GSM detection/identification

[Paul Buede]

Dimitri wrote:
> Are you able to make and receive calls?
>
> If not, perhaps the sim isn't touching all the phone's connections.
>
> At least, that's the problem I had when I tried to connect to AT&T. It would
> show that I had 5 bars, but it would always say "Registering...".
>
> I was able to wiggle the sim a little, reboot the phone, and have it
> properly connect to the ATT network (i.e., it changed from "Registering..."
> to "AT&T" and I was able to make/receive calls and text messages).
>
> D
>  
>
> Paul Buede wrote:
>   
>> So, I picked up a tmobile sim, and signed up with them (I have another
>> week to cancel), and so the phone registers with tmobile.  I am finding
>> the coverage isn't great in the rural areas I find myself.  When driving
>> around, if out of reach of tmobile, it will say "registering" as if
>> there is no sim card.  But, on the little image of the antenna, that
>> shows how strong my connection is, I still have 2 bars.  Is that a bad
>> guage of connectivity?  Is it wrong?  Or does that maybe tell me that it
>> has 2 bars of strength with some sort of other gsm network?  Is there a
>> way I can query the phone from the cli to have it show me the different
>> carriers it can sense network for?  I am interested in running a little
>> cron to pipe all carriers it detects into a file every minute as I drive
>> around the countryside, so I can see  who i will get the best coverage
>> with.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>     

Yes, I am able to make and receive calls when it reads T-Mobile in the
upper left. But then, as I get further away from civilization it
switches to Registering, but a bar or two remain in the upper right.