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How to Spot Sprint Antennas and RRUs (Alcatel-Lucent)

lilotimz

By lilotimz
in Equipment Spotting

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  • 2 weeks later...
JohnnyAwesome Member Level: 1x Advanced

JohnnyAwesome

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This site looks to be potentially a comounted Sprint Clearwire Site which I have seen on rooftop installs but not as a monopole. it could be that the Clearwire gear is connected via Microwave with other sites. 

I went out for some field work today and took some pictures.  Can you tell me what are on each of these towers? LTE?

 

 

 

 

20130930_170353_zps36956da3.jpg

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  • 10 months later...
caspar347 Member Level: 4G WiMax

caspar347

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Out of curiosity, anyone know which carrier is using the old Panasonic RRUs in PA? They only use one per sector with a tall Powerwave antenna and 3 other small antennas without RRUs.

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  • 2 weeks later...
The_Chemist Member Level: eHRPD

The_Chemist

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I have a few questions about ——-----------, that I'm hoping someone with expertise here can answer.

 

This site was formerly owned by AT&T, located behind the Harrisburg PA UPS Hub in Steelton/Swatara Township. It is currently owned by Crown Castle and is used by AT&T and Sprint. I live on the South side of this tower by about 0.5 nautical miles. I work on the North side of this tower by about 0.25 nautical miles. This site is NV accepted and operating. Recently within the last 3 weeks or so, I noticed my signal at home is abysmal. I called Sprint to inquire. The first call I made, I was told there was no problem. After another week, I called again. Someone with a little more knowledge of how to use their diagnostic tools was able to dig deeper and found that one of the south facing arrays was down for a data speed upgrade. This explains why I am having trouble receiving both 3G and LTE from this site at home.

 

Some of the GCI's I have received from this site are: 0FE05101, 0FE05102, 0FE05103, 0FE0510A, 0FE0510B all on Band 25. This site is not currently transmitting on Band 26. Are the A and B suffixes second carriers?

 

My most pressing question is: by the pictures I have posted here, can someone please tell me which equipment belongs to Sprint and which equipment belongs to AT&T?

 

I'm trying to educate myself on just what exactly I am looking at when I see this tower. I'm trying to gain knowledge. I would be most appreciative for any and all information, S4GRU members are willing to share. My thanks!

SH00PA928_1.jpg

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S4GRU Member Level: LTE Advanced

S4GRU

Posted
Posted

I have a few questions about ——-----------, that I'm hoping someone with expertise here can answer.

 

This site was formerly owned by AT&T, located behind the Harrisburg PA UPS Hub in Steelton/Swatara Township. It is currently owned by Crown Castle and is used by AT&T and Sprint. I live on the South side of this tower by about 0.5 nautical miles. I work on the North side of this tower by about 0.25 nautical miles. This site is NV accepted and operating. Recently within the last 3 weeks or so, I noticed my signal at home is abysmal. I called Sprint to inquire. The first call I made, I was told there was no problem. After another week, I called again. Someone with a little more knowledge of how to use their diagnostic tools was able to dig deeper and found that one of the south facing arrays was down for a data speed upgrade. This explains why I am having trouble receiving both 3G and LTE from this site at home.

 

Some of the GCI's I have received from this site are: 0FE05101, 0FE05102, 0FE05103, 0FE0510A, 0FE0510B all on Band 25. This site is not currently transmitting on Band 26. Are the A and B suffixes second carriers?

 

My most pressing question is: by the pictures I have posted here, can someone please tell me which equipment belongs to Sprint and which equipment belongs to AT&T?

 

I'm trying to educate myself on just what exactly I am looking at when I see this tower. I'm trying to gain knowledge. I would be most appreciative for any and all information, S4GRU members are willing to share. My thanks!

 

The last two digits of the GCI tell you the sector number for carrier you are connected to.  01, 02, 03 are different sectors of the Carrier with the ID of 0FE051.  Sectors 0A and 0B are different sectors, and connected to a different B25 carrier at the same site.

 

I am not able to identify any of the equipment with the resolution of your photo.  Too small for these middle aged eyes to see.

 

Robert

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The_Chemist Member Level: eHRPD

The_Chemist

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The last two digits of the GCI tell you the sector number for carrier you are connected to.  01, 02, 03 are different sectors of the Carrier with the ID of 0FE051.  Sectors 0A and 0B are different sectors, and connected to a different B25 carrier at the same site.

 

I am not able to identify any of the equipment with the resolution of your photo.  Too small for these middle aged eyes to see.

 

Robert

Robert, Thanks much for the explanation.  My photo is horrible after I compressed it to fit here.  It looks amazing in 13MP native format.  I'm going to have to try and upload a better image.

 

I did have some of the equipment on that tower explained to me in person, by a Shentel Field Engineer  who I have been working closely with over the last few days.  I must say I am AMAZED at how responsive and helpful Shentel is!!!!!!  They defintiely want their network to be number one!

 

I may have some good things to share with S4GRU shortly. 

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  • 11 months later...
bucdenny Member Level: 4G WiMax

bucdenny

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I visited a site that has been in progress for nearly 2 years.  They finally installed the antennas today.  Why a 4 antenna sector?  Also, the antenna's looks different.

 

Imgur Album:  http://imgur.com/a/1zT6F#0

 

QL941eC.jpg

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lilotimz Member Level: LTE Advanced

lilotimz

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I visited a site that has been in progress for nearly 2 years. They finally installed the antennas today. Why a 4 antenna sector? Also, the antenna's looks different.

 

Imgur Album: http://imgur.com/a/1zT6F#0

 

QL941eC.jpg

A high capacity setup with a ton of narrow beamwidth antennas so each antenna covers a smaller area. So less people are on each cell and capacity is increased.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

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  • 3 months later...
markjcc Member Level: eHRPD

markjcc

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Posted

The left side is your original network vision dual-band antennas with two RRUs. On the right is the 8T8R B41 antenna with a single RRU.

Will they swap the NV Dual-Band antennas with 8T8R which does all LTE bands right? 25/26/41

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caspar347 Member Level: 4G WiMax

caspar347

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Is sprint on the top? And whose on the bottom?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My guess for the bottom is AT&T. But that's just a guess. It looks kinda like some of their Ericsson configurations I've seen lately.
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Dkoellerwx Member Level: LTE Advanced

Dkoellerwx

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Will they swap the NV Dual-Band antennas with 8T8R which does all LTE bands right? 25/26/41

 

Post above beat me to it, but no. 8T8R antennas are not tri-band. They only do B41. No B25/B26 or CDMA.

 

Tri-band antennas do exist, but they are *only* used in space or engineering restricted areas where only one antenna per sector is possible (like stealth sites).

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