Let's talk about PRL's

[cdrcrkmo1]

I'm in a fringe area and have to jump through some hoops to get a decent signal (external antenna & booster), but I usually get in the area of -70dbm.  I have worked with Verizon tech support several times because frequently my MiFi 2200 would switch to 1xRTT.  I could log into the admin pages (MiFi hotspot) and disconnect then reconnect and it would usually come back to EVDO.  But recently, I began having a lot of downshifts to 1xRTT and was seeing a much weaker signal (-90dbm range).  I have a grandfathered Alltel unlimited account.  There is only one 3g capable tower within my reach and according to T.S. last year, a part of the problem was when that signal deteriorated enough, my modem would find another tower in the opposite direction that was 1xRTT only.  So, I bought a "sort of" directional antenna (Wilson panel) which seemed to help.  But the biggest help was when T.S. sent out a "hybrid" PRL.  Zowie!  I was hitting -68dbm frequently and life was good.

I'm retired and travel in an RV occasionally.  I take my MiFi 2200 with me.  I was in the habit of direct connecting the MiFi periodically so it could get an updated PRL wherever I was located.  When I returned, I would do the same, update the PRL.

Now, here's where I'm going with this.  Recently, I have had a weak signal (-90 dbm range) and LOTS of reverting to 1xRTT.  I contacted T.S. and we finally got to a point where T.S. decided to send out a hybrid PRL.  This immediately fixed my problem.  Apparently, my MiFi had reverted back to a non-hybrid PRL in the process of updating while traveling and returning.  The reason for the poor signal was explained like this...I have an old Alltel account so the "natural" PRL would seek Alltel towers first and switch to Verizon towers only if it wasn't satisfied by a local Alltel tower.  What was explained to me is that the old Alltel towers which had previously been 1xRTT only had been updated to 3g EVDO, but they were still some distance away.  But, since my MiFi sought Alltel network towers first, it would (usually) settle on the weaker Alltel signal.  T.S. then sent out the hybrid PRL to make my MiFi seek Verizon network towers first and that did the trick.  But, here's the question I asked and the answer I got.  Question: Will the PRL simply update back to the Alltel first PRL when I return from traveling?  Answer: No, once assigned a hybrid PRL, the system will update to another hybrid PRL.  Yeah, right.

So, what can anyone tell me about hybrid PRL's and how permanent the assignment might be.  I suspect I'm going to have to call T.S. every time I return from traveling to have them reassign a hybrid PRL - ya think?

[Ann154]

I had a hybrid PRL on my Eris for a while around the holidays 2010.  Verizon was converting Alltel towers to Verizon and shutting down older Verizon ones.  Before I got the hybrid PRL, there were spots that I was roaming when I had never done so before.  I believe I was told or from my prior research that once you have a hybrid PRL, you shouldn't update the PRL.  As I found out later in January 2011 after a factory reset, I had lost the hybrid PRL.  Thankfully, the towers changes were completed by that time and I wasn't having the some connection issues.