Network Vision/LTE - Chicago Market

[WiWavelength]

Here's another Feb 6th vs June 6th spectrum comparison in the PCS band. This is 1945 to 1970 MHz. Not too much different, but I note some change in the 1955 to 1960 MHz region since Feb.

 

That is the secondary band 25 LTE carrier.  Its downlink is centered at 1957.5 MHz.

 

AJ

[eduschean]

 

 

Band 26 lte

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vince]

 

 

Band 26 lte

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Location?

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[drock2750]

Band 26 at Sheridan and Hollywood. Hoping this indicates a wider North side rollout!

[ChiWestLoop]

For the last 2 weeks I've been getting Band 26 service from 2 different antennas on the West Loop (Greek Town). Speeds are great sometimes but I only get 2-3 bars inside of my apartment and when signal gets weak my phone insists to switch to 3G. It's frustrating. I thought that Band 26 had much better penetration but why I'm still seeing 2-3 bars of reception on Band 26?

[Fraydog]

For the last 2 weeks I've been getting Band 26 service from 2 different antennas on the West Loop (Greek Town). Speeds are great sometimes but I only get 2-3 bars inside of my apartment and when signal gets weak my phone insists to switch to 3G. It's frustrating. I thought that Band 26 had much better penetration but why I'm still seeing 2-3 bars of reception on Band 26?

Probably because that LTE signal still has to be tuned. That should happen in the next few days.

[kyle_4thousand]

 

B26 in downtown Palatine

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Vince]

 

B26 in downtown Palatine

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Is that on the new android 4.4.3 update?

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[kyle_4thousand]

4.4.2 but with the .13 radio

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[kyle_4thousand]

I was at Woodfield Mall before that and got B26 when I was inside stores where B25 would cut out. Wasn't that crowded so the PCS carrier(s) did not seem to be overloaded which was probably why I stuck on B25 until the signal dropped. The network is working like a charm over here.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[DjDynasty]

Well I contacted Sprint about the situation. The towers in my area haven't even been upgraded. I guess we're not rich enough for upgrades yet.

[Vince]

Well I contacted Sprint about the situation. The towers in my area haven't even been upgraded. I guess we're not rich enough for upgrades yet.

Last night, I briefly connected to b26 on I-80 @ Larkin. I'm not sure where you live in Joliet, but it's a huge city, and things are in fact happening out there. Also, yesterday evening, I got this band 41 speed test on I-80 @ Briggs:

 

Just have patience. I know this has been ongoing for a few years now, but help in the form of a second pcs carrier and band 26 are coming, and very quickly, at that. Plus, band 41 is also on a full-blown deployment out here.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[Dkoellerwx]

Well I contacted Sprint about the situation. The towers in my area haven't even been upgraded. I guess we're not rich enough for upgrades yet.

Sorry, I may be missing part of the story here. Where are you? What did you contact Sprint about? Your towers haven't been upgraded to what?

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[DjDynasty]

From where Vince speed tested. I'm at Larkin and Black Rd. If you look at LTE going west it goes from execellent to POOR in my back yard on the coverage map. That HOLE of coverage seems to be in the shadow of the hospital and affects all CDMA carriers as I often complain about verizon.

 

I notice you're on android Vince. I have iPhones so I don't see those spark bands for a while until the iPhone 6 potentially. The fastest I've seen is 12-15 down in Bolingbrook.

[DjDynasty]

DK- I'm in west Joliet near St Joes hospital. Service is non-existent. 3G is getting faster so I guess that's an improvement.

[DjDynasty]

[Dkoellerwx]

DK- I'm in west Joliet near St Joes hospital. Service is non-existent. 3G is getting faster so I guess that's an improvement.

 

All but one of the towers are fully upgraded. That one site has NV equipment installed, but is waiting on backhaul for LTE. It is a few blocks northeast of the hospital. 

 

Which iPhone do you have?

[eduschean]

Location?

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

127th and Kedzie tower in Blue Island/Alsip

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jreuschl]

Sorry for the probably obvious answer question.  How do you tell in the SignalCheck window if you are on the 2nd (USCC) carrier?

[WiWavelength]

Sorry for the probably obvious answer question.  How do you tell in the SignalCheck window if you are on the 2nd (USCC) carrier?

 

You cannot -- unless SignalCheck supports center frequency display for your handset.

 

AJ

[Vince]

Sorry for the probably obvious answer question. How do you tell in the SignalCheck window if you are on the 2nd (USCC) carrier?

You cannot -- unless SignalCheck supports center frequency display for your handset.

 

AJ

Your gci will end in 03/04/05 in signal check when you're on the second carrier.

[DjDynasty]

All but one of the towers are fully upgraded. That one site has NV equipment installed, but is waiting on backhaul for LTE. It is a few blocks northeast of the hospital.

 

Which iPhone do you have?

My house is an apple store iPhone 5, 5c and 5s, as well we an iPad Air.

[Vince]

I've noticed that a ton a Sprint sites in the Chicago market that still don't have LTE are on the top of power lines. It must be impossible to get permission to run fiber on their land. There's one like this by my mom's house in tinley park that creates a pretty big LTE coverage gap on 159th and 80th avenue.

[tongboy]

I've noticed that a ton a Sprint sites in the Chicago market that still don't have LTE are on the top of power lines. It must be impossible to get permission to run fiber on their land. There's one like this by my mom's house in tinley park that creates a pretty big LTE coverage gap on 159th and 80th avenue.

Usually the delay is with the specialized crews authorized to work on power lines, or getting the power company to approve the extra weight that will be added. They encourage using right of ways for fiber or copper communication. It's essentially free money for them. Are the full builds complete?

[Vince]

Usually the delay is with the specialized crews authorized to work on power lines, or getting the power company to approve the extra weight that will be added. They encourage using right of ways for fiber or copper communication. It's essentially free money for them. Are the full builds complete?

Yes, every site in the Chicago market is built. The power line problematic towers are mostly 3g/800 and one or two that are 3g.