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Network Vision/LTE - Chicago Market


thesickness069

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Does the second LTE carrier make it a 10x10 or a 5x5 with more capacity?

It will be 5x5

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

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where is the screen shots for that second carrier? how is everyone doing in Chicago? Seeing any amazing Spark speeds?

Band 41 is great when you're connected. Once that is widespread, Sprint will charge ahead like an angry bull. It really is the key differentiator.
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The second pcs lte carrier is live in Lakeview. My signal check no longer displays up and downlink frequencies and speeds are awesome 

Really, where were you?  I spent most of the night over by Irving Park and Lake Shore Dr, and was experiencing something weird.  Voice roaming on Verizon with 1XRTT, with a very strong signal, and LTE connected on Sprint (as usual), with also a very strong signal.  I found this to be when both indoors and outdoors, so weird, and I am having trouble explaining it.  Any thoughts. Pic Attached.

 

Also, I searched for the second carrier between Lincoln park and East Lakeview.  Didn't see anything other than Upload channel 26665 and Download channel of 8665.  I believe that's just the original PCS G blocks of Sprint's.  Were looking for a new value that would signify a change to PCS B block right?

lakeview.png

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Are you running a prl from this forum, or any other custom prl? I was running a premier prl and was constantly roaming. Usually on incoming calls, I would see the roaming triangle.

No, just a regular Sprint one that I updated with probably a week ago.

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The new USCC spectrum appears to be off at my location. Lisle, IL See first image. First time uploading, hope it works.

Also had some time this afternoon to capture a bunch of the Sprint 800 and PCS Chicago allotments in the Chicago area at the nearby site on the good old spectrum analyzer at work. Let me know if any of you would be interested in the other captures as well and I can upload them.

Also below is one of the "800" band captures

 

FYI: The lab is about 900 meters from the tower.

post-32078-0-89163400-1391639995_thumb.jpg

post-32078-0-10608100-1391640016_thumb.jpg

 

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The new USCC spectrum appears to be off at my location. Lisle, IL See first image. First time uploading, hope it works.

Also had some time this afternoon to capture a bunch of the Sprint 800 and PCS Chicago allotments in the Chicago area at the nearby site on the good old spectrum analyzer at work. Let me know if any of you would be interested in the other captures as well and I can upload them.

Also below is one of the "800" band captures

 

FYI: The lab is about 900 meters from the tower.

{style_image_url}/attachicon.gif 1945-1970MHz_Site_BID13155.jpg

{style_image_url}/attachicon.gif 800MHz_Site_BID13155.jpg

I have no idea how to read those, but thank you for your contributions. Does this mean uscc spectrum wasn't found near you, but lte 800 was?

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

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I have no idea how to read those, but thank you for your contributions. Does this mean uscc spectrum wasn't found near you, but lte 800 was?

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

I understand the USCC spectrum Sprint acquired is 1950-1960 MHz for the download which is the low flat part in the middle of the first image.

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Here's a closer in on the 1945-1950 spectrum. Trying to make out the EV-DO vs 1xAdv

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20140205_1610091161.jpg

 

You cannot categorically tell them apart with just frequency domain RF analysis.  Sometimes, I note slightly greater EIRP for EV-DO carriers in my RF sweeps.  But that is certainly not foolproof.  So, you are better off using your engineering screen to figure out the CDMA1X and EV-DO carrier assignments on a given site.

 

AJ

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Here's a closer in on the 1945-1950 spectrum. Trying to make out the EV-DO vs 1xAdv

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20140205_1610091161.jpg

 

As AJ said, Ev-DO carriers tend to have a slightly higher average EIRP than a 1xRTT/1xA carrier. Not always, but given observations of Ev-DO on Ch 325 in other nearby areas, the balance of probability is that we're looking at Ev-DO on Ch. 325, and 1xA on Ch. 375. It's strange that they would leave Ch. 350 (which seems to usually be occupied by another 1xA carrier) vacant though.

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Here's a closer look at the other 2 Sprint spectrum chunks (downlink) in the PCS band in the Chicago area

 

1990-1995 MHz

attachicon.gifIMG_20140205_1612250421.jpg

 

1965-1970 MHz

attachicon.gifIMG_20140205_1611189441.jpg

 

Yep, definitely a LTE carrier in the first pic and 2 CDMA carriers in the second. Once again, they've left a channel (Ch. 750) empty, and likely have Ev-DO at Ch. 725 and 1xA at Ch 775. It's close, but the first CDMA carrier looks ever so slightly stronger.

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Yep, definitely a LTE carrier in the first pic and 2 CDMA carriers in the second. Once again, they've left a channel (Ch. 750) empty, and likely have Ev-DO at Ch. 725 and 1xA at Ch 775. It's close, but the first CDMA carrier looks ever so slightly stronger.

 

Hate to sound like a dummy, but at my age I can hardly remember TV channels (especially on Comcast: How did WGN get on channel 192 -- but I digress [perhaps another sign of senility]).  Could someone knowledgeable tell me/us in simple terms what cellular channels were actually seen, and what that means in terms of old Sprint spectrum and the new repurposed USCC spectrum.  I vaguely remember that I got EVDO on channel 575 in Naperville over the weekend, and that the buzz was that it was former USCC spectrum, but there are just too many frequencies and channels being bounced around in the previous posts to be easily understandable to an old fart like me.  Help??

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Hate to sound like a dummy, but at my age I can hardly remember TV channels (especially on Comcast: How did WGN get on channel 192 -- but I digress [perhaps another sign of senility]).  Could someone knowledgeable tell me/us in simple terms what cellular channels were actually seen, and what that means in terms of old Sprint spectrum and the new repurposed USCC spectrum.  I vaguely remember that I got EVDO on channel 575 in Naperville over the weekend, and that the buzz was that it was former USCC spectrum, but there are just too many frequencies and channels being bounced around in the previous posts to be easily understandable to an old fart like me.  Help??

 

What briank101's sweeps showed was that the acquired USCC PCS B block disaggregation was definitely not in use in his area.  Now, how large that area is depends on the dynamic range of the spectrum analyzer.  He has a standalone Agilent that probably cost something like $20,000, while I have just a USB connected analyzer that cost $1500.  Basically, I doubt the Agilent is any slouch in the specs department.  However, his lab is also quite proximate to the closest macro site, so that signal could swamp more distant signals, causing them to fall below the noise floor.

 

But I digress.  You probably want the shorter answer.  Here goes.  The number of CDMA1X and EV-DO carriers varies from site to site.  Some sites are for capacity; other sites are there just for coverage.  Those carrier cards cost money, as does the backhaul.  So, CDMA2000 sites have tended to go variably with the minimum number of carriers needed.  That is why the Chicago site in question shows some unused Sprint channels and no USCC spectrum activity -- at least, not yet.

 

AJ

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If anyone cares a new downtown site just received its LTE activation.  Its in the West Loop near Ogden/Washington, not too far from the UC either so that's good for the crowds.  Now just waiting for the tower over by where the new Google building will be near (Fulton & Morgan) to be activated.  Once that's finished downtown west of Wacker will be done.  Hopefully, next on the list are the N Michigan Ave towers, our wonderful Mag Mile.

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I'm going to post this here since I can't get an answer elsewhere on the forum. I had a digi prl loaded and noticed I had a roaming triangle occasionally when making/receiving calls. Signal check showed it as Sprint*. I did a prl update to go back to stock prl thinking something was wrong, and still occasionally get the triangle. My question is: will the new uscc spectrum be carrying voice as well? Would my phone think I was roaming on this new spectrum? I've seen other roaming screenshots and signal check showed Verizon*. Thanks

Posted Image

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

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I'm going to post this here since I can't get an answer elsewhere on the forum. I had a digi prl loaded and noticed I had a roaming triangle occasionally when making/receiving calls. Signal check showed it as Sprint*. I did a prl update to go back to stock prl thinking something was wrong, and still occasionally get the triangle. My question is: will the new uscc spectrum be carrying voice as well? Would my phone think I was roaming on this new spectrum? I've seen other roaming screenshots and signal check showed Verizon*. Thanks

ane9ybug.jpg

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

When Sprint repurposed the USCC spectrum on NV sites, it will not show as roaming. Are you certain that in the 1x section it said Sprint* or was that in the LTE section? I would need to see it with the app open to know for certain and the 1x Engineering screen. You either were 1x roaming, or your phone has a bug in it.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

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Former USCC spectrum still not turned on here (near my work site) No carriers (LTE or otherwise to be found).

 

post-32078-0-09909400-1391802077_thumb.jpg

 

 

Also in the second image below, I notice LTE is not switched on here in the upper SMR "800" band. It appears that only one 1x800 voice carrier is lit up. I notice on the Sprint Spark coverage map, while showing Spark in my area, it does not show the hash shading for "Turbo". So is Turbo coverage indicated only when both 2.5 GHz LTE and LTE 800 are active, or would just having 2.5 GHz LTE active be sufficient to designate Turbo. Is there any map that would track areas with two PCS LTE carriers, 800 LTE, and 2.5 TDD LTE all on one map?

 

post-32078-0-68275000-1391802163_thumb.jpg

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Former USCC spectrum still not turned on here (near my work site) No carriers (LTE or otherwise to be found).

 

Also in the second image below, I notice LTE is not switched on here in the upper SMR "800" band. It appears that only one 1x800 voice carrier is lit up. I notice on the Sprint Spark coverage map, while showing Spark in my area, it does not show the hash shading for "Turbo". So is Turbo coverage indicated only when both 2.5 GHz LTE and LTE 800 are active, or would just having 2.5 GHz LTE active be sufficient to designate Turbo. Is there any map that would track areas with two PCS LTE carriers, 800 LTE, and 2.5 TDD LTE all on one map?

 

 

Robert has told us many times never to refer to Sprint's coverage maps for anything worth a damn.  Sensorly is accurate for coverage, no band detail there though.  The NV sites complete and premier sponsor maps are your best bet for which towers are broadcasting which bands.  There is no LTE800 anywhere in this market yet, so no surprise you only see the 1x800 voice carrier.

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 I notice on the Sprint Spark coverage map, while showing Spark in my area, it does not show the hash shading for "Turbo". So is Turbo coverage indicated only when both 2.5 GHz LTE and LTE 800 are active, or would just having 2.5 GHz LTE active be sufficient to designate Turbo. Is there any map that would track areas with two PCS LTE carriers, 800 LTE, and 2.5 TDD LTE all on one map?

 

 

Areas not designated with the "Turbo" moniker are running on older backhaul limiting max throughput. I find older backhaul sites are limited to about 20mb/sec vs newer sites which I've seen go over 60mb/sec.

 

But do take the sprint coverage maps with a grain of salt...not terribly accurate.

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Former USCC spectrum still not turned on here (near my work site) No carriers (LTE or otherwise to be found).

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20140207_1322201051.jpg

 

 

Also in the second image below, I notice LTE is not switched on here in the upper SMR "800" band. It appears that only one 1x800 voice carrier is lit up. I notice on the Sprint Spark coverage map, while showing Spark in my area, it does not show the hash shading for "Turbo". So is Turbo coverage indicated only when both 2.5 GHz LTE and LTE 800 are active, or would just having 2.5 GHz LTE active be sufficient to designate Turbo. Is there any map that would track areas with two PCS LTE carriers, 800 LTE, and 2.5 TDD LTE all on one map?

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20140207_1320208221.jpg

 

Turbo is just Band 41 sites that have super high speed backhaul that supports 50-60Mbps on every sector.  If the Band 41 backhaul is not super-duper fast, it just is yellow.  Orange is Band 25/26 without any Band 41 present.

 

Robert

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Turbo is just Band 41 sites that have super high speed backhaul that supports 50-60Mbps on every sector. If the Band 41 backhaul is not super-duper fast, it just is yellow. Orange is Band 25/26 without any Band 41 present.

 

Robert

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

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