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Network Vision/LTE - Upper Central Valley Market (Sacramento, Stockton, Redding, Eureka & Reno/Lake Tahoe)

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Detective John Kimble Member Level: Smoke Signals

Detective John Kimble

Posted
Posted

Samsung devices have software bugs that prevent it from correctly identifying which bands you're connected to on all the apps that deal with signal and identification and etc. You'll need to enter the engineering screen and look at Band # to find out as the spinning Spark icon just denotes you're connected to Sprints network. 

 

The apps to have are Signalcheck Pro, LTE Discovery, and Sensorly (for mapping). 

 

Signalcheck Pro is a must as Mike (the developer on this forum) has begun implementing a  new method to identify what bands you're connected to for Samsung devices on his Beta builds (which I have access to). Looks extremely promising so far on the S4T I mess with and he's plenty active on the forums here in his little corner. 

Thanks lilotimz.  I have Signalcheck Pro - good to know it's Samsung issues and I will check out the forum.

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lilotimz
lilotimz

Market Situation Report... 1-28-2015 Of the 549 sites that exist in this market.. all have been upgraded to Samsung equipment. Of those 549, 170 remains as 3G until backhaul is acquired with more th

Nuno916
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Holy crap after waiting for a long time I finally get some LTE in midtown. I'm at 16th and C street..

lilotimz
lilotimz

Thought I'd do this since I haven't done it in a while...   Currently there exists 551 sites in this market. Of those 551 sites..   In Progress: 4 sites  Live on NV 3G: 239 sites Broadcasting 4G

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Ant Member Level: Digital

Ant

Posted
Posted

Hello All,

 

I got a Galaxy Note 4 before Thanksgiving. My ability to get LTE has improved over my HTC One (M7), but I'm not sure that I am getting a Spark signal yet. Today I was in the car (with someone else driving!) from Woodland to downtown Sacto and I never left "310120". If I understand correctly, this code is for the non-Spark bands (bands 25 & 26, Spark being band 41). Should I have had a Spark signal during the drive?

 

Additionally, is there an app that tells me which band I am on? Some folks have posted screenshots that appear to be of apps that have this functionality - I haven't seen it in Sensorly or Ookla. What are the apps called that can show the band number?

 

Thanks for all of you help. I am going to donate now to become a sponsor again (I lapsed).

 

JK

I'm Detective John Kimble. I'M A COP, you idiot!!!

 

 

- -

Ant (iPhone 6 Plus)

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wise Member Level: Analog

wise

Posted
Posted (edited)

Sprint didn't announce this anywhere, but the following towns have Spark:

 

Modesto, Stockton, Manteca, Turlock, Ceres, and most of Stanislaus County and parts of San Joaquin..

 

Basically from Stanislaus County, through San Joaquin county, up to connecting to Sacramento.

 

I discovered this by accident tonight when checking Sprint's coverage map.

 

Notice, Sprint has never once announced any of these cities as getting Spark. Only Sacramento.

 

December 17th, 2014, 16 new Sprint markets were turned on according to Sprint, but they didn't name but two of the sites in the press release. Maybe it was turned on then, or when Sacramento was turned on back before but never mentioned it? Anyway, time to test it as I happen to be in Modesto, CA, I will have to try this out. I am getting a Note 4 .. maybe tonight or tomorrow to test it further.

Edited by wise
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LuisBOSS302 Member Level: 3G EVDO

LuisBOSS302

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Sprint didn't announce this anywhere, but the following towns have Spark:

 

Modesto, Stockton, Manteca, Turlock, Ceres, and most of Stanislaus County and parts of San Joaquin..

 

Basically from Stanislaus County, through San Joaquin county, up to connecting to Sacramento.

 

I discovered this by accident tonight when checking Sprint's coverage map.

 

Notice, Sprint has never once announced any of these cities as getting Spark. Only Sacramento.

 

December 17th, 2014, 16 new Sprint markets were turned on according to Sprint, but they didn't name but two of the sites in the press release. Maybe it was turned on then, or when Sacramento was turned on back before but never mentioned it? Anyway, time to test it as I happen to be in Modesto, CA, I will have to try this out. I am getting a Note 4 .. maybe tonight or tomorrow to test it further.

Yeah we been having Band 41 since summer and B26 is now showing up in more places in the 209. The only city that still struggles with service.

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coolguy27 Member Level: Analog

coolguy27

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Sprint didn't announce this anywhere, but the following towns have Spark:

 

Modesto, Stockton, Manteca, Turlock, Ceres, and most of Stanislaus County and parts of San Joaquin..

 

Basically from Stanislaus County, through San Joaquin county, up to connecting to Sacramento.

 

I discovered this by accident tonight when checking Sprint's coverage map.

 

Notice, Sprint has never once announced any of these cities as getting Spark. Only Sacramento.

 

December 17th, 2014, 16 new Sprint markets were turned on according to Sprint, but they didn't name but two of the sites in the press release. Maybe it was turned on then, or when Sacramento was turned on back before but never mentioned it? Anyway, time to test it as I happen to be in Modesto, CA, I will have to try this out. I am getting a Note 4 .. maybe tonight or tomorrow to test it further.

B26 popping in and out in Stockton. Hammer ln and West ln

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rc2 Member Level: Morse Code

rc2

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I'm in the Roseville, CA area which is mapped as yellow for spark.  Currently have the note 4 and previously had the note 2.  I've come to understand that the phone can ask for what data it wants but the network is ultimately going to decide.

 

At work and home I used to get LTE with no problem on the note 2 which I understand only gets B25 LTE, which got 4-8 Mbit d/l and was fine for streaming videos.  This tower is the one at Douglas and I-80.

 

With the note 4, this is not the case.  It seems to default to 3g (from the douglas and 80 tower) and then sometimes picks up LTE and when it does it is nearly always the B41 stuff with only 1 bar.  When I have gotten the B25 LTE, it was after a PRL update when already connected to the same toward I defaulted to 3g on.

 

I stopped by the local sprint store and there is a regular customer service guy who is willing to sit down with me at the computer and show me progress on the towers.  I'm sure someone here can speak to why the roll-out is as it is, but he basically said that the way the towers are being upgraded is not in an order that apparently fits Sparks tri-band model (ie. Spark really needs all three (or at least 2??) to work properly).  

 

I've ended up with the impression that, Spark has a model that if all of the bands are not in place it doesn't want to work well and would rather kick you to 3G than drop you down to B25 when B41 is in the area.  I also get the impression that they purposely kick me to 3G when I start streaming; is the proper backhaul not in place? IDK...

 

 

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lilotimz Member Level: LTE Advanced

lilotimz

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Posted

I'm in the Roseville, CA area which is mapped as yellow for spark. Currently have the note 4 and previously had the note 2. I've come to understand that the phone can ask for what data it wants but the network is ultimately going to decide.

 

At work and home I used to get LTE with no problem on the note 2 which I understand only gets B25 LTE, which got 4-8 Mbit d/l and was fine for streaming videos. This tower is the one at Douglas and I-80.

 

With the note 4, this is not the case. It seems to default to 3g (from the douglas and 80 tower) and then sometimes picks up LTE and when it does it is nearly always the B41 stuff with only 1 bar. When I have gotten the B25 LTE, it was after a PRL update when already connected to the same toward I defaulted to 3g on.

 

I stopped by the local sprint store and there is a regular customer service guy who is willing to sit down with me at the computer and show me progress on the towers. I'm sure someone here can speak to why the roll-out is as it is, but he basically said that the way the towers are being upgraded is not in an order that apparently fits Sparks tri-band model (ie. Spark really needs all three (or at least 2??) to work properly).

 

I've ended up with the impression that, Spark has a model that if all of the bands are not in place it doesn't want to work well and would rather kick you to 3G than drop you down to B25 when B41 is in the area. I also get the impression that they purposely kick me to 3G when I start streaming; is the proper backhaul not in place? IDK...

Nope. Guy is as clueless as every sprint employee from a store I've ever heard of.

 

A note 4 will in almost all cases have superior reception compared to a note 2. If you get worse connectivity then its something to do with the device.

 

Band 41 will almost always show lower connectivity due to its high frequency compared to band 25 but has the plus of being deployed on wide carrier sizes to enable much faster theoretical and live speeds even at lower reception levels due to advances in technology and implementation of such technologies.

 

Go test another spark device to cut out the possibility it is a device issue and if it's not then submit tickets to sprint support (and get the ticket # or they will almost never open a ticket).

 

Furthermore the sprint maps are trash and have always been trash. Crowd sourced maps like sensorly is usually a better indicator of coverage.

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rc2 Member Level: Morse Code

rc2

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Nope. Guy is as clueless as every sprint employee from a store I've ever heard of.

 

A note 4 will in almost all cases have superior reception compared to a note 2. If you get worse connectivity then its something to do with the device.

 

Band 41 will almost always show lower connectivity due to its high frequency compared to band 25 but has the plus of being deployed on wide carrier sizes to enable much faster theoretical and live speeds even at lower reception levels due to advances in technology and implementation of such technologies.

 

Go test another spark device to cut out the possibility it is a device issue and if it's not then submit tickets to sprint support (and get the ticket # or they will almost never open a ticket).

 

Furthermore the sprint maps are trash and have always been trash. Crowd sourced maps like sensorly is usually a better indicator of coverage.

When I get LTE, speeds are great, no issue there.  It's just staying connected that is my issue.   If the tower's ultimately choose, is it a then a network issue rather than device?  The store has told me the device is fine and replaced the SIM just in case.

 

The guy did say if I tried any other spark device in the store I would also get the same experience with spark/LTE popping in time to time but then kicking back to 3g.  I think I will take your advice, see if I can find a store selling sprint spark devices that is very near home and work and see how it works out. 

 

I've been waiting for quite some time for this LTE and now with the map showing yellow spark, i expect LTE all the time, even if it is the slower stuff so I will be keeping up with customer service.  I'll ask for a ticket as well, thanks.  

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danny12345 Member Level: eHRPD

danny12345

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Posted

When I get LTE, speeds are great, no issue there. It's just staying connected that is my issue. If the tower's ultimately choose, is it a then a network issue rather than device? The store has told me the device is fine and replaced the SIM just in case.

 

The guy did say if I tried any other spark device in the store I would also get the same experience with spark/LTE popping in time to time but then kicking back to 3g. I think I will take your advice, see if I can find a store selling sprint spark devices that is very near home and work and see how it works out.

 

I've been waiting for quite some time for this LTE and now with the map showing yellow spark, i expect LTE all the time, even if it is the slower stuff so I will be keeping up with customer service. I'll ask for a ticket as well, thanks.

I have a nexus 5 and I always connect to b25 from that tower off of Douglas. I think its your phone.
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lilotimz Member Level: LTE Advanced

lilotimz

Posted
Posted

When I get LTE, speeds are great, no issue there.  It's just staying connected that is my issue.   If the tower's ultimately choose, is it a then a network issue rather than device?  The store has told me the device is fine and replaced the SIM just in case.

 

 

The only issue I (and a huge number of individuals) have with the network deciding your band is when a device hops onto EVDO it takes an extremely long time before the device will scan and lock onto LTE. 

 

It's part network and part device. Most of the time if I notice I'm on 3G i'll toggle airplane mode and get back onto a LTE connection easily. It's just that it takes a long time if someone doesn't do that manually. 

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