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My cell phone has been showing a "Searching For Service" message since about 9 AM Tuesday. It's Virgin Mobile using the Sprint network. It normally connects to the Keaau tower, or Pahoa tower. Customer service says everything is fine. Everything else on the phone works properly. I've turned it off and removed the battery, then powered it back up, several times. Still the same message. Anyone else having issues with their service?
"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." -James Madison, The Federalist Papers, 1787
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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Virgin Mobile using the Sprint network
Have you tried driving to Hilo?
Seriously, MVNO backend is incredibly complicated; you will have to escalate past "customer service" to an actual engineer. (It sounds like your "local" towers can't authenticate with Virgin -- sometimes it's worth paying more to get service from the native carrier.)
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Have you tried driving to Hilo?
I don't have an hour for a Hilo trip today, but am going into town tomorrow.
you will have to escalate past "customer service"
Yes, I managed to speak with Defcon Level 1 or 2*, and they forwarded the problem up the chain to an investigator and then I presume McGuyver.
* I never really know how many levels exist under the customer service umbrella. The one I'm speaking to always tells me they are the highest, until they can't solve the problem and then bump it up another level.
"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." -James Madison, The Federalist Papers, 1787
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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Do phones still need to have the PRL updated? I think it was *228, and then when prompted hit the button to do it (I think it was 2?)
ETA: I hit *228 on my phone and it said my sim card had already taken care of that- I guess it's still valid in some situations.
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Posts: 11,062
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Joined: Sep 2012
I drove to Hilo today, no service there either. I bought a new phone, I'm now on my 4th try to port the old number to the new phone, cut off, and now the office is closed. I'll give it try number 5 in the morning. That's why I kept my old phone and service provider for as long as I could, they all claim to want your business, as long as you don't expect to get a signal from their tower, or the ability to activate a new phone and account in one or two tries. How hard can it be? Apparently it's extremely difficult.
"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." -James Madison, The Federalist Papers, 1787
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
