Network Vision/LTE - Washington DC Market

[grapkoski]

I do think it would be an interesting discussion into what is causing the specific delays in the DC core. If it is truly all because of backhaul - we could always have our elected officials add pressure to the offending organization. I'd love to get a job as a project manager for NV in DC but they are only hiring level III and the significant other wouldn't like me moving to Philly.

 

Also for full disclosure, I work, live and mostly play in that big dead zone following 14th st NW between U st NW and G st NW. Just my luck...

[enormous]

Also for full disclosure, I work, live and mostly play in that big dead zone following 14th st NW between U st NW and G st NW. Just my luck...

According to Sensorly it shouldn't be that dead in that area!

[grapkoski]

According to Sensorly it shouldn't be that dead in that area!

 

It has surely improved but it all depends on what tower you're connected and who else is connected with you. During the weekdays and commuting periods there just isn't enough capacity to go around. My dream is just that Sprint is just waiting for the Nextel shutdown, so they can bring up a new 3G core in my bubble that includes 800. One could dream....

 

Anyways, I bet the slowdown is because of backhaul/DC DCRA (permit issuer)/roof access to certain buildings near the White House. Comcast, AT&T and RCN are most likely providing some of the backhaul and I have no problem yelling at my contacts there.

[rmorrisonva]

It has surely improved but it all depends on what tower you're connected and who else is connected with you. During the weekdays and commuting periods there just isn't enough capacity to go around. My dream is just that Sprint is just waiting for the Nextel shutdown, so they can bring up a new 3G core in my bubble that includes 800. One could dream....

 

Anyways, I bet the slowdown is because of backhaul/DC DCRA (permit issuer)/roof access to certain buildings near the White House. Comcast, AT&T and RCN are most likely providing some of the backhaul and I have no problem yelling at my contacts there.

That's my bet too, that the pattern of site acceptances as work progresses seem to lend a bit of truth to the hunch.

 

I've also noticed explosive progress in SE Fairfax, Stafford, and Prince William Co's (right up to the market borders even), if it was a matter of equipment or labor shortages we wouldn't be seeing all the progress we are in those parts of the market.

[dcmike]

Agreed, there's certainly no shortage of skilled labor in this region. Getting anything done in DC is a bureaucratic nightmare - even if you're a contractor hired by the District itself. One would think the efficiencies of a combined city-county-state government would make things easier but there's actually a long list of federal agencies to deal with.

[rmorrisonva]

Agreed, there's certainly no shortage of skilled labor in this region. Getting anything done in DC is a bureaucratic nightmare - even if you're a contractor hired by the District itself. One would think the efficiencies of a combined city-county-state government would make things easier but there's actually a long list of federal agencies to deal with.

Yeah you are spot on... Prince William County and the District are two very very different regulatory and bureaucratic beasts.

 

I guess it's quite literally a "Federal project" when it comes to NV deployment inside the District :-)

[S4GRU]

The DC market progress has really dived off. So has Baltimore. This is true. I don't know the reasons.

 

I know it's not a Sprint choice to do so. DC is Sprint's second home town market. They would be nearly fully deployed like KC if they could. Whatever the issue is, I'm pretty sure it's out of their hands.

 

Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[adamo696]

The DC market progress has really dived off. So has Baltimore. This is true. I don't know the reasons.

 

I know it's not a Sprint choice to do so. DC is Sprint's second home town market. They would be nearly fully deployed like KC if they could. Whatever the issue is, I'm pretty sure it's out of their hands.

 

Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Do you think it will be solved any time soon?

[S4GRU]

Do you think it will be solved any time soon?

 

Since I have no idea what the issue is, I have no ability to begin to even speculate how fast it will be solved.  Sorry.  I just know deployment will continue at the fastest rate it can until the whole market is done.  And I have observed that the production rate has dropped significantly the past month or two.

 

Robert

[adamo696]

The DC market progress has really dived off. So has Baltimore. This is true. I don't know the reasons.

 

I know it's not a Sprint choice to do so. DC is Sprint's second home town market. They would be nearly fully deployed like KC if they could. Whatever the issue is, I'm pretty sure it's out of their hands.

 

Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

What do u mean by "DC is Sprints second home town"?

[S4GRU]

What do u mean by "DC is Sprints second home town"?

 

Sprint's headquarters used to be in Reston, Virginia prior to them moving back to Kansas City and establishing the new Sprint Campus.  They still maintain a very large presence there.

 

Robert

[kg4icg]

Sprint's headquarters used to be in Reston, Virginia prior to them moving back to Kansas City and establishing the new Sprint Campus.  They still maintain a very large presence there.

 

Robert

Yes they sure do, Also have a corporate Sprint strore on the campus in which I go to.

[Pillowsplat]

Has production slow across the country?

[kg4icg]

In Ashburn, saw some crew on the tower at exit 6 off of the Greenway, hanging some stuff up. Been working on that tower since last week. Just can't get picks because driving is taking my full attention.

[Boosted20V]

Has production slow across the country?

 

No, realistically production is at one of the highest points it's ever been.

[grapkoski]

Well interesting development - the weekend Nextel vanishes, the NV (3G only for now) towers in the McPherson square area were accepted. Feel bad for anyone that had to hang out on any roof this steamy/stormy weekend but thank you!

[kct1975]

 

 

What do u mean by "DC is Sprints second home town"?

 

 

Sprint's headquarters used to be in Reston, Virginia prior to them moving back to Kansas City and establishing the new Sprint Campus. They still maintain a very large presence there.

 

Robert

Ya....I remember driving by the building, off of Sunrise Valley Dr, when I was visiting friends in Reston VA

 

http://www.sprint.com/companyinfo/executivebriefingcenters/directions_reston.html

[Turas]

I went to to the zoo in DC the other day and was excited I saw some 4G love.  Unfortunately it did not last long as the signal was real weak.  My poor phone exhausted its battery in about 3-4 hours and was hot as heck.  I guess we were right on the edges and it kept looking and switching signals.  Still I was excited to see it as I don't actually go into DC that often.  I stay more on Alexandria, Fairfax areas which I see more and more popping up.  

[kct1975]

I work in Tyson VA, and I have started picking up some 4G LTE goodness.

 

Previously I got a little spotty 4G, but the last few days, my HTC One has been connected to 4G fairly frequently.

[kct1975]

I work in Tyson VA, and I have started picking up some 4G LTE goodness.

 

Previously I got a little spotty 4G, but the last few days, my HTC One has been connected to 4G fairly frequently.

[rmorrisonva]

Yeah I noticed the 4G lit up on Monday, the LTE site over next to the mall (in the vicinity of the MicroStrategies-signed building) is the one thats live. I get solid 4G on 3/4 sides of my building (which is across 7 behind the McDonalds). I actually just got in from running a few tests. You can see how NV/LTE will perform under load right now because this area is SOOOO dense w/ subscribers in the daytime (all the offices and the malls) and a lot will have LTE-enabled phones that are going to that one site. I got 0.5-3Mbps w/ pings under 50ms with a solid signal. Considering there are like a good 4-5 other sites nearby w/o LTE upgraded my suspicion is as those go live the load will be spread out a lot more and the speeds should go even higher. With my WiMax phone, and with a solid signal I averaged 2-4 Mbps in Tyson's during the day so it looks like LTE is going to kncok the socks off of that (and should be a little more stable in buildings since it's a lower frequency than WiMax)

[wyrdangel]

I actually got a little 4G on route 7 westbound in Sterling (close to the Dranesville Road intersection)....hit about 10M down once but tried it several times and 6+ was more the average.    Wasn't there this morning though when I was driving back into work.

[rmorrisonva]

I actually got a little 4G on route 7 westbound in Sterling (close to the Dranesville Road intersection)....hit about 10M down once but tried it several times and 6+ was more the average.    Wasn't there this morning though when I was driving back into work.

 

Yup there are several LTE towers live in that area. I get a pretty reliable run of 4G from Lewinsville Rd (just West of the Toll Rd.) up to near Cascades, although there are a couple of valleys where it will drop the 4G on occasion. You have an EVO LTE so I think that might be why you see it sporadically (I've heard similar stories here about the EVO and LTE issues). I have a GNex so my 4G is fine, but my 3G really blows in fringe-y areas... funny thing is as the fringe areas I travel in have started lighting up w/ 800SMR and LTE I get useable 4G service in places where I never really got decent 3G service. Each device has it's quirks, some more than others... but the GNex and the EVOLTE are both known to have some rather irksome ones :-(

[TheForce627]

Seems like the pace has picked up in the acceptance reports 

[zippychance]

4G is sporadic through Arlington, with the best shot being up and down Lee Highway between Lexington and Quincy. Hopefully the East Falls Church Metro area gets the treatment next, 3G service usually fades to 1X near the station. I have sensorly installed on my work phone but turning 4G on turns off direct connect so I can only really contribute to the maps at night.