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ArizonaSteve
join:2004-01-31
Apache Junction, AZ

ArizonaSteve to suceress

Member

to suceress

Re: Formerly Unlimited (really) 3G card

suceress, I picked up a Novatel U595 3G device at Goodwill and downloaded the Sprint SmartView connection manager to try it. I don't see how that will show anything since I don't have an account with Sprint and can't login and connect however. There's no way to check what speed I might be able to get. Sometimes it shows Sprint EVDO is available with full bars but other times it says Sprint 1xrtt is available. I think EVDO is only 1.2-1.5mb but 1xrtt is much slower!
That's the same problem I was having with Cricket and Virgin Mobile on Sprint, a 1xrtt connection at 27k or whatever is just way to slow to use for anything at all.
Also, if I were to take the plunge and try Millenicom and they upgrade the firmware of my U595 over the air so it can get their service will it be usable again after that if I don't want Millenicom or is it totally worthless after that since it wouldn't work with anything else again?

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

said by ArizonaSteve:

I don't see how that will show anything since I don't have an account with Sprint and can't login and connect however.

Signal strength will be accurate, however, I have seen sprint devices never join evdo signals when they are not activated... that is until the ESN/MEID (serial number) is listed on the sprint network as active they wont even let the devices connect with EVDO.

I think EVDO is only 1.2-1.5mb but 1xrtt is much slower!

EVDO max down is 3.1mbps, however, the tower has to have backhaul to support that. Most sprint towers in rural areas have a single t1 so yes youd see around 1.2 max.

1xrtt max speed down is 153kps but normally runs in the 80-110 range on sprint.

Also, if I were to take the plunge and try Millenicom and they upgrade the firmware of my U595 over the air so it can get their service will it be usable again after that if I don't want Millenicom or is it totally worthless after that since it wouldn't work with anything else again?

I don't think mcom puts any custom firmware on devices... the sprint network might update the firmware if it is required. If you tried mcom and didn't like it, once the ESN/MEID (serial number) for your modem was cleared out of sprint's system you could use it on sprint proper (or resell it etc).
suceress
join:2008-04-04

suceress to ArizonaSteve

Member

to ArizonaSteve
Well, we took the plunge and got Millenicom. It required 4 bars of signal to get the software on the computer updated to make it work. Unfortunately it seems that for whatever reason we were only getting 2 bars in the same spot we previously got 5. But we were able to take the laptop outside (the modem has to be plugged directly into the computer) to a good spot and get it loaded. Tech support is in the US and they don't follow scripts, so they were very helpful.

I don't have any amplifiers or antennas and I have a metal roof so it seems my signal gets interrupted for a few minutes every once in awhile, but I am still getting lower latency and faster speeds than Hughesnet.

I admit that I don't even know what 1xrtt is, but I think I saw that somewhere on the Sprint SmartView software thing.

I plan to get an amplifier and antenna to boost my signal and see if it helps to improve signal strength to make things more efficient.

Since Hughesnet is phasing out the modem I use and the Ku band satellite and I'm not eligible for the new modem using their Ka band satellite, this is about the only option I've found for internet out here.
ArizonaSteve
join:2004-01-31
Apache Junction, AZ

ArizonaSteve

Member

suceress, an amplifier probably isn't needed if you get an acceptable signal outside. I don't get a very strong signal inside either even though all the wireless carriers have towers within a mile of my house so I put an antenna on the roof to use for all my wireless needs. After trying several different styles if antennas with less than acceptable results, I found that a Wilson Electronics Dual Band Trucker Antenna works very well and they only cost about $30 on Amazon. I got one with a threaded base and mounted it on a magnet mount and stuck it on the roof but you can also use a clamp on mount. It comes with about 20' of lead in cable attached but one drawback of the Wilson is they use their own proprietary FME connector on the end of the cable so you have to get a matching pigtail with either a connector on the end to match your device or a flat pad to place on the outside. The pigtails are available on ebay to fit just about any device however. I got an external pad to use on my Blackberry since it doesn't have an antenna jack but it works on the Sprint USB device too just by sticking it on the outside and gives me a full 5 bars.
»www.amazon.com/Wilson-El ··· 06VSHE4/
ArizonaSteve

ArizonaSteve to dib22

Member

to dib22
dib22, they have to reprogram the USB device with new firmware otherwise how are they going to get it to work with the Millinicom service? If they didn't it would still be able to only get Sprint. My concern is after it's setup for Millinicom will it ever be able to go back to Sprint again or is it now locked to Millinicom the same way the ones for Cricket and Virgin Mobile are locked to Cricket and Virgin Mobile even though that's on Sprint too? Has anyone ever tried to go back?

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

said by ArizonaSteve:

dib22, they have to reprogram the USB device with new firmware otherwise how are they going to get it to work with the Millinicom service? If they didn't it would still be able to only get Sprint. My concern is after it's setup for Millinicom will it ever be able to go back to Sprint again or is it now locked to Millinicom the same way the ones for Cricket and Virgin Mobile are locked to Cricket and Virgin Mobile even though that's on Sprint too? Has anyone ever tried to go back?

I dont think so... they re-sell sprint and they re-sell verizon, they do not maintain their own networks, or even their own virtual network.

Mcom can only use sprint devices on their sprint plan(s), and they can only use verizon devices on the verizon plan(s)... you can't flip them back and forth.

It is sprint and verizons DATABASEs that are locked... not their devices.

xrayman
join:2008-12-09
Kansas City

xrayman

Member

What dib22 said is correct, no new firmware is put on the device used for Millinicom service. The electronic serial number (ESN) or in the case of Verizon 4G the SIM card is what must be accepted by the Sprint or Verizon system before the device will connect. Your device must be able to work on the Sprint network in the case of the BYOD plan. Other Millinicom plans will require a device provided by Millinicom that will work on the correct cell company network.
ArizonaSteve
join:2004-01-31
Apache Junction, AZ

ArizonaSteve to dib22

Member

to dib22
dib22, you don't know what you are talking about and shouldn't be making false statements. All the devices are DEFINITELY LOCKED just like cell phones are locked and there is no way to make the device recognize that it should be working on Millenicom unless it gets re-programmed.
Not only are they locked but they contain flash memory like a thumb drive that has drivers for the device on their specific network. If you haven't noticed, they load drivers and the connection manager to make them work when plugged in. That all needs to be replaced to make them work with a different ISP.
Max Signal
Premium Member
join:2008-03-07
Buffalo, NY

Max Signal

Premium Member

Sorry Steve , you are the misinformed party here .Dib22 knows exactly what he is talking about !! The device is locked to a carrier . Millenicom is a reseller plain and simple, Not a carrier . Running a device be it through Sprint's or Verizon's Millenicom offerings is exactly the same as running a device through the carriers network as if you had purchased directly through the carrier performance wise.
said by ArizonaSteve:

dib22, you don't know what you are talking about and shouldn't be making false statements. All the devices are DEFINITELY LOCKED just like cell phones are locked and there is no way to make the device recognize that it should be working on Millenicom unless it gets re-programmed.
Not only are they locked but they contain flash memory like a thumb drive that has drivers for the device on their specific network. If you haven't noticed, they load drivers and the connection manager to make them work when plugged in. That all needs to be replaced to make them work with a different ISP.

suceress
join:2008-04-04

suceress to ArizonaSteve

Member

to ArizonaSteve
I can confirm from my registration process that the modem software had nothing to do with Millenicom. I had to connect to a sprint network and it had to update and the sprint software on the computer.

Just think of Millenicom as Toys R Us and Sprint/Verizon as Mattel. Mattel makes the toys and sells them to Toys R Us who then turns around and sells the toys to the consumers. If there are defects in the toys, it is because of Mattel, not Toys R Us.

Ok, that wasn't a very good example..

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22 to ArizonaSteve

Member

to ArizonaSteve
said by ArizonaSteve:

dib22, you don't know what you are talking about and shouldn't be making false statements. All the devices are DEFINITELY LOCKED just like cell phones are locked and there is no way to make the device recognize that it should be working on Millenicom unless it gets re-programmed.
Not only are they locked but they contain flash memory like a thumb drive that has drivers for the device on their specific network. If you haven't noticed, they load drivers and the connection manager to make them work when plugged in. That all needs to be replaced to make them work with a different ISP.

On GSM networks the phones are locked devices... that is they are 'programmed' to only use the carrier they were sold by. If you want to use a phone/device you bought from att on tmobile you would need to 'unlock' the device by modification of it's software.

On CDMA networks in the USA the devices are technically unlocked... you could technically use a sprint phone/modem on verizon or vice versa (assuming a modern device that support both 800/1900) with out changing any software on the phone/devices... BUT verizon and sprint maintain a database of allowed ESN/MEID (serial numbers).

For example look at a Virgin Mobile USA phone... it is a cdma phone, it even runs on the sprint network, but you will never be able to activate it on a sprint account... not because of the phone, but because sprint's database knows that that ESN/MEID (serial number) was sold as a virgin mobile phone and it won't allow it.

For proof look at cricket... they will activate sprint and verizon phones on their network without modification of software. If the network (more specifically the carriers esn database) will allow the serial number then the device will work.

I'm sorry you feel like I don't know what I am talking about... but I assure you I do
Max Signal
Premium Member
join:2008-03-07
Buffalo, NY

Max Signal

Premium Member

Would be nice of the fountain of misinformation came back and gave you a well deserved apology.
said by dib22:

said by ArizonaSteve:

dib22, you don't know what you are talking about and shouldn't be making false statements. All the devices are DEFINITELY LOCKED just like cell phones are locked and there is no way to make the device recognize that it should be working on Millenicom unless it gets re-programmed.
Not only are they locked but they contain flash memory like a thumb drive that has drivers for the device on their specific network. If you haven't noticed, they load drivers and the connection manager to make them work when plugged in. That all needs to be replaced to make them work with a different ISP.

On GSM networks the phones are locked devices... that is they are 'programmed' to only use the carrier they were sold by. If you want to use a phone/device you bought from att on tmobile you would need to 'unlock' the device by modification of it's software.

On CDMA networks in the USA the devices are technically unlocked... you could technically use a sprint phone/modem on verizon or vice versa (assuming a modern device that support both 800/1900) with out changing any software on the phone/devices... BUT verizon and sprint maintain a database of allowed ESN/MEID (serial numbers).

For example look at a Virgin Mobile USA phone... it is a cdma phone, it even runs on the sprint network, but you will never be able to activate it on a sprint account... not because of the phone, but because sprint's database knows that that ESN/MEID (serial number) was sold as a virgin mobile phone and it won't allow it.

For proof look at cricket... they will activate sprint and verizon phones on their network without modification of software. If the network (more specifically the carriers esn database) will allow the serial number then the device will work.

I'm sorry you feel like I don't know what I am talking about... but I assure you I do