Network Vision/LTE - Chicago Market

[S4GRU]

Love the layman's term "super-duper fast". I guess that would make 800 "super-duper penetrating"

 

It sounds dirty when you say it.  

 

Robert

[tommym65]

Love the layman's term "super-duper fast". I guess that would make 800 "super-duper penetrating"

And we all think that Robert is a super-duper forum manager!

[Joeynach]

And we all think that Robert is a super-duper forum manager!

Well the more time he spends dropping knowledge in the Chicago forum the more super-duper he gets!

[WiWavelength]

And we all think that Robert is a super-duper forum manager!

 

Mark Duper asks that all of you please stop using his name.

 

 

AJ

[jreuschl]

I was at the auto show today and did get 4-6 mbps inside. I thought that was decent given the amount of people there.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

[bucdenny]

I was at the auto show today and did get 4-6 mbps inside. I thought that was decent given the amount of people there. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

Looks like Chicago is doing well.  So speeds improving?

[Joeynach]

I was at the auto show today and did get 4-6 mbps inside. I thought that was decent given the amount of people there. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

REALLY?  Do you have a tri-band device?  I was also at the auto show today and had un-useable data speeds on LTE.  I even had pings of 1500+ ms when trying to speed test.

[Vince]

I was at the auto show today and did get 4-6 mbps inside. I thought that was decent given the amount of people there.Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

Yes, please tell us what kind of phone you have. Wondering if you were picking up band 26 indoors, or possibly a very weak band 41. That would be a great place for Sprint to launch 26. Maybe they had a DAS installed for the event, or a COW?

 

 

Vince

[smalltimehack]

I was at the auto show an hour after it started and was pulling over 10 down on a few tests.

When more people started showing up my phone would drop to 3g or even park on 1x800 til I toggled airplane mode. Overall I was impressed though.

I'm also using a N5.

 

[jreuschl]

Sorry, just a single band device! (Note II) Here is one test. I did drop to 3G a couple of times but stayed on 4G for most of it.

 

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Joeynach]

Sorry, just a single band device! (Note II) Here is one test. I did drop to 3G a couple of times but stayed on 4G for most of it.

 

 

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

I wonder how we had such different experiences.  I had no problem making/receiving calls, but I had literally non-usuable data on LTE.  All Apps and websites timed out and said check network connection.  Dropped to 3G a couple times and same.

[Joeynach]

I was at the auto show an hour after it started and was pulling over 10 down on a few tests. When more people started showing up my phone would drop to 3g or even park on 1x800 til I toggled airplane mode. Overall I was impressed though. I'm also using a N5.

Do you have B41 enabled on that?

[Joeynach]

Chicago got two LTE activations on Robert's latest update.  One of them is a tower I have been waiting for months for because it covers River North.

[Vince]

Chicago got two LTE activations on Robert's latest update. One of them is a tower I have been waiting for months for because it covers River North.

Let us know if service improves in the immediate area. Any help with service downtown is appreciated.

 

 

Vince

[Joeynach]

Let us know if service improves in the immediate area. Any help with service downtown is appreciated.

 

 

Vince

Yeah, I will.  The tower helps out in many areas I frequent, bars/clubs along Hubbard and the shopping on N Michigan Ave by the Nordstrom there.  Once the tower on NW Memorial Hospital receives it upgrades the 3G only holes in the crowded River North and Streeterville area goes away.

[Vince]

Yeah, I will. The tower helps out in many areas I frequent, bars/clubs along Hubbard and the shopping on N Michigan Ave by the Nordstrom there. Once the tower on NW Memorial Hospital receives it upgrades the 3G only holes in the crowded River North and Streeterville area goes away.

I wouldn't expect anything to move quickly. I believe it was Robert who said, "Chicago is basically finished. If any site still needs LTE, or is still legacy, that there is a major problem. Either with back haul, or building permits." I'm starting to believe that because the site I've been waiting for (along the Stevenson between Harlem and Lagrange has been dead as a doorknob since they installed the equipment in December 2012.

 

 

Vince

[digiblur]

I wouldn't expect anything to move quickly. I believe it was Robert who said, "Chicago is basically finished. If any site still needs LTE, or is still legacy, that there is a major problem. Either with back haul, or building permits." I'm starting to believe that because the site I've been waiting for (along the Stevenson between Harlem and Lagrange has been dead as a doorknob since they installed the equipment in December 2012.

 

 

Vince

It seems like on every earnings call they keep referring to Chicago as the "finished" market that is the golden child and doing the best out there. Has it really gotten better recently like they say?

[Vince]

It seems like on every earnings call they keep referring to Chicago as the "finished" market that is the golden child and doing the best out there. Has it really gotten better recently like they say?

I've noticed zero change. Other than a few new towers here and there, capacity is still the issue. But I won't beat that dead horse.

 

 

Vince

[digiblur]

I've noticed zero change. Other than a few new towers here and there, capacity is still the issue. But I won't beat that dead horse.

 

 

Vince

How is Evdo there? If it is like my market, everyone is on the LTE river creating a huge log jam, so if you switch to the evdo you end up with the 1 to 1.5 mbit evdo which is better than the dead LTE.

[Vince]

How is Evdo there? If it is like my market, everyone is on the LTE river creating a huge log jam, so if you switch to the evdo you end up with the 1 to 1.5 mbit evdo which is better than the dead LTE.

It's usually the same where I've tested it (in the worst LTE spots in Chicago) it tends to be about the same. Maybe a hair better. 41 is very prevalent in Chicago and has seemingly eliminated the concern for dead 25. Where I used to get 100kbps on 25, I get 30mbps+ on 41. Plus, I, along with most people, am anxiously awaiting 26. If you're on a single band device here, you're going to suffer for quite some time. It's going to (hopefully) be a great spring/summer around here. If Sprint can get 26 rolling here, plus having the galaxy s3 people (which I feel is one of the most popular devices still out there) possibly taking upgrades soon, and spreading them amongst the bands, the load should lessen.

 

Edit: plus the elusive USCC LTE carrier implementation that we're still awaiting.

 

Vince

[digiblur]

It's usually the same where I've tested it (in the worst LTE spots in Chicago) it tends to be about the same. Maybe a hair better. 41 is very prevalent in Chicago and has seemingly eliminated the concern for dead 25. Where I used to get 100kbps on 25, I get 30mbps+ on 41. Plus, I, along with most people, am anxiously awaiting 26. If you're on a single band device here, you're going to suffer for quite some time. It's going to (hopefully) be a great spring/summer around here. If Sprint can get 26 rolling here, plus having the galaxy s3 people (which I feel is one of the most popular devices still out there) possibly taking upgrades soon, and spreading them amongst the bands, the load should lessen. Edit: plus the elusive USCC LTE carrier implementation that we're still awaiting. Vince

No band 41 here for a year or so and no additional PCS LTE carriers possible but I am still optimistic that B26 might pull it out for a bit until B41 can rollout but that's a lot of sites to build unless they plan on doing the island thing.

[Vince]

No band 41 here for a year or so and no additional PCS LTE carriers possible but I am still optimistic that B26 might pull it out for a bit until B41 can rollout but that's a lot of sites to build unless they plan on doing the island thing.

Digi, what market are you from?

 

 

Vince

[Fraydog]

Is CHI better if you use a Spark device?

[digiblur]

Digi, what market are you from?

 

 

Vince

 

New Orleans

[Joeynach]

It seems like on every earnings call they keep referring to Chicago as the "finished" market that is the golden child and doing the best out there. Has it really gotten better recently like they say?

Do you think its a coincidence the first major markets to get Network Vision and now the two most advanced in Chicago and Houston are the two that WiWavelength outlined were the most CDMA2000 spectrum constrained for Sprint.  I think not.  They have defiantly had an emphasis on Chicago.  I am not 100% sure why, but I have heard a rumor that while Sprint is regarded as the #3 or #4 carrier nationwide, in Chicago they may be #2 in terms of subscribers in the market.  So more subs than anyone where else along with less spectrum is not a good combination for delivering quality service.  That might be why they prioritized Chicago so high and pushed NV so hard hard here between mid 2012 and late 2013.