vB Easy Archive - Blackberry 8700c debug screens/system info??

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Blackberry 8700c debug screens/system info??
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Posted by: tkrandall

Hi - new to Cingular (and GSM for that matter). I have a company provided 8700c Blackberry I just got last week. Long time Sprint customer here (personal line) and I am familiar with some of the codes their various phones models have to allow you to see things like the SID, channel, frequency band, tower (PN offset in the case of CDMA).

Are there any such similar means to observe network parameters on my new 8700c? I'd love to be able to see when the phone hands off bewtween towers as well as frequency and channel assignments. I'm curious how things like that are handled differently on GSM, and how cingular has thier network here (Georgia) laid out.

Thanks!

Posted by: tkrandall

Sorry to bump this thread - but is there no one here that knows how to observe network/frequency/signal strength, Ec/Io type info on the Blackberry?

Posted by: mySRT8U

its all controlled by the sim card.

Posted by: BB Junkie

try www.blackberryforums.com

Posted by: I have a phone

Quote:

Originally Posted by mySRT8U

its all controlled by the sim card.

that's incorrect. RIM uses a special tool to reveal network parameters

Posted by: tkrandall

I am just talking about a code theat you can type in and view what the phone is doing on the screen. Debug screen, Service screen, call it what you want, it puts the phone in a special mode. I thought all phones have such codes, but I have not been able to find any yet for the BB.

Posted by: GregF

I do not believe there is a "Field Test" mode for BlackBerries. I have read online that there is an application that provides the same type of "Field Test" information, but it is proprietary BlackBerry software for their engineers. I don't know how to get a copy of it.

Please see the following posts at BlackBerryForums.com

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gen...-strengths.html

http://www.blackberryforums.com/aft...fo-utility.html

The second post has a program that can at least provide the tower ID. I haven't tried it, but others have posted that it works.

On GSM BlackBerries there is a way to determine the MCC-MNC code of the current connection by looking at the active Host Routing Table under options. That's about it.

Posted by: tkrandall

Well, I was hoping to be able to observe things such as tower handoffs as well as frequency use patterns between the 800 band and the 1900 band. I have heard Cingular ATT uses both bands in an overlayed manne and I was kind of hoping to get to observe that myself. Metro Atlanta Cingular has both 800 and 1900 bands.

Posted by: I have a phone

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkrandall

I am just talking about a code theat you can type in and view what the phone is doing on the screen. Debug screen, Service screen, call it what you want, it puts the phone in a special mode. I thought all phones have such codes, but I have not been able to find any yet for the BB.

as I said, it's a special tool that is proprietary and not open to the subscriber

Posted by: tkrandall

so it is just a RIM thing (the inability to access a field test screen)?

Posted by: GregF

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkrandall

Well, I was hoping to be able to observe things such as tower handoffs as well as frequency use patterns between the 800 band and the 1900 band. I have heard Cingular ATT uses both bands in an overlayed manne and I was kind of hoping to get to observe that myself. Metro Atlanta Cingular has both 800 and 1900 bands.

Here's what I'd suggest. Buy an old Nokia 6340i and get an extra Cingular SIM (doesn't have to be active, just one that is set up for 310-410). That phone is easy to put into Field Test Mode.

With that, you'll be able to see the channels in use in your area. Channels < 500 are in the 850 band, channels > 500 are in the 1900 band. In general, your BlackBerry will use the one with the highest signal strength. When the 6340i channel order flips, thats where your BlackBerry would have done a tower handoff (generally). You'll be able to see tower ID's, and MCC-MNC's if you are in an area with where you roam onto other carriers towers.