

I cringe when I read my old posts. It's amazing how much more knowledge you gain every six months or so.

 

Robert

[pyroscott]

I cringe when I read my old posts. It's amazing how much more knowledge you gain every six months or so.

 

Robert

 

Yeah, speaking of... Maybe we should start clearing out the archives from when I was a n00b

[digiblur]

Maybe the should update their prl to get better speeds with and LTE

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

[WiWavelength]

Yeah, speaking of... Maybe we should start clearing out the archives from when I was a n00b

 

Nah, I think that we are hanging on to those post for possible future "collateral."

 

AJ

[centermedic]

No, *18 is an old IS-95 cdmaOne trick. Heck, it may even be an IS-41AMPS/TDMA/CDMA trick. As I recall, it just forces a new registration with the VLR. Basically, it ensures that a subscriber's MSC knows the VLR where the sub is currently located. Before automatic roaming, a sub had to dial *18 to manually update location whenever the sub crossed over into a new SID. For further info, do a Google query on "follow me roaming."

 

AJ

Hmmm. This might help me as I am still bouncing off of three towers at the house.

[WiWavelength]

Hmmm. This might help me as I am still bouncing off of three towers at the house.

 

Nope. As long as those three sites are all on the same SID/NID, *18 will not help at all. It updates your location to your current SID/NID, not your current cell site. No CDMA1X carrier uses single cell site location granularity.

 

AJ

[centermedic]

Nope. As long as those three sites are all on the same SID/NID, *18 will not help at all. It updates your location to your current SID/NID, not your current cell site. No CDMA1X carrier uses single cell site location granularity.

 

AJ

Darn. I guess I should just sit tight and see iv NV kills one or two of those towers.