Network Vision/LTE - Chicago Market

[bucdenny]

What were you doing? Sitting on the antenna??? 

 

Now those are the kinds of speeds I would expect with a full signal! 

 

(thanks for the SignalCheck shot   )

Comment to users claiming full LTE bars

 

They will now know what it looks like with full LTE bars.

[Joeynach]

I'm in Chicago for the weekend and noticed pervasive LTE but slow speeds. It's changed today with 6 down and 3 up. However, I was disappointed with capacity issues at crowded venues.

The Loop still sux for LTE.  Its been over a year since LTE started in Chicago, Loop LTE is pretty bare, as are areas in Porter County, IN and Dekalb County in IL.  Im in the loop everyday.  Id say about half of the Loop has LTE.  Forget about data throughput when its on 3G its almost non-existant.  Noticeable areas without LTE are the downtown beaches, most of North Michigan Ave, McCormick Place, Fulton Market district.  The financial district seems to have decent coverage.  Progression of NV sites complete has been much slower in the Loop and other dense chicago neighborhoods.  Most attribute this to access to towers on building rooftops; permits, scheduling, etc.  I cant say for sure.  Backhaul installation also seems to be a much slower process than previously thought.  There has been discussion here about intentional delay by the backhaul installer, ATT, b/c they are a direct competitor of Sprint.

[bucdenny]

The Loop still sux for LTE.  Its been over a year since LTE started in Chicago, Loop LTE is pretty bare, as are areas in Porter County, IN and Dekalb County in IL.  Im in the loop everyday.  Id say about half of the Loop has LTE.  Forget about data throughput when its on 3G its almost non-existant.  Noticeable areas without LTE are the downtown beaches, most of North Michigan Ave, McCormick Place, Fulton Market district.  The financial district seems to have decent coverage.  Progression of NV sites complete has been much slower in the Loop and other dense chicago neighborhoods.  Most attribute this to access to towers on building rooftops; permits, scheduling, etc.  I cant say for sure.  Backhaul installation also seems to be a much slower process than previously thought.  There has been discussion here about intentional delay by the backhaul installer, ATT, b/c they are a direct competitor of Sprint.

 

Eventually AT&T will have to deliver.  Same in San Diego, many 3G sites accepted, just waiting on the back haul.  We are getting very good speeds on 4G and 3G once the back haul is in place.  

 

It is very true that AT&T had delayed many Sprint sites with fiber.  We had personal encounter in San Diego in a building which we ordered AT&T fiber for client, Sprint had their orders in way before us, we got our fiber before them in that same building.  

[Joeynach]

Eventually AT&T will have to deliver.  Same in San Diego, many 3G sites accepted, just waiting on the back haul.  We are getting very good speeds on 4G and 3G once the back haul is in place.  

 

It is very true that AT&T had delayed many Sprint sites with fiber.  We had personal encounter in San Diego in a building which we ordered AT&T fiber for client, Sprint had their orders in way before us, we got our fiber before them in that same building.  

Perhaps becuase of this fact of doing business with a competitor (one with a lot more clout too), Sprint should have scalled back their timeframes for LTE buildout and NV completion.

[mhammett]

What were you doing? Sitting on the antenna???

 

Now those are the kinds of speeds I would expect with a full signal!

 

(thanks for the SignalCheck shot )

The signals would be much, much hotter if they were at the antenna. I'd venture to say that you would have no usable throughput. You'd overload the front end of the receiver.

 

Perhaps becuase of this fact of doing business with a competitor (one with a lot more clout too), Sprint should have scalled back their timeframes for LTE buildout and NV completion.

Or have used one of the many, many other backhaul vendors.

 

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[Dkoellerwx]

The signals would be much, much hotter if they were at the antenna. I'd venture to say that you would have no usable throughput. You'd overload the front end of the receiver.

 

I know.... it was supposed to be funny... its not often you see a -56 signal. 

[bucdenny]

I know.... it was supposed to be funny... its not often you see a -56 signal. 

 

I can get -44 signal if i go closer to the site.  Speed is the same at -44 or -56.

[Dkoellerwx]

I can get -44 signal if i go closer to the site.  Speed is the same at -44 or -56.

 

That's pretty impressive. Best I've gotten is -53 and that was across the street from the cell at eye level with it. 

 

And the speed should be the same, seeing as 37.5Mbps is the max speed of the airlink. Anything over is Speedtest freaking out a bit. 

[digiblur]

Here's some speed for full LTE bars. Use SignalCheck app.

Those SNR numbers suck.. They have to be wrong as you wouldn't get a good speedtest with that.

[bucdenny]

Those SNR numbers suck.. They have to be wrong as you wouldn't get a good speedtest with that.

 

Here's more screenshot with different SNR.  Getting pretty constant 37-38Mbps on different speed test servers and different db.

[drock2750]

Here's some speed for full LTE bars. Use SignalCheck app.

I have experienced speeds like that also, the thing that I was trying to get across was that even with strong signal, many of the sites in and around the loop don't seem to be working properly. Also, I have been getting my signal strength info from either the engineering screen or CDMA field test, not just looking at the bars. It's almost like some people don't seem to believe me...I'm not confusing 1x signal strength with LTE signal...you're all just going to have to trust me on that.

[bucdenny]

I have experienced speeds like that also, the thing that I was trying to get across was that even with strong signal, many of the sites in and around the loop don't seem to be working properly. Also, I have been getting my signal strength info from either the engineering screen or CDMA field test, not just looking at the bars. It's almost like some people don't seem to believe me...I'm not confusing 1x signal strength with LTE signal...you're all just going to have to trust me on that.

 

Oh I see. Something else is up, possibly those sites are under testing?  

[mhammett]

I know.... it was supposed to be funny... its not often you see a -56 signal.

*nods* I have many links hotter than -56, but I build my own network. ;-)

 

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[thematch]

The cell site outside Wrigley Field is able to deliver 3+ megabits even when the stadium and street are packed....that's why I don't think that capacity is the issue with the problematic sites in the loop...especially the ones that sometimes have no internet connectivity whatsoever. I don't fully understand how traffic is routed and how that relates to the 4G "core", but I'm of the opinion that if 4G isn't working properly in an area that Sprint should shut of the LTE radio on the site to avoid giving their new network a black eye. Even the average subscriber notices the 4G icon, and would attribute slow speeds to being in an area without LTE, but if that 4G icon is lit up and the speeds are still bad, people might think that the new network is no better than before. It also would drive down the non-scientific speed test numbers performed by Cnet and PC Mag et al, which is bad publicity.

 

That's interesting as that was not the case Friday night.  No data and texts were significantly delayed.

[Joeynach]

Im still experiencing problems with LTE in Lincoln Park.  Still getting only 3G in my neighborhood and home, same with my roommates and friends Sprint phones too.  LTE is just gone all of a sudden after about a year of solid service.  I can tell its not turned off b/c If I go 5 blocks east to Diversey/Sheffield brown line where there is an LTE tower on top of the Senior Living high rise there I get this.  Strong LTE, but again noticeable low speeds.  I have consistently gotten 10 Meg Down from this tower now getting less than 2 Meg down.  Something must be up?

[Joeynach]

Sprint said again there is Network Vision upgrades going on in my area.  Gave me a $10 credit since I am not getting any LTE at home.  I'm assuming this is finally a backhaul upgrade.  I asked, they wouldn't say or didn't know.

[nexgencpu]

Looks like chicago already has widespread LTE 2500! Cant wait to see the first test from one of the big cities! Somebody need to pick up a tri-band hotspot quickly! 

[rjw]

I picked up a Tri-Band Hotspot today here in Miami area. I will be trying it out tomorrow.

[mellimel2212]

Somebody said they couldn't get data with T-mobile in the loop well I do lol.

 

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[nexgencpu]

Somebody said they couldn't get data with T-mobile in the loop well I do lol.

 

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Now we need somebody to post a 2500 triband hotspot speedtest to blow that out of the water!  

[ChiWestLoop]

Question for all the people working and living in and around the Loop. How is the LTE service? I am asking because I live on the West Loop and work at the Loop. My Sprint contract will expire in 2 months and before I renovate the contract I want to be sure the service has gotten better around my area. If things have not improved I will definitely jump ship.

 

Thanks!

[AMD64]

 

don't renew your contract until your area is covered by LTE

 

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[Joeynach]

Question for all the people working and living in and around the Loop. How is the LTE service? I am asking because I live on the West Loop and work at the Loop. My Sprint contract will expire in 2 months and before I renovate the contract I want to be sure the service has gotten better around my area. If things have not improved I will definitely jump ship.

 

Thanks!

I agree, its bad.  50% coverage at best.  Nothing by McCormick Place, Nothing by North Michigan ave, nothing at the beaches.  Solider Field is bad.  Financial district is OK.  Progress is slow this deep into the city, building permits and backhaul are issues.  Gonna be a year before its looking good.

[mhammett]

Looks like chicago already has widespread LTE 2500! Cant wait to see the first test from one of the big cities! Somebody need to pick up a tri-band hotspot quickly!

Where'd you see that at?

 

Some of us are still waiting for LTE1900. I can see it, literally.

 

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[nexgencpu]

Where'd you see that at?

 

Some of us are still waiting for LTE1900. I can see it, literally.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/162029-sprint-turns-on-lte-tdd-allowing-it-to-compete-with-att-and-verizons-coverage-and-performance