Desperate HELP - Service Problem

[Spoonylove]

Hello everyone, I am new to the virgin mobile network. I just got my Optimus V 3 days ago and am very annoyed with a phone that does not work. Here is what is going on.

I live in a heavy sprint area where the coverage is suppose to be excellent. I first got my phone and went to activate it and did not have any bars, no signal. The signal will go to max bars for like split second then go back to 0 bars. If I walk around my house I can find it has no signal at all till I get to one spot where a single bar will show, that is how I finally activated it after hours of trying.

Anyway I get no signal or full bars for like 1 or 3 seconds then it goes to 0 bars. I have been using my phone off my wifi because of it.

I updated the PRL to the newest and even tried the 61677, I also tried the 0115. What is strange is this. After normal PRL update and setting the roaming to home I had the same issue with both PRL. But when I changed roaming to automatic I get full bars for like 20min then the phone goes back to 0 bars, also the google part of the phone fails to authenticate when I do it with automatic but at least I get full bars for brief time.

What is wrong with this phone?? I am paying for service I do not get. My friend has same network and she gets full signal at my place and wherever I tried.

Edit: Sometimes 3G will pop on with 1 bar for like 5 sec then turn off also. Phone came with 2.2.2
Edit 2: I just figured out roaming auto makes the phone not do calls, whatever I guess it uses other network towers, and why the bars went to max full time. Reverting back to home for the PRL update, but my issue remains no bars, will go max bars for brief sec or so and then back to 0.

 

[watskyhotsky]

Re: Desperate HELP Please

get it returned for a replacement, dont worry about the PRL they cant identify that in a store.

sounds like your phone has a serious radio problem.

if a replacement phone has the same problem, only THEN would i consider it a problem with signal reception inside the house, but thats still unlikely

 

[Spoonylove]

Re: Desperate HELP Please

Hmm okay thanks. Are there any steps I should take to make so my privacy is okay when I send the phone back? I got it on amazon. So do I restore default settings or what do I do with the sim card?

 

[Raul720]

If its not on stock the I would consider reverting it to stock.

 

[watskyhotsky]

Re: Desperate HELP Please

Hmm okay thanks. Are there any steps I should take to make so my privacy is okay when I send the phone back? I got it on amazon. So do I restore default settings or what do I do with the sim card?

first of all.

if you are on the stock rom and the ONLY mod you did was to change the PRL, you can do a factory reset.

if youve rooted or installed a custom recovery, youll need to flash a new stock rom, and then dont sign into google or put any personal data, also, wipe the sd card. it stays with the phone but your data shouldnt.


finally.. the optimus does NOT use a sim card..... its a CDMA phone, no SIM card, ever.

if you are referring to the SD card that came with the phone, just format it from the phones menu AFTER youve reset the rom or installed a fresh rom.



oh and you should be talking to Virgin Mobile customer support about returns. amazon is not the place.

I always buy my phones at a real store so I can talk to real people when it has problems and not deal with automated voice systems and long waits. I get swapped with a new phone in the store and walk out with a working one if I have problems.

 

[badrsj]

Thanks to all posters several good points. If the phone can be replaced from Amazon for a new device that's preferable to Virgins refurbished phones. Imho
Also as the friend has good signal on same service this is a device problem.

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