After I got that fancy new phone I have been playing with for almost 2 weeks now, the lack of cellular coverage in my house really started to get to me. I blame it on the radiant barrier that keeps the house energy efficient. basically, its like covering the house in tinfoil!
A friend was telling me that she had a Sprint TV app (when I was whining that I can't get the U-Verse app). But when I looked for it, couldn't find it. But - there's this Sprint concept of SprintIDs -- basically, its like having multiple identities on your phone with a set of bundled apps. The only way my phone can get the SprintTV app is by having the Sprint- SprintID. Unfortunately, you have to be on the cellular data network to get these things (won't work over the WiFi connection). Plus, once you get them some (i.e. Sprint TV) only work on the cell network as well.
What this means - I have to go outside to be able to use these nifty sprint apps. And right now, its below freezing in San Antonio - I don't want to sit outside just to load something on the phone. Add to that, sitting outside to talk on the phone is really not fun.
I had a cell booster for a while -- the problem with that was 1- 15 feet of vertical distance between the base station and the antenna (not so easy on a 1-story house without getting on the roof) and 2 - the cable to connect the outside antenna to the base station has to come into the house somehow and I just didn't want to drill the holes!
A friend told me that he had similar problems, called Sprint and they sent him this nifty device that would plug into the internet connection in the house and create a sort of personal cell tower inside. I called Sprint, and sure enough -- they sent one out! (Apparently you do have to talk to someone for this -- I tried the online chat thing and they said to call Account Service) It arrived today and I have now plugged it in and I'm waiting for the lights to stop flashing -- they say up to 2 hours for the device to identify all the stuff it needs and set itself up (?!?)
*update* after 30+ minutes, the GPS signal still wasn't working. You need the GPS to prove that you are not trying to use the Airave to scam cellular coverage in another country. The thing does come with a GPS antenna - so I've plugged that in and put the receiver end in the window of the office. Hopefully that will work -- I really don't want to deal with mounting an antenna outside again :)
*update2* so it really did take 2 hours -- but now my phone shows data connection and all bars! woo hoo! now I can answer the phone inside the house and expect to keep the call more than 5 minutes!
