[fuforums]

Is there any way for my to use my Spring Blackberry 8703e in a data roaming mode on Alltel's EVDO network? I have searched for hours and hours and have found nothing about this but have heard it from someone second-hand that works for Sprint.

Word is you have to force the Sprint Blackberry to roam for data and in my area there is no Sprint EVDO but there is Alltel evdo and I would like to use it. I'm pretty sure it can be done but I have no idea how and there is no mention of roaming on my 8703e at all.

I have heard of PRL and *228 and all sorts of stuff. None of that works on the Blackberry 8703e and now I'm tired of searching and I hope someone can help me.

Thanks.

[Dubdub]

Generally, Verizon and Sprint do not allow other carrier's phones to operate on their networks. Don't know about Alltell though. They are very private as opposed to the GSM carriers who seem to have roaming agreements in place with each other.

Lets hope someone can shed some light on the issue though.

[likefre]

AFAIK, there's no way to "force" the 8703 to roam on other networks, it will do so automaticaly when there's no signal, so the only way for you to data roam on Alltel is that your blackberry detects that it has no signal, only then will it roam on alltel or verizon. If anyone knows different please let us know

[livspop]

Alltel and Sprint have a new EVDO roaming agreement that should be in place. But I'm pretty sure it's exclusive between those two carriers. I'm assuming you're on Verizon? I know how to force roaming to a particular SID on my motorola phones but haven't even begun to see whether that's possible on the blackberry. Long story short...I don't believe any carrier other than Sprint is allowed access to the Alltel EVDO data network.

[scaredpoet]

likefre is correct. While Sprint has data roaming agreements with Alltel, US Cellular, and Verizon, CDMA Blackberries (at least on Sprint) are configured to NOT roam if it can find a Sprint signal. You cannot force roam a CDMA Blackberry. You'd have to get out of Sprint's coverage area before the 8703e will roam.

The same is true of 7130e, and possibly the 7250 as well.

[likefre]

Originally Posted by scaredpoet

likefre is correct. While Sprint has data roaming agreements with Alltel, US Cellular, and Verizon, CDMA Blackberries (at least on Sprint) are configured to NOT roam if it can find a Sprint signal. You cannot force roam a CDMA Blackberry. You'd have to get out of Sprint's coverage area before the 8703e will roam.

The same is true of 7130e, and possibly the 7250 as well.

Thanks for clarifying this, scaredpoet knows what he is talking about...
Hey, did you ever tried the Alltel os?...BTW, I got the new PRL thanks to your instructions..

[fuforums]

But it would seem that the agreement between Sprint and Alltel would allow you to have EVDO wherever you are, even if you have voice locally, you should be able to data roam. The features in the phone's documentation says that the 8703e has "Data Roaming". Otherwise, it would just be regular roaming.

Either way it sucks because I want high speed but apparently my area isn't ready for EVDO (unless you buy an Alltell phone).

Of course the Sprint reps barely know what a blackberry is much less what EVDO is and anything about it. It's amazing that people would work in a field that they know nothing about and care to learn nothing about. I try to know absolutely EVERYTHING about my job and the industry I'm in because I don't want to sound like an idiot to others when they have questions. I guess some people just work for the paycheck and to make it from weekend to weekend.

[fuforums]

Originally Posted by scaredpoet

likefre is correct. While Sprint has data roaming agreements with Alltel, US Cellular, and Verizon, CDMA Blackberries (at least on Sprint) are configured to NOT roam if it can find a Sprint signal. You cannot force roam a CDMA Blackberry. You'd have to get out of Sprint's coverage area before the 8703e will roam.

The same is true of 7130e, and possibly the 7250 as well.

I wonder if you could shield the phone close to an Alltel tower and force it to start looking for roaming towers and then unshield it so it would grab the strong Alltel signal. Now, to find an Alltel tower...

[likefre]

I dont think it would work, again from what I understand, it is setup so it looks for sprint first so if you are able to force your blackberry to loose sprint's signal and roam with alltel, as soon as it finds sprint, will go back t it. I think it has to do with the PRL.
I am still a newbee on CDMA, please feel free to correct me if Im wrong

[ericshmerick]

Originally Posted by fuforums

But it would seem that the agreement between Sprint and Alltel would allow you to have EVDO wherever you are, even if you have voice locally, you should be able to data roam. The features in the phone's documentation says that the 8703e has "Data Roaming". Otherwise, it would just be regular roaming.

Either way it sucks because I want high speed but apparently my area isn't ready for EVDO (unless you buy an Alltell phone).

Of course the Sprint reps barely know what a blackberry is much less what EVDO is and anything about it. It's amazing that people would work in a field that they know nothing about and care to learn nothing about. I try to know absolutely EVERYTHING about my job and the industry I'm in because I don't want to sound like an idiot to others when they have questions. I guess some people just work for the paycheck and to make it from weekend to weekend.

Joe,

I am from Savannah too, and used to force my Sprint Q into roaming to take advantage of EVDO. No telling when our area will get EVDO. They keep pusing it back, was told this summer then the store told me (on 3/19/07) that it would most likely be the end of 2007!

I really liked having the ability to force the phone into roaming. I only get maybe one bar in my house (1x on Sprint network) and I frequently can't place calls. One would think that the phone, when set on automatic, would switch over to roaming since the signal is stronger. Not so. My Q didn't do it and my BB 8703e doesn't either. At least with my Q I could force it into roaming, and *bam* suddenly I would have full bars and EVDO would work (on Alltell or Verizon I guess).

So now I'm in Orlando on business with my brand new Sprint 8703e. They place I'm staying at has NO Sprint signal in the room. My BB refuses to switch to roaming (which I KNOW has a signal b/c people I work with have other CDMA carriers and they get a great signal in this room). Also, my Cingular (work) phone has a full blast signal, so I know reception is possible in this room. Sprint just isn't making it through the walls.

WHY isn't there an option to FORCE roaming on a BB? As such a business focused device, I'd think this option would certainly be there for cases like this...but it isn't (from what I can tell).

For once, I wish I had my Q here so I could force it into roaming and actually place and receive calls.

It seems the BB will have to be starved down to 0% signal before it will switch into roaming.

I'm not happy about that. Any solutions?

[jbairdjr]

I am not sure that Alltel and Sprint have data roaming agreements, although Alltel and Verizon do. I believe that Sprint roams for voice, though.
Here in Nebraska, I have had EVDO working almost everywhere I get signal. Coverage is also better with Alltel than with Sprint. Speed is much faster than 1X, and works great.
Truthfully, Alltel plans are cheaper here and coverage is better, so Sprint was never an option for us.