The preferred roaming list is something that is useful with the new dual mode CDMA phones when roaming. If you're home network uses 800Mhz CDMA, then it will roam onto 800Mhz CDMA networks. And vice versa for 1900Mhz Networks. Since Verizon in the US was created from many smaller wireless companies, they are not all using the same frequency, and there is a risk that you may roam onto networks that are not Verizon. The PRL will tell the phone what networks to use where. This is not terribly useful on single-mode digital phones such as the 7860 or the 7867.
Phones that use PCS (1900Mhz) frequencies require a PRL to operate at 1900Mhz, and to know which PCS bands to search for service on, and which SID's are preferred.
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Telus Mobility's PRL
In December 2000, I acquired a Dual Mode StarTAC 7868 from Telus Mobility, and they have now incorporated a PRL into their phones. The PRL version found in the 7868W at this time was 40300, with software version 6654. While in an underground parkade where there was no signal available, I enabled the call status screen to see how it would search for a signal compared to my 7860 without a PRL, or 1900Mhz functionality. The following is the exact list that it runs through on the screen, which loops at the end back to the beginning, until it finds a signal. It was quite interesting to see how many frequencies it checks in the 1900Mhz band. It was also interesting how it would rescan CEL 0384 again each time it had checked 5 other frequencies. My guess is that since CEL 0384 (CDMA Cellular Carrier frequency 384) is the primary network in BC where this phone was purchased, that is the network that should be searched for most often, just in case the phone starts searching using the PRL only because of a weak signal. That way, the local signal can be reacquired quickly. Since I know that Telus Mobility also runs a 1900Mhz overlay other than Clearnet in Vancouver area, I wanted to see if Telus's own 1900Mhz network was included in their PRL, or at least if it would use it if the 800Mhz signal was not available. Not an easy task :) I tested this by creating a second NAM with the PRL enabled, and setting the primary and secondary CDMA channel ID's to non-existent ones. This forced the phone to search through the PCS frequencies using the PRL. However, it would not lock onto any signal this way at home in Burnaby, so either the 1900Mhz network does not reach this far, or its not in the PRL. I will have to try it again while in Vancouver. I would assume this list may change in the future to support possibly using the Clearnet PCS network, for load balancing. 1900Mhz on Telus On the evening of Fri Jan 23, Telus had a strange problem with the 800Mhz CDMA band in some parts of Burnaby and Vancouver. The phone would pick up the pilot signal on the network, but would not be able to register. Phones would then fallback to analog after trying for about a minute. After two minutes of analog, the phone would try for digital again. To the regular subscriber that did not have access to the test screens, you would only see the phone constantly switching back and forth between analog and Digital every few minutes, and would not be able to make or receive calls while the phone was in digital mode. However, the 7868, which can also utilize Telus's PCS (1900Mhz) overlay network, would fail to register on Cellular CDMA, but would try the PRL next, which includes their PCS network, PCS 0350, so it stayed digital, but on the other network. Eventually later in the evening the problem was resolved and people could use digital again in 800Mhz, but the 7868 still looks for PCS 0350 from the PRL before CEL 0384 now.. Quite interesting. At least it reveals to me that the phone does indeed use the other network when needed, but there was no manual way to make the phone use that network before. Disabling the PRL and re-enabling it again makes it rescan from the top of the PRL, which brought it back on to the cellular frequencies again. What's new in PRL 38003I got this PRL along with a software upgrade on the StarTAC 7868W to version 7088 on Feb 26 2001. It appears that the only difference in this new PRL is that it searches both Cellular 0384, and PCS 0350 before searching on analog. Before, it would search Cellular 0384, then analog, and then proceed through the rest of the PRL, which basically meant it would look only if no Telus 800Mhz service was available at all - i.e. roaming. PRL 38003 also exists in NAM2 with the firmware/PRL update I received. This PRL now does 'Quick Search' instead of 'Fast Regular' on the Cellular frequencies interleaved between the PCS searches. This may just be the way it is displayed because I am now viewing it with a newer firmware revision as well. |
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Once the PRL is enabled, you may be able to dial *22800 to update the PRL. This is not supported in most areas. They key sequence will first show "Dialing" and then show "No Digital Service", and then go into power save mode, or analog.
However, it does apparently work in the Toledo, OH and Detroit, MI markets for Verizon. When you dial *22800, it will establish a data connection with your phone, you can choose option #1 and it will update your PRL list and software version of your phone.
To check if you have PRLs programmed, go to the main menu (FCN 1), and and select Phone Options. Next, select Phone Info. As you scroll through the list of phone info, you will see one called "Roam List".
If you have PRLs set up, you will see some number in there. If you don't, you will see 0. For reference, Verizon in Philadelphia shows "Roam List 12993"
So, you don't have PRLs... well, not to worry. As long as you already have an active cellular service, you can still get your PRL list activated.
First, turn on PRL:
7 7 5 FCN FCN (P-R-L FCN FCN)
You will see: NAM 1 PRL and either on/off -- if it's off, hit the Smart
button (middle button on the side) and it will show On. If it's already
on, hit End.
Ryan's Note: If your provider has placed an SP Lock on the phone, you will be presented with a Lock Code Screen, where you have to enter a six digit number. Good luck guessing it, there's literally a million possible combinations!
Transferring the PRL from a Vader V8160 to a StarTAC 7860
Now, the hard part. Start calling your local carrier. You will need to call around until you find a store that has a Motorola service terminal and has the capability to FLASH UPGRADE phones. If they ask what kind of phone you have, lie and say StarTAC 7760 or 7860. If you say V8160, they will give you a hard time.
Go to the store. Make friends with the people at the service counter (no seriously). Now, tell them your phone came without PRLs programmed and you would like the latest PRL from the 7860 programmed into your V8160.
If they look at you like you're stupid, this is what they need to do...
1. Connect the ST7860W to the service terminal (any 7860W they have, active
or not)
2. Check off only PRL on the left column, then click download
3. Now, remove the 7860W, and connect the V8160.
4. Take out the battery of the V8160!!!
5. Click upload.
Bam, you should have a current roam list.
The hardest part is finding the shop. Most of them will NOT have the terminal. Only a select few do, and from that, only a select few know what's actually going on, and how to do it efficiently.
If you're in Philadelphia, the Wayne, PA Verizon store on Swedesford Road knows what's going on. They did everything right from the very beginning, and knew exactly what I was talking (i.e. they knew more than me :) That was a rare treat!). I learned a lot talking with these guys, and the info you see here is as direct result of talking with the techs there.
How about the 7760?
The 7760 may have a SID list (a primitive version of a PRL) which can be displayed by pressing 79743 FCN FCN. What's great about the SID list is that you are able to basically build your own personal PRL. SID lists in the 7760 can be manually loaded in through the keypad or uploaded with software. Depending on when you bought your 7760 will determine if you have a SID list loaded. Many of the first 7760s didn't come with one...
Viewing PRL's without switching to them
(From Steve)
I just noticed that you can check the status the PRL for each NAM without actually switching each NAM
If you have 3 NAMs programmed you can:
do PRL fcn fcn or PRL1 fcn fcn for the PRL for NAM 1
or PRL2 fcn fcn for the NAM 2 PRL
or PRL3 fcn fcn for the NAM 3 PRL
This will not work on the newer firmware revisions, as they have disabled this feature altogether.
Ryan Goolevitch - ryang@trideja.com
Last Modified
August 21, 2001