What does this do exactly? Why is it "recommended" that Verizon users do it monthly?

 

It supposely finds the closest tower and leeches to it...

 

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/d...PIC&topicID=47

 

What it really does is save Verizon money by having your phone pick the cell tower that is currently price friendly with Verizon. It does not mean that it will pick the closest tower to you.

 

does sprint have somethin like this?

 

i thought it updated the IRDB (Intelligent Roaming Database)

 

all phones have this feature, there are just different ways to do it depending on the provider. What it does is connect you to the closest tower, if you are having reception problems.

 

I've never done this in the nearly 2 years with Verizon (granted, I never heard of it before today) and even after reading this have no intensions of doing so.

 

see post above.

 

I do it monthly

 

Monthly? I do it like, never.

 

how about t-mobile?

 

all [cdma] carriers have a method where they can update the PRL in the phone. but you don't really need it.

 

i have had verizon for just over 2 years and have never done this.

 

I've done it maybe 5 times in the 5 years that I've had Verizon.

 

*228 initiates what is called an OTASP call to the current network. OTASP is Over The Air Service Provisioning. This enables the network to push multipe things to your hadnset including your directory number, mobile identification number (MIN), system ID (SID), PRL (prefered Roaming List), etc.

This is important as carrier add, change and build out thier networks, the handset needs to know these changes. It can be as simple as chaning the priority of the roaming partner order of priority, to adding additional channels in certain markets to increase capacity.

Not updating your PRL may limit your coverage in comparrision to what is truely available to you.

Now, it is also important to note that most handsets today also support OTAPA. OTAPA is like OTASP, however you do not have to initiate it. The carrier can push this informatino to your handset whenever they feel it is necessary.

Lastly, and a bit more geeky, *228 is a shortcut. What is actually happening is that you are dialling one of the following:

*22800 - Cellular A
*22801 - Cellular B
*22802 - PCS A Block
*22803 - PCS B Block
*22804 - PCS C Block
*22805 - PCS D Block
*22806 - PCS E Block
*22807 - PCS F Block

When you dial *228, the handset determines which of the above network blocks you are in, and appends the last two network digits.

 

so i said it wrong. i said "all [cdma] carriers have a method where they can update the PRL in the phone. but you don't really need it." i should have said to clarify "all [cdma] carriers have a method where they can update the PRL in the phone. but you don't really need to do this yourself, your carrier will do a great job in making sure your handset has the best prl." there are times when you DO definitely need a better PRL and sometimes it is mandatory. but we don't force the customer to determine that.

example: the best analogy i can relate it to is your navigation and your map disk. if version 2.05 is the latest, you can still drive around town and get to where you need to go just fine with version 2.04 or even version 2.03 but if there is a major change like target changes their name to daytons for all the stores in the midwest, we'll need a new map version 2.10 and since we know everyone will want to go to daytons, we can push 2.10 to all of our customers in the midwest. people in california will do just fine with 2.04 still.