Jump to content

LTE Plus / Enhanced LTE (was "Sprint Spark" - Official Name for the Tri-Band Network)


Recommended Posts

On Androids, and instead of going thru all of that, you could just load up Net Monitor and read your signal strength directly off of that. I currently on tower 394 at - 90(dBm).

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On Androids, and instead of going thru all of that, you could just load up Net Monitor and read your signal strength directly off of that. I currently on tower 394 at - 90(dBm).

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

That is the problem. That is not accurate. NetMonitor never gives the LTE signal strength, it only gives the 1x signal strength. This is the exact problem we are trying to avoid. Mistaken signal readings.

 

All the data in NetMonitor regarding LTE is not valid. The signal strength, tower/site info and map location shown are for your 1x connection, even though LTE is shown as the network connection type. The only place to get an accurate LTE signal strength is in your Debug/LTE Engineering screen.

 

Robert

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's odd since I just verified the same reading in my Evdo engineering screen, on my Evo 4G LTE.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

You are much more likely to have a similar 1x and EVDO signal on most devices. However, your LTE signal will never be the same. They aren't even measured on the same scale, one using RSSI and the other RSRP. I repeat, NetMonitor DOES NOT GIVE YOU LTE SIGNAL STRENGTHS.

 

Android does not provide the information about LTE signal strength and connections to the Android API. So apps cannot even obtain the information from your Android device. So all the data that NetMonitor is showing it is getting from the Android OS, which does not include LTE site info. The site info displayed in NetMonitor is based on the 1x connection your device has. It currently is not capable of getting it from your device.

 

Robert

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as I can tell, LTE signal strength is measured in dBm also on my Evo lte engineering screen rsrp/rsrq.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

You are mistaken and causing confusion. Sprint LTE is measured in dBms in the RSRP scale. 1x and EVDO are measured in dBms in RSSI. The numbers you are posting from NetMonitor are clearly in RSSI, and thus cannot be LTE.

 

We already know unequivocally that NetMonitor does not and cannot provide LTE signal strengths in their readings and they have admitted to it in the past in postings and comments with our members. This is not something debatable.

 

If you believe that you are getting LTE signal strength in NetMonitor, you are mistakenly getting incorrect readings. We are trying to prevent this problem. If you keep reading NetMonitor signal strengths, when you are connected to LTE, you are almost always going to think you have a great signal, and wonder why you are getting weak speeds and dropped from LTE. Whereas if you check your actual LTE signal strength in the LTE Engineering screen, as we have outlined in this thread, you will know when you actually have a weak LTE signal.

 

Currently, the EVO LTE is the only Sprint LTE device that shows a LTE RSRP signal reading in the Settings>About menu. And we noticed some variation at times between LTE Engineering and the reading in Settings>About during our LTE performance testing we did in the Sprint LTE FIT earlier this month.

 

The GS-III, Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper all show their 1x connection strength in RSSI in the Settings>About, even though they reference the LTE data connection. It is all confusing. That is why the only place that is guaranteed accurate and provides the signal in RSRP is in the LTE Engineering screen.

 

Robert

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thing is, I'm not in a LTE area currently, won't be until Friday when I pass thru Baltimore on my way to Newark. There are 2 different receive measurements in my engineering screen. 1 is receive signal strength and the other is received power in dbm. Being a ham. I know the difference in the 2.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thing is, I'm not in a LTE area currently, won't be until Friday when I pass thru Baltimore on my way to Newark. There are 2 different receive measurements in my engineering screen. 1 is receive signal strength and the other is received power in dbm. Being a ham. I know the difference in the 2.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

When you get into a LTE signal area and have a place where you can check while not moving, open up NetMonitor, your LTE Engineering and Settings>About and compare the three. In the EVO LTE, your LTE Engineering and Settings>About should be the same or similar. However, your NetMonitor will be different and will likely be the same as your 1x Engineering signal.

 

Robert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just for confirmation (and for others to read/learn from), the reason NetMonitor and other apps cannot tell signal strength of LTE is the same reason Sensorly cannot give 4G signal ratings. Signal "quality" (however your handset measures it) is available to the native test screens (perhaps in different units of measurement), but not via applications including the "bars" meter. Is that correct?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just for confirmation (and for others to read/learn from)' date=' the reason NetMonitor and other apps cannot tell signal strength of LTE is the same reason Sensorly cannot give 4G signal ratings. Signal "quality" (however your handset measures it) is available to the native test screens (perhaps in different units of measurement), but not via applications including the "bars" meter. Is that correct?[/quote']

 

Yes. Sensorly suffers the same affliction. It can only be told from the Android API that it is connected to LTE or not. But it cannot receive information about signal strength like it can from 1x and EVDO.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes. Sensorly suffers the same affliction. It can only be told from the Android API that it is connected to LTE or not. But it cannot receive information about signal strength like it can from 1x and EVDO.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

 

Maybe it would be helpful to add how not only bars lie but Netmonitor (and others) also lie to your original post. I feel that this is going to become a rather large issue as time goes on and more areas get peppered with Sprint's LTE Shotgun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there any general rule in terms of distances when looking at these numbers:

 

  • Less than -96dBm is a great signal
  • Between -97dBm and -107dBm is good
  • Between -108dBm and -114dBm is fair
  • More than -115dBm is poor

 

Up to how far from the tower would you expect to see -96dBm and under? You see a lot of people currently saying "I was standing next to the tower and I got..." In reality few of us are going to head to a tower just to use the internet but up to how far from a tower should we continue to see strong LTE performance?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there any general rule in terms of distances when looking at these numbers:

 

No, there is no general rule because factors such as ERP and downtilt vary from site to site, even sector to sector. To use two extremes as examples, some sites are configured to cover only a few city blocks; others are designed to cover hundreds of square miles. Obviously, the great/good/fair/poor signal strength levels will be at vastly different distances in those two examples.

 

AJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there any general rule in terms of distances when looking at these numbers:

  • Less than -96dBm is a great signal
  • Between -97dBm and -107dBm is good
  • Between -108dBm and -114dBm is fair
  • More than -115dBm is poor

Up to how far from the tower would you expect to see -96dBm and under? You see a lot of people currently saying "I was standing next to the tower and I got..." In reality few of us are going to head to a tower just to use the internet but up to how far from a tower should we continue to see strong LTE performance?

 

Plus, obstructions, like trees, between you and the tower can effectively weaken that signal before it gets to you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is only one accurate way to get your LTE signal strength, and that is from your LTE Engineering screen in your Debug menu. And we will discuss the different ways to get that below.

..

 

I mentioned it in another thread, but you can make a shortcut instead of entering dialer codes to get to this screen.

Download "QuickShortcutMaker" from the Play Store, run it and enter "field" in the search box. It should find Field Trial. Click on it and it will create a shortcut to use instead of the codes.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I mentioned it in another thread' date=' but you can make a shortcut instead of entering dialer codes to get to this screen.

Download "Quickshortcut" from the Play Store, run it and enter "field" in the search box. It should find Field Trial. Click on it and it will create a shortcut to use instead of the codes.[/quote']

 

I use "Any Cut" and keep the shortcut on my main page. Works great.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone have any input on G-MoN?

 

https://play.google....nue.gmon2&hl=en

 

It looks a little unpolished compared to Sensorly or NetMonitor, but it looks like it might collect some information relevant to what we’re looking for. I’m having trouble with importing a valid .CLF file (not sure what the “comments” are that they say to remove). I used a .CLF file found on the developer’s website- http://nobbi.com/download.html. Here is another resource for the app- www.wardriving-forum.de/wiki/G-MoN.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, there is no general rule because factors such as ERP and downtilt vary from site to site, even sector to sector. To use two extremes as examples, some sites are configured to cover only a few city blocks; others are designed to cover hundreds of square miles. Obviously, the great/good/fair/poor signal strength levels will be at vastly different distances in those two examples.

 

AJ

Plus, obstructions, like trees, between you and the tower can effectively weaken that signal before it gets to you.

 

So let me ask it in a different way. For my situation my house is somewhat in between a triangle of three different towers. The closest is about 4,500ft away, the middle is 8,000ft and the furthest is 10,000ft. Is there any good way to determine if I can receive strong enough reception based on these distances? I'm trying to decide if I should switch from AT&T to Sprint. My wife is on Sprint and has not been happy with her service but I think with the improvements things are going to be much better. She still hasn't felt things are any better which is making me nervous so I'm trying to understand if part of the problem is that our house is just too far from nearby towers and short of Sprint building a new tower (not gonna happen), we won't ever really be happy with the performance.

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So let me ask it in a different way. For my situation my house is somewhat in between a triangle of three different towers. The closest is about 4,500ft away, the middle is 8,000ft and the furthest is 10,000ft. Is there any good way to determine if I can receive strong enough reception based on these distances? I'm trying to decide if I should switch from AT&T to Sprint. My wife is on Sprint and has not been happy with her service but I think with the improvements things are going to be much better. She still hasn't felt things are any better which is making me nervous so I'm trying to understand if part of the problem is that our house is just too far from nearby towers and short of Sprint building a new tower (not gonna happen), we won't ever really be happy with the performance.

 

Thanks.

 

4500ft is less than 1 mile, and the other 2 are within 2 miles from your house. You should have excellent coverage. Unless of course your house framing is made of metal. Then that could really cause problems. One question: Can you see the closest tower from your house?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...