I have a BB Pearl 8120 with AT&T. Unfortunately, I live in an area with no cell service at all - not for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc. Since my phone has wifi, I leave it on all the time so I can at least get my email and use most data services.
When I leave my house, AT&T service is available 1/2 mile away so my phone should pick it up fairly quickly. However, it sometimes takes 5 minutes or more before the phone realizes that it's in a cell service zone and pops up the signal bars and AT&T indicator. If I turn the phone off and then on, the cell service is recognized immediately. I didn't have this problem when I used a Pearl 8100, also with AT&T.
It appears to me that the phone only searches for service every 5 minutes or so as well as when it is first turned on. Is there any way to change this setting, so I can use my phone as soon as there is cell service?
By the way... I'd be one of the first people to buy the AT&T microcell (aka femtocell) when it's released since it will solve the lack of service at home. But, unfortunately, it appears that it will only work with 3G networks, so my only options are to pay for a Bold or switch to an iphone! Bummer.
