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Root PRL Goose-chase on the Prevail?

I suspect that you are correct with respect to the legality... This is mostly an academic exercise at this point. I MAY not always be on Boost, so I want to learn what I can.

Do you have a source for your assertion that roaming is dictated by the IMEI and controlled by some setting on the "home network", rather than some setting/code on the phone? Just curious...

Enjoy: http://www.3gpp2.org/public_html/specs/X.S0004-000-E_v2.0_051003.pdf

Maybe you can understand it better than me, but from what I comprehended the authentication is handled between the Visited Network and the Home Network and they've got all kinds of fraud prevention procedures in place. Hope your experiment doesn't lead to any trouble for you.
 
OK... I decided to do a comprehensive Roaming Indicator Test. I accomplished the following test with the 60683.prl using ONLY SID 4120, which is the SID to which my phone connects at home. The two applicable settings in the PRL are:

"Properties:Default Roaming Indicator":<ON|OFF|FLASHING>
"System Records:Roaming Indicator":<ON|OFF|FLASHING>

So the setting permutation list is as follows:
DRI/RI = <result: ON|OFF|FLASHING>
on/on = Red X No Service
on/off = Off? With 2-3 bars service SID 4120
on/flashing = Red X No Service
off/on = Red X No Service
off/off = Off? With 2-3 bars service SID 4120
off/flashing = Red X No Service
flashing/on = Red X No Service
flashing/off = Off? With 2-3 bars service SID 4120
flashing/flashing = Red X No Service

Analysis: OK... not at ALL what I expected... For THIS phone, probably ALL Prevails:

a. The "Properties:Default Roaming Indicator" is a HEADER INFO only field and has no resulting effect on PRL/device function

b. If the "System Records:Roaming Indicator" in set to "ON" or "Flashing", the phone will NOT connect to that SID. This property MUST be set to "OFF" if you want your Prevail to connect to the SID.

I suspect that this is a "Boost Mobile" thing or perhaps a ROM thing... Perhaps when the device calls (via the PRL info) the (existant or non-existant) roaming indicator, the device or the home network says "NO CONNECT". I don't know why, I'm just reporting my testing observations.
 
I don't have any coverage issues with the default PRL on my phone, which I'm assuming is a Boost PRL, although my 3g speeds aren't very good at all. Would it make any difference if I were to try to switch to a Sprint PRL?

A decided "MAYBE"... 60683.prl or maybe 11115.prl, ONLY because the Sprint PRLs don't have the in-network NID restrictions that the Boost PRLs do...
 
Enjoy: http://www.3gpp2.org/public_html/specs/X.S0004-000-E_v2.0_051003.pdf

Maybe you can understand it better than me, but from what I comprehended the authentication is handled between the Visited Network and the Home Network and they've got all kinds of fraud prevention procedures in place. Hope your experiment doesn't lead to any trouble for you.

Thanks, I'll read up on it... No worries... I'm not going to do anything that would get me in trouble... It ain't worth it...

EDIT: Whoa! looked at the document... Not THAT interested in this subject.... ;)
 
First: When flashing PRL on MY phone with Gingerbread ROM, I did NOT need to make the ##8778# access and DM:UART|USB change to USB... I can leave mine in DM:UART without change.

Second: When flashing PRL my phone, I do NOT have to switch the ##7678# access to Data Port:DM|UMS back to UMS to see the results of the flash.... I simply changed it to DM to make all the tests and left it that way for the duration of the testing... THEN, when I was done, I switched it back to UMS... Granted, I was ONLY testing for service/no service conditions.

Third: Changing the PRL ID from 60683 to 60682 updated the File ID in the phone display without changing the phone function... No biggie... Just makes it possible to change the ID for testing purposes, so you can verify with CDMA Workshop that the file you intended to flash is indeed flashed...

HOWEVER... on a "Cool Note", since the providers DO occasionally check and PUSH PRLs to the phone, this could prove useful if you are using a Sprint PRL instead of Boost... Simply change the PRL ID of your SPRINT PRL to the current Boost PRL ID and the network will likely NOT PUSH the restricted Boost PRL on top of your "un-crippled" Sprint PRL.

Fourth: I was able to delete the System Record for my "HOME SID" form the PRL file, and my phone still found service... I was just curious.
 
Ah I see well I hope you find some good information and as far as the legality I think for educational purpose there should not be any legal issues.
 
Great work guys keep it up, Love this kind of information finding to improve this phone!

Would be nice if the had a Odin with the Sprint PLR (and if its legal and possible have to odin to roaming too!)
 
Great work guys keep it up, Love this kind of information finding to improve this phone!

Would be nice if the had a Odin with the Sprint PLR (and if its legal and possible have to odin to roaming too!)

Do not think it would be wise, or even possible, to include the PRL in an Odin deal...

Also... it's pretty much a done deal now that there is NO LEGAL WAY to roam outside of the Sprint system on a BoostMobile phone...
 
hey I love all this tech talk about prl's and all but my question is, if i'm running cm7 can i change my prl to get better reception? In my house i get one bar or no bars depending on where i am. Now can i change my prl to get better reception? if so how and where are the files?
 
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