Sprint TD-LTE 2500/2600mhz Discussion

[Nickel]

My wife and I were at Buy Buy Baby and I ran a speedtest with my wife's S4 mini. It was fast. I then ran one with my S4 and it was fast but not near as fast. I checked the LTE Engineering screen on my wife's phone and it was Band 41. Good consistent speed. Sceenshots to come. How do I post screenhots within this post?

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/3767-adding-images-to-posts-imgur-links/

[Guest DigiClaws]

Thanks Nickel. Here are the screenshots. My RSRP was -102 at best. Wonder how much faster it'd be if I were closer and not inside a building. I was located at 32.822350, -97.204350. The closest towers are located at 32.813950, -97.208889 and 32.829354, -97.207933. The tower located at 32.813950, -97.208889 was recently upgraded to LTE so I'd like to assume it was upgraded with Band 41 as well. Not sure if that is a co-lo with Clear.

 

http://imgur.com/O6zoAUU

http://imgur.com/0IJMZGb

http://imgur.com/QooiOBj

[Paynefanbro]

On 1 bar! I would love speeds like that!

[Guest DigiClaws]

That bar is the 1x signal. For some reason when indoors and LTE  and the goofy Spark logo are lit up the 1x voice signal only has one bar and doesn't even show connected in Signal Check. Also, I've noticed that LTE is not available while on the phone on the S4 Mini. However, LTE and 1x are available simultaneously on the S4. Is there an OTA that will address that or are S4 Mini users just screwed for the long haul?

[Paynefanbro]

That bar is the 1x signal. For some reason when indoors and LTE  and the goofy Spark logo are lit up the 1x voice signal only has one bar and doesn't even show connected in Signal Check. Also, I've noticed that LTE is not available while on the phone on the S4 Mini. However, LTE and 1x are available simultaneously on the S4. Is there an OTA that will address that or are S4 Mini users just screwed for the long haul?

That bar is the 1x signal. For some reason when indoors and LTE  and the goofy Spark logo are lit up the 1x voice signal only has one bar and doesn't even show connected in Signal Check. Also, I've noticed that LTE is not available while on the phone on the S4 Mini. However, LTE and 1x are available simultaneously on the S4. Is there an OTA that will address that or are S4 Mini users just screwed for the long haul?

False. Devices on 4.3 and above actually show LTE strength in the bars. The One Max can't use LTE and CDMA radios at the same time so that is definitely 1 bar of LTE.

[Guest DigiClaws]

Since when did that change get worked into Android? I can see that one bar would represent the RSRP is had. So if that's the case then the 1x signal strength is never shown (bars) if LTE is connected. Also, that stupid Spark logo is lit up when LTE is connected, no matter the band, and spins when LTE data is being sent and received. I thought the Spark logo was only for Band 41 when it is connected?

[Paynefanbro]

Since when did that change get worked into Android? I can see that one bar would represent the RSRP is had. So if that's the case then the 1x signal strength is never shown (bars) if LTE is connected. Also, that stupid Spark logo is lit up when LTE is connected, no matter the band, and spins when LTE data is being sent and received. I thought the Spark logo was only for Band 41 when it is connected?

Since the Note 3 devices have shown LTE signal in bars instead of 1x stregnth. The S3 and HTC One now show it in the 4.3 update too.

[Guest DigiClaws]

What about the S4? I have the S4 and I have 4.3. However, I don't have the LTE icon, but rather have the 4GLTE icon. Am I in the same boat? 

[Paynefanbro]

What about the S4? I have the S4 and I have 4.3. However, I don't have the LTE icon, but rather have the 4GLTE icon. Am I in the same boat?

 

I believe so.

[Dkoellerwx]

What about the S4? I have the S4 and I have 4.3. However, I don't have the LTE icon, but rather have the 4GLTE icon. Am I in the same boat?

Yes.

 

And all tri-band devices are not capable of SvLTE, or they cannot have simultaneous voice and data. This will be the norm from now on until VoLTE becomes available. It's very expensive, and just not feasible to have SvLTE along side three LTE radios, one of which is TD-LTE (which caused the biggest issue with SvLTE). So your device can only have one connection at a time, and whichever that is is what gets reflected in bars.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Guest DigiClaws]

Interesting. I have an S4 and I can talk and use data at the same time. Tri-band devices are not able to do this why? You can only use one data connection at a time. So why again can you not talk and use data with tri-band devices? You said it was very expensive. Do you mind explaining that? Thanks for the elaboration.

[Dkoellerwx]

Interesting. I have an S4 and I can talk and use data at the same time. Tri-band devices are not able to do this why? You can only use one data connection at a time. So why again can you not talk and use data with tri-band devices? You said it was very expensive. Do you mind explaining that? Thanks for the elaboration.

The simple explanation is there is not room for two transmit and receive radios.

 

That's how SvLTE works, there are two radios receiving and sending information at the same time.

 

In order to fit the TD-LTE and SMR LTE antenna into the current phone designs, it was not practical to also try to squeeze in that second radio. And it's not really about room, it's about getting it to work with TD-LTE and FD-LTE at the same time. Is it possible? Probably. But it's cost prohibitive.

 

Someone with more expertise in the subject can probably detail it a little better than that.

[Guest DigiClaws]

No, that's good. Thanks for the explanation Dkoellerwx. Is there a map that shows B41 deployments or will the NV Sites Completed reflect that at some point?

[Dkoellerwx]

No, that's good. Thanks for the explanation Dkoellerwx. Is there a map that shows B41 deployments or will the NV Sites Completed reflect that at some point?

When Sprint starts accepting Band 41 sites, they may show in the NV Sites Completed map. Currently, we have maps of the Band 41 schedule for Clearwire in the Premiere Sponsors section.

[bitslizer]

No, that's good. Thanks for the explanation Dkoellerwx. Is there a map that shows B41 deployments or will the NV Sites Completed reflect that at some point?

 

If its one of the launched market like Chicago, if you use Sprint's coverage map on their website and zoom in enough it will show it as Spark Turbo where band 41 is available.  but hard to get that if you are in door.

[WiWavelength]

If its one of the launched market like Chicago, if you use Sprint's coverage map on their website and zoom in enough it will show it as Spark Turbo where band 41 is available.

 

No, unless circumstances have changed, that is not accurate.  Our understanding of Spark Turbo is that it highlights band 41 TD-LTE 2600 with backhaul improvements.  It does not indicate all band 41 TD-LTE 2600 deployment.

 

AJ

[Vince]

No, unless circumstances have changed, that is not accurate. Our understanding of Spark Turbo is that it highlights band 41 TD-LTE 2600 with backhaul improvements. It does not indicate all band 41 TD-LTE 2600 deployment.

 

AJ

During my trial with my mifi, I noticed that the turbo areas were basically the only places I could get 41. The other shades of yellow that are labeled "spark" are just their fancy new ways to label LTE. It's almost an exact overlay of the existing LTE coverage maps in Chicago.

[Vince]

I know because I'm typing this from inside a corporate store on the south side of Chicago. Just got in to a big argument with their "technician" about 2600 LTE. After going back and forth with tech support on the phone, they deemed my unit "defective." Band 25 on the device was defective and wouldn't connect. Only 3G when I left those turbo areas, and my phone was loaded full signal with 1900 LTE. He said, "it's not defective, look, it has 1 bar of LTE. You have to pay the restocking fee." Imbecile.

[WiWavelength]

During my trial with my mifi, I noticed that the turbo areas were basically the only places I could get 41. The other shades of yellow that are labeled "spark" are just their fancy new ways to label LTE. It's almost an exact overlay of the existing LTE coverage maps in Chicago.

The problem with that assessment is Denver shows no Spark coverage, but it has had band 41 TD-LTE 2600 for roughly six months.

 

AJ

[Vince]

The problem with that assessment is Denver shows no Spark coverage but it has had band 41 TD-LTE 2600 for roughly six months.

 

AJ

They're not even a launched market, right? I think the whole "spark coverage" is more marketing than anything. They have no LTE in almost the whole city. Overlaying "turbo" hash marks on top of 3G coverage would just confuse the masses.

[S4GRU]

They're not even a launched market, right? I think the whole "spark coverage" is more marketing than anything. They have no LTE in almost the whole city. Overlaying "turbo" hash marks on top of 3G coverage would just confuse the masses.

Everything Sprint is doing is confusing the masses, at this point. Sometimes they even confuse me. Heck, I think sometimes they are confused themselves.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

[bitslizer]

No, unless circumstances have changed, that is not accurate.  Our understanding of Spark Turbo is that it highlights band 41 TD-LTE 2600 with backhaul improvements.  It does not indicate all band 41 TD-LTE 2600 deployment.

 

AJ

 

Thanks for the clarification!  So if its turbo, you "should" get B41, if its not Turbo, there's chance you MAY get B41 if its in a deployed market?

[IamMrFamous07]

Can we get rid of this thread and just add it to the existing Spark thread?

[WiWavelength]

Can we get rid of this thread and just add it to the existing Spark thread?

 

No, we are not going to merge a 60 page thread with a 36 page thread.  The in thread flow would be thrown way off.  We may close this thread, though.

 

AJ