Optimus v Cyanogenmod Reception

CuriousNoob

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Aug 2, 2011
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I love Cyanogenmod and all, but is there away to get better reception? Most of the time it's 1 bar, and sometimes 1..... Is it because it's a build and not official? Or is there something to do?
 
Did you have better reception when you were on a stock ROM? lol

ROM's don't affect reception. It's just VM's crappy signal.

You could try swapping your prl
 
Is it possible it just LOOKS like you have worse reception because there are only 4 signal bars? The smaller (but more in number) bars on Froyo can appear to be showing a stronger signal. I had this initial impression when I first ran BACKside IHO but quickly realized it was just a different graphical representation and that the ROM couldn't be making me get a worse signal. Signal is a physical matter that depends on the hardware, where it is, etc. The software just gives you a graphical representation of it.
 
I have full bars on froyo roms, and the internet is a lot faster than cyanogenmod. If so, prl... What is it. I'm not very good at this stuff, lol.
 
I have full bars on froyo roms, and the internet is a lot faster than cyanogenmod. If so, prl... What is it. I'm not very good at this stuff, lol.

http://www.androidcentral.com/dictionary#P

PRL: The Preferred Roaming List, basically a way of telling your phone which towers to connect to first.

Some people claim to get faster 3G from different PRLs (myself included) but basically the only way your service would improve is if you flashed a PRL that told you there was a closer, more reliable tower to connect to.

[HOWTO] Change PRL on Virgin Mobile LG Optimus V (5/06/2011) - xda-developers

Only flash a Sprint PRL or a Virgin Mobile PRL though, since VM uses Sprint's towers. I believe the latest Sprint PRL is 22081. Also the PRL still won't let you roam off of Sprint service, so if there's no Sprint service near you...you're screwed anyways. lol
 
I have always had excellent service, except in my moms house which is like a fortress to most cell phone signals. What is your PRL? - about phone status - I've had 61007
 
Just to reinforce what has been posted, there are no ROMs for the Optimus V that flash a radio image, so they do not affect your reception, at least in so far as the signal strength is concerned.
 
I'm afraid to change the PRL now. All those steps.... I figure I'll leave it alone. I'll post a screenshot maybe of the reception I get. I usually get 1-2 bars outta the 4. :s
 
I'm afraid to change the PRL now. All those steps.... I figure I'll leave it alone. I'll post a screenshot maybe of the reception I get. I usually get 1-2 bars outta the 4. :s

It's really not that hard, if you can get your MSL through the virgin website (there's steps in there that explain how to find it from a certain error page, otherwise you have to use CDMA Workshop)

But once you have your MSL code then you just plug it in (I have to power mine down), launch QPST, read from phone, enter code, backup (if it's your first change), then write the new one.

However that being said, I've also done it a few times. I was a lot more cautious the first time than I am now lol (probably not a good thing :P)

The other thing is you would need an app that told you which towers you're connecting to, so that you can check before and after you change your PRL for the difference.
 
Which PRL do you recommend?

It'll probably depend on your location. You'll have to try a few and see if there's any difference. It's really pretty quick to change it and check. A week or two ago, I spent an hour or so checking a handful of them. For me, personally, I saw no change in reception or 3G speeds, so I just switched back to the stock PRL.
 
It'll probably depend on your location. You'll have to try a few and see if there's any difference. It's really pretty quick to change it and check. A week or two ago, I spent an hour or so checking a handful of them. For me, personally, I saw no change in reception or 3G speeds, so I just switched back to the stock PRL.

This is hte best answer that will be given.

Also there was a article a while back stating the prl's that start with 2 are business prl's that are being phased out.
 
I live in a dead zone for VM, with one tower within range being blocked by a large bank building a couple of blocks away. I switched to the 61677 hybrid prl back in May, and it gives me access to two other towers within range of my home. Now at home, I get 3g whenever I turn it on. With the stock PRL, I would see 1x more often than 3g. So while I did get a speed boost from a PRL swap while at home, that is just due to my dead zone being reincarnated. ;)

I have not noticed differences while in areas with normal 3g coverage.

Edit: this was when I was running aospCMod, which is based off the same original source that IHO is built on now.
 
And what you are telling me is that it is good to get a PRL switch? I live not far from a Train....

If you have towers nearby that you are not connecting to then yes it would be good. Otherwise you probably will not notice a change.

There are several apps on the market that will tell you what towers your connecting to. Use one to record the towers you connect to before and after a PRL change. if you see no difference then you were already connecting tot eh best available tower.
 
Where do you guys get the latest PRL from? I google'd but Sprint showed to manually update PRL for notebooks not phones: Support - Article

Ive read a lot through the xda forums as well but to no avail
 
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Yes I am using the latest PRL from the last page of the xda forums link and my 3g and my signal improved big time, I just thought maybe there was direct access to Sprint to get the latest PRL instead of relying on other people to post it on the forums. I mean, how do they get the latest PRL and upload it to the forum? Do they get it from new phones maybe?
 
Sprint has the capability to give Sprint phones the newest PRLs via OTA updates. (My girlfriend has a EVO 4G and she just got the 60681 PRL through that way).

Then I assume they use QPST or something like that to extract the PRL out of their phone.

Unfortunately for us, Virgin Mobile has already stated that they have no way of doing this. Which is pretty much why, if you want an update...you have to go buy a new phone.
 

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