Network Vision/LTE - Chicago Market

[ChiWestLoop]

There are still plenty of areas of Chicago that have horrendously configured downtilt and site spacing (*cough* chinatown, hyde park, near south side *cough*) where it's very easy to lose LTE or simply be on unusable B26 or B25 with not a hint of B41 in sight, especially inside. I can totally understand these results based on my own personal experience.  

I can confirm the Loop and the West Loop are also affected.

[Vince]

Not sure why they're waiting so long to make it right. Sprint's new AD campaign here is driving me nuts. It's everywhere, and they're gloating about being 2nd most reliable in Chicago, and plastering that rootmetrics graph all over the place where Verizon is in first. It makes no sense.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6

[gusherb]

Looks like my choice of carrier wasn't a bad one afterall (even though I'm not even on them anymore atm).

 

Yes I definitely agree the bump to 10x10 AWS helped, as does CA, and most importantly the fact that everything WORKS PROPERLY with AT&T's network (minus the Chinatown black hole that only T-Mobile can seem to cover properly)

 

They also probably didn't test in NWI where AT&T is spectrum starved and not very fast. Edit: looks like that testing does include alot of NWI so that rating is INCLUDING AT&T's slow performance here.

 

I can also see how Verizon remains #1 here. (as I subscribe to them this week, quite pleasantly surprised I might add...) 

 

Sprint still has lots of work to do... 

[Cubbiefan82]

Sprint did really good in my eyes, they 13.09 mbps and 7.55 on the upload that is good speed. I don't agree with the call drop rate though, I never had dropped a call in chicago. I always had 4 to 5 bars in all areas for sprint, so that one confuses me.  Yet, still the rating is a good one. It shows a good improvement and it is only getting better

[Vince]

Slow data, texts, and calls were never the problem for me on Sprint, it was the unreliability of LTE service, and maybe that weighed heavily in their testing. LTE drops indoors in your pocket if you're not near a tower, and I'm not being unrealistic with service expectations, but it's in small places next to a window, like a subway restaurant or a small bar, or every time PCS lte gets weak, it just drops to 3G, even outdoors. While driving, I'll occasionally glance over at my wife's sprint iphone 6 while she's using it, and she's on 3G all the time. I'm riding out T-Mobile for awhile, because so far, I'm happy with their service and network. They're not perfect in heavily populated areas, and can get bogged down, but we'll see what happens after the AWS HSPA shutdown next month.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6

[gusherb]

Sprint did really good in my eyes, they 13.09 mbps and 7.55 on the upload that is good speed. I don't agree with the call drop rate though, I never had dropped a call in chicago. I always had 4 to 5 bars in all areas for sprint, so that one confuses me.  Yet, still the rating is a good one. It shows a good improvement and it is only getting better

 

Yeah, the good news is they still did better then last time. Just seems that competition remains stiff for them, even in their "flagship market" as some like to claim we are.  

It's nice that we have four very good carriers to choose from instead of just one or two. In all my testing of different networks lately they all seem to be very close together and have minor tradeoffs from one another but nothing too drastic. 

 

Slow data, texts, and calls were never the problem for me on Sprint, it was the unreliability of LTE service, and maybe that weighed heavily in their testing. LTE drops indoors in your pocket if you're not near a tower, and I'm not being unrealistic with service expectations, but it's in small places next to a window, like a subway restaurant or a small bar, or every time PCS lte gets weak, it just drops to 3G, even outdoors. While driving, I'll occasionally glance over at my wife's sprint iphone 6 while she's using it, and she's on 3G all the time. I'm riding out T-Mobile for awhile, because so far, I'm happy with their service and network. They're not perfect in heavily populated areas, and can get bogged down, but we'll see what happens after the AWS HSPA shutdown next month.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6

 

 

Nobody else but Sprint has those problems around here either, and I'm trying all the carriers out like cheap hookers lately so I know firsthand. 

 

What I really can't get over is the fact that nothing has changed in this regard in over a year since the start of B26 deployment. This is what irritates me most. 

[Vince]

Yeah, the good news is they still did better then last time. Just seems that competition remains stiff for them, even in their "flagship market" as some like to claim we are.

It's nice that we have four very good carriers to choose from instead of just one or two. In all my testing of different networks lately they all seem to be very close together and have minor tradeoffs from one another but nothing too drastic.

 

 

Nobody else but Sprint has those problems around here either, and I'm trying all the carriers out like cheap hookers lately so I know firsthand.

 

What I really can't get over is the fact that nothing has changed in this regard in over a year since the start of B26 deployment. This is what irritates me most.

Pretty much exactly. I, too, have been spending a lot (more than I care to think about) on sims and service just to see what's going on around town. I'd probably stay with Cricket because att just works everywhere, and well at that, but 10gb just isn't enough, so T-Mobile it is for a bit. I really am rooting for Sprint, but they're lacking in a few areas for my personal taste.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6

[gusherb]

Pretty much exactly. I, too, have been spending a lot (more than I care to think about) on sims and service just to see what's going on around town. I'd probably stay with Cricket because att just works everywhere, and well at that, but 10gb just isn't enough, so T-Mobile it is for a bit. I really am rooting for Sprint, but they're lacking in a few areas for my personal taste.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6

 

Have you tried Verizon yet? I have been the last few days and am slowly being proven wrong about my opinions on their network density. Finding many more cell sites then I thought they had (many of them are new) and Band 4 coverage is just about blanketing NWI which really took me by surprise. Actually they seem good enough to really give AT&T a run for it's money and have me reconsider who I wanna stay with. I haven't found a weak spot yet (except the basement of where I work in Bridgeport, and of course, Chinatown)

[lilotimz]

if you guys wish to talk about other carriers then take it to private messages. Do not clutter the thread for others who are here for sprint information or discussion.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[Vince]

if you guys wish to talk about other carriers then take it to private messages. Do not clutter the thread for others who are here for sprint information or discussion.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

So, zero talk of other wireless companies and how they operate in the Chicagoland area? Nobody was bashing anyone, and the discussion was/is leading to a constructive discussion.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6

[Jones]

So, zero talk of other wireless companies and how they operate in the Chicagoland area? Nobody was bashing anyone, and the discussion was/is leading to a constructive discussion.

 

I think it is the lou99 effect. Topics get permenently derailed when discussing other networks to the point where there is no hope of getting back on topic.

If we can keep it constructive then there is a place to discuss other networks, otherwise it will turn off people who come to the site for Sprint discussion.

[lilotimz]

So, zero talk of other wireless companies and how they operate in the Chicagoland area? Nobody was bashing anyone, and the discussion was/is leading to a constructive discussion.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6

All are allowed to as long as it's relevant to Sprint but there is a line where it starts being relevant and where it starts being off topic.

 

Example: discussing one or mor carriers network performance in comparison with sprint in X location compared to X location is totally fine.

 

discussing X company and X company and how they're doing in x location is off topic and most don't want to hear about it since discussing X company and X company is really irrelevant to how sprint is doing if there's no mentioning or comparison to sprint.

 

Many do still follow this thread and site for Sprint information and not for one how finds say ATT or VZW superior in so many ways in this or that. 

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[gusherb]

All are allowed to as long as it's relevant to Sprint but there is a line where it starts being relevant and where it starts being off topic.

Example: discussing one or mor carriers network performance in comparison with sprint in X location compared to X location is totally fine.

discussing X company and X company and how they're doing in x location is off topic and most don't want to hear about it since discussing X company and X company is really irrelevant to how sprint is doing if there's no mentioning or comparison to sprint.

 

Many do still follow this thread and site for Sprint information and not for one how finds say ATT or VZW superior in so many ways in this or that. 

Sent from my Nexus 5

That's unfortunate because I like talking technical about other networks here, if I do at any other site it goes largely ignored cuz it goes over everyone's heads. I also consider this site a place to talk about everyone objectively without trolls coming in and bashing everything up (which still happens anyways but a lot less)

 

If I made all my non Sprint related statements into a comparison with Sprint it would sound like I was bashing Sprint. It's already been made clear that aside from the B41 rollout the network has pretty much stagnated in a less then desirable spot for the last year, especially compared to competition.

[lilotimz]

That's unfortunate because I like talking technical about other networks here, if I do at any other site it goes largely ignored cuz it goes over everyone's heads. I also consider this site a place to talk about everyone objectively without trolls coming in and bashing everything up (which still happens anyways but a lot less)

 

If I made all my non Sprint related statements into a comparison with Sprint it would sound like I was bashing Sprint. It's already been made clear that aside from the B41 rollout the network has pretty much stagnated in a less then desirable spot for the last year, especially compared to competition.

And it's encouraged.

 

Just try not to clutter up a thread that is under the Network vision forums since the whole point of these threads is well mainly about network vision and sprint.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[jreuschl]

I'm assuming the last place showing for call performance prevented a tie with the big 2.

[ChiWestLoop]

I just want to know if things will improve in the West Loop and the Loop in the near future. I have been a Sprint subscriber for 11 years and endured the horrible years of the transition to LTE. But now it's 2015 and I'm still not satisfied with the service. If I'm in my apartment on the West Loop I get connected to a band 26 antenna and then all of the sudden it changes to a crappy Band 25 antenna and then it goes to 3G. It does not latch at all to any of the good Bands in the area and even when I learned that there were a lot of Band 41 antennas in the area I can't connect to any of those.

 

When I go to work at the Loop it's the same story, it connects to a good Band 41 antenna but all of the sudden my phone decides to latch to a crappy Band 41 antenna and never goes back to the good one. It's frustrating to say the least. And on the meantime I see a coworker with a Verizon phone downloading files at 35MBps while I barely break the 1MB mark. 

[lilotimz]

I just want to know if things will improve in the West Loop and the Loop in the near future. I have been a Sprint subscriber for 11 years and endured the horrible years of the transition to LTE. But now it's 2015 and I'm still not satisfied with the service. If I'm in my apartment on the West Loop I get connected to a band 26 antenna and then all of the sudden it changes to a crappy Band 25 antenna and then it goes to 3G. It does not latch at all to any of the good Bands in the area and even when I learned that there were a lot of Band 41 antennas in the area I can't connect to any of those.

 

When I go to work at the Loop it's the same story, it connects to a good Band 41 antenna but all of the sudden my phone decides to latch to a crappy Band 41 antenna and never goes back to the good one. It's frustrating to say the least. And on the meantime I see a coworker with a Verizon phone downloading files at 35MBps while I barely break the 1MB mark.

if sprint does not serve your needs then find an alternative that does. Don't stress out over something you have no control over. Vote with your wallet.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[ChiWestLoop]

if sprint does not serve your needs then find an alternative that does. Don't stress out over something you have no control over. Vote with your wallet.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

I still have more than 1 year on my current contract plus I like the unlimited data plan. Again, are these issues caused by lack of optimization and should be resolved in the future? That's my question.

 

Thank you,

[lilotimz]

I still have more than 1 year on my current contract plus I like the unlimited data plan. Again, are these issues caused by lack of optimization and should be resolved in the future? That's my question.

 

Thank you,

A lot of things can happen in a year and there is no guarantee of what will happen.

 

What will happen is the implementation of lte advance software that helps optimizes the network without expensive and time consuming drive tests but who knows when those type of software will be implemented.

 

At this stage sprint is still mostly depends on Ericsson for network maintenance and optimization and we all know great they are.

 

I would spam the hell out of the sprint zone app to report the issues you're experiencing if all else fails sounds like either an issue with the cell sites or your device.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[Joeynach]

I just want to know if things will improve in the West Loop and the Loop in the near future. I have been a Sprint subscriber for 11 years and endured the horrible years of the transition to LTE. But now it's 2015 and I'm still not satisfied with the service. If I'm in my apartment on the West Loop I get connected to a band 26 antenna and then all of the sudden it changes to a crappy Band 25 antenna and then it goes to 3G. It does not latch at all to any of the good Bands in the area and even when I learned that there were a lot of Band 41 antennas in the area I can't connect to any of those.

 

When I go to work at the Loop it's the same story, it connects to a good Band 41 antenna but all of the sudden my phone decides to latch to a crappy Band 41 antenna and never goes back to the good one. It's frustrating to say the least. And on the meantime I see a coworker with a Verizon phone downloading files at 35MBps while I barely break the 1MB mark. 

I have come to a similar realization as well.  The more moving parts, the more ingredients that go into making the final product, the more complicated and heterogeneous the final product and roll-out of the final product becomes.  I work on large ePlatform transformation projects and we see this all the time with our clients.  Simply put a heck of a lot as to align, and align perfectly, for you to get what you believe you signed up for, or what you believe Sprint sold you and everyone on.  Its why I hate projects that are vendor heavy, took many cooks and you get dishes & pairings that don't quite turn out right.

 

Sprint has to stitch 3 sets of electromagnetic spectrum together in order to offer the advertised performance; for data, calls, and texts.  That's 3 machines that have to be built perfectly, independently, and from the ground up, and then stitched together with technology from both the software and hardware perspective on both the carriers and the consumers end.  And I haven't event mentioned that fact that the hardware implementation is with 3 separate vendors too!

 

That's a heck of a lot that has to go right and go right in every area you go to, in order to feel good about NV and Sprint's promises.  And its going to take time, and there are going to be pieces that fall through the cracks and there are going to be areas, neighborhoods, and cities and that don't perform like their neighbors.  I don't think its a stretch to say TMO, VZW, and ATT have an innate advantage that the performance of their service has been for the most part tied to one electromagnetic spectrum block's deployment.  That inherently makes their LTE easier to deploy, manage, and maintain.

 

I think the point is that to make this deduction from knowledge about the NV program, Sprint's technology, and their competitors technology (primarily from discussions on this site) is routine.  It's like reminding the GF who bitches about you never being home that she knew what she signed up for when she started dating an IT consultant who travels for a living.  Just like this nameless GF, you should know what you signed up for with Sprints NV Transformation project, especially as an informed S4GRU member.  And it isn't a stretch to come to the conclusion that Sprint's hill is the steepest to climb, will take the longest to get to the top, and may or may not be worth the wait for you.  And I have no recourse in saying that for me it wasn't, so I left.  I am a happy TMO customer.

[mhammett]

I have not checked the maps lately to confirm what they have, but 2.5 is in DeKalb now. I have a Nexus 6, which I don't believe supports carrier aggregation for me to test.

[mhammett]

A lot of things can happen in a year and there is no guarantee of what will happen.

 

What will happen is the implementation of lte advance software that helps optimizes the network without expensive and time consuming drive tests but who knows when those type of software will be implemented.

 

At this stage sprint is still mostly depends on Ericsson for network maintenance and optimization and we all know great they are.

 

I would spam the hell out of the sprint zone app to report the issues you're experiencing if all else fails sounds like either an issue with the cell sites or your device.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

I believe one of the coverage or signal tools has an ability to generate technical information for submitting in those complaints. My network of around here is pretty solid, so I have no good way of utilizing that.

[tongboy]

Good lord people! I would admit I don't follow rootmetrics reports all that much, but they post what looks to me like a practical 4 way tie for first, Sprint is listed as third, and suddenly everything is horrible around here.

 

Are suddenly T-Mobile people jumping off bridges?

[Cubbiefan82]

A lot of things can happen in a year and there is no guarantee of what will happen.

 

What will happen is the implementation of lte advance software that helps optimizes the network without expensive and time consuming drive tests but who knows when those type of software will be implemented.

 

At this stage sprint is still mostly depends on Ericsson for network maintenance and optimization and we all know great they are.

 

I would spam the hell out of the sprint zone app to report the issues you're experiencing if all else fails sounds like either an issue with the cell sites or your device.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

there is one more year left on the Ericsson network management deal right?

[Cubbiefan82]

I have not checked the maps lately to confirm what they have, but 2.5 is in DeKalb now. I have a Nexus 6, which I don't believe supports carrier aggregation for me to test.

Yep!! Check out the premier map