Network Vision/LTE - Chicago Market

[zooropean]

Yes, eHRPD will only show up on LTE phones. Legacy devices will continue to see EVDO for their 3G. LTE devices will see eHRPD because once the connection hits the tower, it is routed through the LTE switch for smooth handoffs to LTE.

 

I am checking Net Monitor for the first time on my new Evo 4G LTE and I see the I am on eHRPD here in Schaumburg. Looks like I am connecting back and forth between 2 towers in the Woodfield Rd area.

 

I checked at home yesterday and was still on EVDO Rev A.

[IOWA]

I am checking Net Monitor for the first time on my new Evo 4G LTE and I see the I am on eHRPD here in Schaumburg. Looks like I am connecting back and forth between 2 towers in the Woodfield Rd area.

 

I checked at home yesterday and was still on EVDO Rev A.

 

That's interesting, I see the same in Schaumburg too. ;-)

[biker1284]

for anyone who wants to have 4g for a little while, from 95th street all the way to 34 on Route 59 in Naperville, it's still on as of last night. averaged 18 mbps for approximately 10 speedtests when I went to my storage unit.

 

I'll be close to this area tomorrow, perhaps I'll have to make a small detour over to this region. Does the phone pick up the LTE automatically or do you need a reboot (assuming you do already have it set to cdma/lte)?

[gordoj52]

I'll be close to this area tomorrow, perhaps I'll have to make a small detour over to this region. Does the phone pick up the LTE automatically or do you need a reboot (assuming you do already have it set to cdma/lte)?

 

mine it automaticall came up.

[iansltx]

Robert jut updated site completion percentages for various LTE cities, Chicago included. It's now sitting at 35%, more than any Sprint market except maybe the Waco FIT. Granted, due I guess to backhaul issues most of these sites are still sitting on 3G, but once backhaul starts going online sites will be updated quickly with 4G, to the point that when CHI goes live in a few months coverage will probably be quite a bit more contiguous than what we're seeing today with Atlanta, San Antonio, Houston etc.

[wtsguy]

for anyone who wants to have 4g for a little while, from 95th street all the way to 34 on Route 59 in Naperville, it's still on as of last night. averaged 18 mbps for approximately 10 speedtests when I went to my storage unit.

 

I drove up and down Route 59 today in that area and didn't find any 4G. Looks like they shut it down already.

[Allen3697]

A quick question. Is the reason Chicago is more complete percentage wise because they increased deployment rate after all the problems?

[S4GRU]

A quick question. Is the reason Chicago is more complete percentage wise because they increased deployment rate after all the problems?

 

Yes. They are allowing the market to get ahead of the backhaul deployment.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[MacinJosh]

Yes. They are allowing the market to get ahead of the backhaul deployment.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

 

Maybe they should have done that with some other markets as well.

[aerxx]

 

Maybe they should have done that with some other markets as well.

 

I bet going forward they will be doing just that.....seems to be working great considering the updated percentages...

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forum Runner

[Boosted20V]

I bet going forward they will be doing just that.....seems to be working great considering the updated percentages...

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forum Runner

 

I sincerely doubt this will be the case in anything but an emergency. Unless Sprint's revenues increase more quickly than expected, they would be burning too much cash to speed up the rollout to a large degree.

[cdiao]

True, I do understand that they are temporary. But temporary could mean another few weeks or a year, ya never know. I love the Sprint plans just not the service as of lately (last year or so).

 

just get a prepaid phone from Tracfone or StraightTalk (on Verizon) as "back up" to bridge the 3-4 months..

[iansltx]

I sincerely doubt this will be the case in anything but an emergency. Unless Sprint's revenues increase more quickly than expected, they would be burning too much cash to speed up the rollout to a large degree.

 

Sprint just got a big round of funding recently...pretty sure they can afford to push heavily to get more sites online more quickly than Samsung, Ericsson and AlcaLu are doing. Particularly since, with every market that ends up with solid NV coverage, they can sell more service in that market beause people notice that the network is better. The impact is lessened in areas where backhaul shortages force sites to go live as 3G-only, but at that point it's a quick proces to connect up the backhaul once the site gets it.

[S4GRU]

Sprint had planned to burn through cash at the rate of the NV schedule. Since the schedule is starting to run approx. 4 weeks behind on average (except Chicago), I think they have a little room now to speed up other markets ahead of backhaul if they wanted to. But to allow a market to run ahead like that is a management nightmare. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if Samsung hits up Sprint for a change order to come back after the fact to handle the backhaul when it shows up.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[Bek]

So I spent the last week in Maui, where I actually had usable 3G signal & could actually surf & use my Photon again.

 

Then I came home yesterday... O'Hare = 1xRTT... home in Bolingbrook, 1xRTT or Digital Roaming!!! Made 4 phone calls since I returned, 2 of which got disconnected.

 

*sobs*

[biker1284]

I drove up and down Route 59 today in that area and didn't find any 4G. Looks like they shut it down already.

 

Thanks for saving me a few extra miles. I didnt notice any anywhere else, but 3g is pretty fast out here now... got 1.93, dont think Ive seen higher than 1.5 in the years ive been with sprint.

[ydoucare]

Trying to figure something out. I used to have a great Sprint signal here (Rensselaer, IN), 3G at around -74 to -86 dbm. Around a year ago or so, my signal tanked, lucky to have 2 bars, usually 1 or nothing. I had to get an Airave to have reliable service at home. Fast forward to March 2012, I noticed the native Sprint signal was once again strong, and I was pulling up to 2 Mb down (no better than 1.2 before). The strong signal lasted maybe a week, then poof, back to crap, but could still pull almost 2 meg down if I found enough signal. I'm about 5 miles from the tower. When LTE comes, will the range be any better than EVDO, or will it not improve until LTE 800 comes? I do see all the sites in my area have been upgraded to NV for 3G.

[S4GRU]

Trying to figure something out. I used to have a great Sprint signal here (Rensselaer' date=' IN), 3G at around -74 to -86 dbm. Around a year ago or so, my signal tanked, lucky to have 2 bars, usually 1 or nothing. I had to get an Airave to have reliable service at home. Fast forward to March 2012, I noticed the native Sprint signal was once again strong, and I was pulling up to 2 Mb down (no better than 1.2 before). The strong signal lasted maybe a week, then poof, back to crap, but could still pull almost 2 meg down if I found enough signal. I'm about 5 miles from the tower. When LTE comes, will the range be any better than EVDO, or will it not improve until LTE 800 comes? I do see all the sites in my area have been upgraded to NV for 3G.[/quote']

 

That Rensselaer tower has already had NV upgrades. So the improvements in 1900 signal have already been realized. The next improvements will be on voice when CDMA 800 gets added to that site later this year and LTE 800 gets added in the 2nd Half of 2013 or 1st half of 2014.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[ydoucare]

Yeah, I saw the towers on the NV map for completed sites. Just wondering what they would've done last year that killed the signal so much. It actually got so bad I was bouncing from Sprint to roam, which prompted getting the Airave. Had a nice solid signal for so many years. I think the NV upgrades helped the signal just enough to allow it not to not have to roam anymore Oh well

[dannible]

workers finished installing the new radios to tower CH13XC011

[Madfelon]

I have a good feeling that NV/LTE will be completed by Oct with a Sprint Iphone LTE to follow.

[ydoucare]

Friend of mine showed me some documents were Sprint has submitted request for licences to use microwave backhaul in some rural towns....mine being one if those towns. How reliable is microwave???

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forum Runner

Happen to have a list of those towns or can tell me if Rensselaer, IN is one of them?

[kencid99]

4G is back again on route 59. Speedtest screenshot from EVO 4g LTE.

http://bit.ly/Q81R3x

[aerxx]

4G is back again on route 59. Speedtest screenshot from EVO 4g LTE.

http://bit.ly/Q81R3x

 

404 error on the picture

[aerxx]

Happen to have a list of those towns or can tell me if Rensselaer, IN is one of them?

 

Looks like most of the microwave backhaul documents I have are for Lake County IN, furthest southern location is Lowell, IN. Most of what I have is for 60+ miles outside of Chicago proper in all directions. Far North, West, and South suburbs. Its good, they're doing this to make sure backhaul is ready in rural areas ahead of setting all of Chicago market live. This way they don't have to waste time running fiber.