Please read this post - 
This is now our official 3G issue-fixing thread.
By working together, I think we've found the various paths to success - details on how we got here are in the posts that follow, as well as answers to any follow-up questions you may have.
Situation:
The 3G radio is really borked on a lot of the 3vo phones. For the most part, this is fixable by configuration - and in some cases, you may have bad hardware. This post will get you down the path to solution.
What you'll need:
- Speedtest.net or you can use this online tool, it's much easier: Speakeasy - Speedtest
- Open Signal Maps (this one is optional)
- homescreen, Menu, settings, Privacy -> ensure "Back up my settings" is on. Then settings, Accounts & sync, Sync all. DO THIS - this will safe you tons of grief later - trust me, this is important.
How to use Speedtest to see if you have a problem:
No, don't just push the start button and believe what you see. Speedtest is
highly inaccurate. It simply makes a good indicator tool if used properly.
At the bottom, second icon from the left - settings. Use that to change servers.
- Go back and forth and try multiple servers.
- Try a lot of them.
- If any of them say your phone is getting high speeds - above 600 kbps down in low population areas and above about 400 kbps down in higher population areas, your phone is probably fine.
- If you re-run the test and your speed varies a lot, don't get upset with your phone. That's just the inaccurate nature of Speedtest.
- Speedtest does not indicate the day-to-day performance of your phone in your area - it indicates the performance of your phone going thur Sprint to Speedtest servers. If you have a decent path from your phone to any Speedtest server, you're fine.
- You can get good wifi results on server A but lousy 3G results on that same server. Try other servers - you'll find lousy wifi but good 3G on server B is common.
- Speedtest is just an indicator tool.
How to fix your phone:
Ok, now that you've determined that you have a problem, here are corrective steps, in order.
At the end of each following step, re-try Speedtest using above instructions.
- homescreen, Menu, settings, System updates: Update PRL then Update profile. If you're having trouble, it's ok to update these using wifi.
- Long-press on power, Restart phone.
- Pull battery for 60 seconds.
- Nothing worked so far? Time to call Sprint. Have a second phone handy. On 3vo, dial *2, then top menu item to call Sprint. Tell them you're having a known 3G speed problem and you'd like to walk through a re-activation and then a hard reset using ##data# and then ##786# as needed. (In other words - reprovisioning.) During this process, they'll give you your MSL code (the one that unlocks the above two things). DO NOT just get your MSL and then go thru the steps yourself. Your Sprint rep can see your phone performing and coming online - if the 3G problem is a bad setup for you in their database, they can spot and fix that. Work with them on this. When complete, update PRL and profile, then re-do the Speedtest.
- If that still fails, ask the Sprint rep to look up your local Sprint facility and schedule your phone for an RF test. If your phone fails an RF test, then it will need immediate replacement and the Sprint tech performing the test will back you up on that 100% - because you've followed their preferred procedure.
Following your reprovisioning, hard reset or new phone - homescreen, Menu, settings, Privacy -> check on "Automatic restore" -- settings, Accounts & sync, Sync all. Your previously loaded apps and important settings will now update to your phone, no sweat.
Hope this helps!
Two postscripts -
PS - I had a bad phone. The bad RF also manifested itself as lousy GPS - all fixed by a new phone.
PS - Now that you're good to go, try this one -
http://androidforums.com/htc-evo-3d/361521-streaming-media-tyrrany-sprint-proxies.html
