How to prevent Sprint from dropping down to old 1xRTT instead of the high-bandwidth EVDO?

by Ray Picard
(Santa Cruz Mountains)

Originally (over a year ago) the Sprint software with the Sierra Wireless 597U/598U cellular modem allowed a setting that said "EVDO Only". One of the later software revisions (to Sprint SmartView) eliminated this preference.

When my connection reverts to 1xRTT, my speed drops to 1/4 dial-up speed up to double dial-up speed (around 15 kbps to 130 kbps). So at these speeds, it sometimes is barely useable. When I get dropped to 1XRTT, if I disconnect and then reconnect, I am usually back to EVDO rates (but it often will not last long before dropping down again.

My EVDO speed is less than the minimum Sprint advertises. I can get 250-600 kbps (usually around 300 kbps), which is very useable.

I have used AOL dial-up for years, getting 28 kbps out of a 56k modem due to phone wire distance. My location has no cable access and I am too far from the central office for DSL. So to get faster Internet access, it is either Wireless or Satellite broadband. I have heard more bad things about satellite broadband than cellular wireless, so I went with Sprint. I am behind a small hill, up a small mountain from the tower (around 7-10 miles away), and in medium density evergreen trees. None of this is ideal, I know.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
==Ray